Moving together should not mean trying to work out a different set of paperwork for every family member on your own. Whether you are joining a spouse in Tbilisi or relocating with children, we help you understand who can apply, which certificates to prepare and how to plan the applications around your family’s dates.
The first question is the status of the person already living in Georgia. Joining a foreign residence holder, joining a Georgian citizen and accompanying a property or IT applicant can involve different legal provisions. Tell us who is moving and what status each person currently holds; we will explain the relevant application before you order translations or book appointments.
Who can apply with a foreign resident?
Family reunification is available to qualifying family members of a foreign national who holds a Georgian residence permit. The relationship must fit the applicable legal definition and be supported by documents. A marriage certificate, birth certificate or evidence of dependency may be relevant, depending on the relative and the permit involved.
Start with a list of everyone applying, their ages and their relationship to the residence holder. If an adult child, parent or dependent relative is moving too, raise this at the beginning. We check the individual position rather than assuming that every relative can be included on the same basis.
If your spouse or child is a Georgian citizen
A foreign spouse of a Georgian citizen has a separate residence category before permanent residence. It is initially issued for one year and can be extended for two years at a time within the applicable five-year period. The subsequent permanent-residence provision depends on the required residence history and the marriage continuing. Marriage alone does not give an immediate permanent permit.
The authority may check whether the marriage and family life are genuine, including through interviews and a visit to the stated home. We explain the papers and procedure and help you prepare accurate information about your circumstances. A minor child of a Georgian citizen and the parent of a minor Georgian citizen have separate permanent-residence provisions.
Documents to prepare for each family member
- A valid passport and evidence of lawful stay in Georgia.
- The residence holder’s permit or the Georgian citizen’s identification, as appropriate.
- Marriage, birth or other certificates proving the relevant family relationship.
- Financial evidence where required for the particular application.
- The application, electronic photograph and proof of the state-fee payment.
- Any documents needed for representation of a child or another person who cannot apply personally.
Check names, dates and passport spellings across the certificates. If a surname changed after marriage, bring the document connecting the old and new names. Documents issued abroad may need an apostille or legalisation and a Georgian translation, subject to the applicable treaty and document rules. We can help you identify the correct order so that you do not translate a document that still needs certification.
Our residence document checklist explains the common papers. Your family list will depend on the exact relationship and the main applicant’s status.
Financial evidence and application costs
For ordinary family reunification, the financial documents can include qualifying lawful income or funds in the applicant’s personal bank account. Where a bank balance is used, the monthly amount over the requested permit period must meet the applicable test of twice the subsistence minimum for an average consumer. The required total therefore depends on the period and the current official figure. We explain the calculation for your papers rather than giving every family the same fixed bank-balance number.
The ordinary family-reunification state fees are GEL 300 for the 30th calendar day, GEL 450 for the 20th and GEL 600 for the 10th. The Georgian-citizen spouse category has its own schedule: GEL 500 for the 90th calendar day. These are government processing charges, separate from legal assistance, document expenses and residence-card costs.
Families of property, investment and IT applicants
Some residence categories contain their own family provisions and document lists. For example, short-term property residence covers the owner’s spouse and children, while the investment category uses a different definition of qualifying family members. The IT category also provides for eligible family applications. We compare the relevant provisions before preparing your family’s applications.
Read about property and investment residence or the IT residence permit if that is the main applicant’s basis.
Plan the applications around your move
Send the main applicant’s permit expiry date, each person’s entry date and your planned move. A faster processing service does not remove the filing deadline or extend lawful stay. Children’s school arrangements, permission to travel and residence applications are related practical matters, but each needs the appropriate documents.
After approval, arrange the residence card and the required address registration. Keep the family certificates and renewal dates together. If the main applicant changes status or a family circumstance changes, contact us before the next filing so we can explain what it means for the other applications.
Speak to us about your family
Begin with a short message: who is moving, everyone’s nationality and age, your relationship to the person in Georgia and the status that person holds. We will explain the next documents and provide a written quotation for the assistance you need. You do not need to send passport scans in your first enquiry.