Tackling illegal stay: Georgia deports expels citizens of Azerbaijan, Armenia, Russia

The Migration Department of Georgia’s Interior Ministry deported 100 foreign nationals from 21 countries in August for residing in the country illegally. 

Those deported included citizens of Iraq, Egypt, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, India, Jordan, Iran, Syria, Pakistan, Russia, Kenya, Lebanon, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Bangladesh, Belarus, Lithuania, Nigeria, Armenia, China, and Kyrgyzstan, Caliber.Az reports, citing Georgian media.

According to the MIA, the individuals overstayed their permitted periods under Georgian law and remained in the country without legal grounds.

Under Georgian legislation, deported individuals are prohibited from re-entering the country. Deportation decisions are made either by the Migration Department or by the court.

Foreign nationals given a deportation order are allowed 10 to 30 calendar days to leave Georgia at their own expense. Voluntary departure carries an administrative fine, while failure to comply leads to enforced deportation.

Deportation can be carried out to:

• The country of the individual’s citizenship or a country where they have legal residence;

• The country from which they entered Georgia;

• Any state with which Georgia has a readmission agreement or another bilateral agreement, or any country that agrees to accept them.

Those deported are banned from entering Georgia for a period of 2 to 5 years. The ban does not apply to those who leave the country voluntarily.

By Khagan Isayev