Citizeo
Pathway

Georgia Residence Through Close Family

Georgia Residency
Pathway overview

At a glance

Georgia has family residence routes for defined family members of a Georgian citizen or a foreign national who holds a Georgian residence permit. The permit type depends on both the sponsor's status and the relationship.

Type
Family residence
Sponsor
A Georgian citizen or a foreign national with a Georgian residence permit
Core requirements
Qualifying legal relationship, sponsor status, lawful stay, and financial evidence
What to know
A new spouse-of-citizen permit system takes effect on 1 September 2026
What it gives
Family reunification allows a qualifying family member of a foreign permit holder to reside in Georgia for the permit's validity.
Main limit
This is not a route for any person who wants to live near a friend or relative.

Summary

Georgia has more than one residence route for close family, and the correct route depends on the sponsor's Georgian status.

A defined family member of a foreign national who holds a Georgian residence permit can apply for a residence permit for family reunification. Under the law in force on 15 August 2026, a foreign spouse or minor child of a Georgian citizen, or a foreign parent of a minor Georgian citizen, can apply for permanent residence.

An enacted change takes effect on 1 September 2026. From that date, a foreign spouse of a Georgian citizen will first receive a spouse-of-citizen residence permit. It is issued for one year, may be extended for two years at a time, and can run for no more than five years in total. If the marriage continues, the spouse may then apply for permanent residence. The new law also creates a formal interagency process for checking whether the marriage and family life are genuine. The permanent route for a Georgian citizen's minor child and for a parent of a minor Georgian citizen remains in the law.

D4 is the immigration-visa category for family reunification. It is not the name of every family residence permit and should not be confused with the residence decision itself.

Pathway fit check

Eligibility

Family of a foreign residence-permit holder

The family-reunification permit is available to a “family member” of a foreign national who holds a Georgian residence permit. The current legal definition includes:

The applicant needs proof of the sponsor's current residence permit and proof of the legal family relationship. A visa, a visa-free stay, a pending permit application, or property ownership without an issued residence permit does not make someone a residence-permit sponsor.

The Public Service Development Agency (PSDA) also requires the applicant's travel document, proof of lawful stay in Georgia, a photograph, the application, and payment evidence. The applicant must show lawful income earned in Georgia by the applicant, a Georgian citizen, or a relative with residence rights in Georgia. Personal bank funds can also be considered. If bank funds are used, the PSDA says the monthly amount over the requested permit term should be at least twice Georgia's current average-consumer subsistence minimum.

Family-reunification permits fall within the temporary categories initially issued for six months to one year. Extensions require the qualifying basis to continue.

Family of a Georgian citizen before 1 September 2026

Until the scheduled change takes effect, the current permanent-residence provision covers:

The PSDA requires proof of the relationship and the citizen's status. It also requires evidence of lawful income earned in Georgia by the applicant, the Georgian citizen, or a relative with Georgian residence rights. A Georgian citizen's pension or social benefit may be used where applicable, and the applicant's personal bank funds may also count. The PSDA's permanent-residence instructions do not state the same fixed two-times-subsistence multiple that appears under family reunification.

Spouse of a Georgian citizen from 1 September 2026

For an application governed by the new rule, the foreign spouse begins with the spouse-of-citizen residence permit rather than immediate permanent residence. The law permits an interagency commission to interview the spouses separately or together, request evidence of the marital relationship and family formation, inspect the stated residence where required, and interview relevant people.

Refusing to cooperate with a lawful commission request is a ground for refusal. If the commission suspects a sham marriage, the law provides for referral to investigative and prosecution authorities and for suspension of the residence case while the specified investigation decision is pending.

The change is date-sensitive. Someone filing around 1 September 2026 should confirm with the PSDA which rule governs the application and which application form and document list are in force that day.

Relationship limits

The family route is based on the legal definition, not simply emotional or financial closeness. An unmarried partner, independent adult child, sibling, grandparent, or other relative does not qualify under this pathway merely because the relationship is genuine. A dependent or guardianship case must fit the statutory category and be supported by records.

Foreign civil records need duly certified Georgian translations. Ask the PSDA or Georgian consulate whether the issuing country and document also require legalization or an apostille.

What This Route Allows

Family reunification allows a qualifying family member of a foreign permit holder to reside in Georgia for the permit's validity. The future spouse-of-citizen permit will allow the foreign spouse to reside while completing the five-year family-residence period, provided the marriage and permit conditions continue.

A permanent residence permit gives the right of permanent living. It is still an immigration status rather than citizenship, and the holder must maintain valid identity and residence documents as required.

A spouse of a Georgian citizen may separately qualify for simplified naturalization after five continuous lawful years in Georgia, but must meet the citizenship test and other citizenship rules. Residence approval does not itself grant citizenship.

What This Route Is Not

This is not a route for any person who wants to live near a friend or relative. The sponsor status and relationship must fit the law exactly.

It is not automatic residence after marriage. The applicant must file, prove lawful stay and the legal relationship, satisfy the financial-document rules, and pass the authority's review. From 1 September 2026, spouses of Georgian citizens also face the new marriage-verification procedure.

It is not one permit called “D4.” D4 is an immigration visa used for family reunification where a visa is needed. The residence categories are family reunification, permanent residence, and—starting 1 September 2026—the spouse-of-citizen permit.

Next Steps

  1. Identify the sponsor precisely: Georgian citizen or foreign national holding a current Georgian residence permit.
  2. Match the applicant's relationship to the statutory list. For a dependency, disability, guardianship, or custody case, collect the official decision and support evidence.
  3. If the sponsor is a Georgian citizen's spouse and filing near 1 September 2026, obtain written confirmation from the PSDA about the rule, form, duration, and fee that apply on the filing date.
  4. Obtain the sponsor's citizen ID or residence-permit copy and the applicant's proof of lawful stay.
  5. Gather complete civil records and arrange duly certified Georgian translations. Confirm any apostille or legalization requirement before filing.
  6. Prepare the lawful-income or personal-bank-funds evidence for the exact permit category. If applying for family reunification, calculate bank funds using the current subsistence figure and requested duration.
  7. For a spouse case under the new rules, prepare ordinary evidence of a genuine marriage and family life and be ready to cooperate with an interview or verification request.
  8. Apply early enough to protect lawful status. The PSDA's general guidance tells most residence applicants to file 40 calendar days before lawful stay expires.
Compare your options

Other routes in Georgia.

Sources