The Georgian Parliament has unanimously passed an amendment to simplify the citizenship acquisition process. The amendment, which passed with 84 votes in the third reading, modifies the Organic Law "On Georgian Citizenship" to make the procedure more efficient and accessible.
The Ministry of Justice, which spearheaded this initiative, announced the development. According to the ministry, the primary goal of the new law is to foster and strengthen connections with Georgian expatriates around the world.
Key changes include:
1️⃣ Pre-Application Exam: Applicants must now pass an exam before they can submit a citizenship application to the State Services Development Agency. This new step aims to save time and resources for both applicants and the agency by avoiding unnecessary processing of unqualified applications.
2️⃣ Unlimited Retakes: If an applicant fails the exam, they have the option to retake it as many times as needed. The results of the passed exam will remain valid for one year.
3️⃣ Reduced Waiting Period: In case of a negative decision on the citizenship application, the waiting period to reapply has been cut from one year to six months.
4️⃣ Shortened Residence Requirement for Stateless Persons: The duration of required residence in Georgia for stateless individuals seeking citizenship has been halved from 10 years to 5, thereby meeting the commitments made to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
These amendments represent a significant step in making Georgian citizenship more attainable, especially for those living abroad and stateless individuals residing in the country.
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