Georgia cuts visa-free stay for Ukrainians down to one year

Georgia has reduced the duration of visa-free stay for Ukrainian nationals from three years to one, according to a decree signed by Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze that was published online on Wednesday.

The Georgian government had originally increased the length of visa-free stay for Ukrainians from one year — the standard duration enjoyed by citizens of the US, the EU, and other countries — to three years, following the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.

There was no reason given for the decision.

The following day, Kobakhidze signed a decree to extend the provision of cash assistance to Ukrainians in Georgia who have been displaced by war until July 2025. The funding, which consists of monthly payments of ₾300 ($110) for families and ₾45 ($16) for individuals, was also instituted after the beginning of the full-scale war in July 2022.

It is unclear if the government plans to continue the payments after that date.

As of the time of this writing, there have been no official comments from Ukraine about the legislative changes.

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the once friendly ties between Georgia and Ukraine have frayed, with Georgian Dream leaders, including Kobakhidze, routinely criticising the country. Georgian security services have also accused Georgian volunteer fighters in Ukraine of trying to orchestrate a coup back in Georgia along with the support of Ukrainian officials.

On 19 February, Georgian Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili said that she was ‘glad’ Georgia had not followed Ukraine’s example and is ‘not on the same train’ as Kyiv.

Also in February, the founder of the pro-government PosTV, Shalva Ramishvili, went even further.

‘Why should Ukraine’s defeat be considered our defeat? Ukraine’s defeat is our victory’, Ramishvili said at the time.

Ramishvili also criticised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi and his team, calling them a ‘mass gathering of crybabies’.