The Parliament of Georgia, in its I reading, adopted by 75 votes the draft law on the Legal Status of Foreigners and Stateless Persons, which aims to clarify the legal mechanisms related to the entry, stay, residence permits, and expulsion of foreigners in Georgia.

The legislative initiative of the Government of Georgia was presented by Deputy Interior Minister Aleksandre Darakhvelidze. According to the Deputy Minister, under the proposed regulation, a foreign national wishing to enroll in a university in Georgia will be required to submit a language proficiency certificate recognized by the Government of Georgia. In addition, the National Assessment and Examinations Center will be granted the authority to organize a foreign language examination in specific cases.

Under the proposed amendments, foreign students studying in Georgia must earn at least one-third of the credits prescribed by law during an academic year. The draft law further provides that if a foreign student suspends their student status for more than 90 days, this will constitute grounds for the cancellation of their residence permit.

Similarly, if a foreign student remains outside Georgia for more than 183 days without a valid reason (participation in an exchange program or a medical necessity), this will also serve as grounds for revoking their right of residence.

According to the Deputy Minister, the amendments also address the issue of granting permanent residence permits following marriage to a Georgian citizen. Specifically, a new provision is being introduced into the Criminal Code of Georgia, under which a fictitious marriage, or participation in such a marriage, will become a criminal offense when the marriage is not intended to establish a family and is instead aimed at enabling a foreign national to obtain the legal right to reside in Georgia.

The presenter also introduced to Parliament, in the I reading, an extensive legislative package accompanying the draft law.