Georgia plans stricter visa and student controls, targets sham marriages

Georgia is set to tighten oversight of foreign students and migration procedures under a new draft law prepared by the Interior Ministry, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Justice.

The proposed legislation focuses on strengthening controls over international students, reforming residence permit rules, and curbing cases of sham marriages used to obtain legal status, Caliber.Az reports, citing Georgian media.

Under the draft, foreign applicants to Georgian universities would be required to pass a language examination or present an internationally recognised certificate. Higher education institutions would also be subject to quotas on the admission of foreign students.

Universities would be obliged to record and submit data on all international students to a unified state database. Non-compliance could result in financial penalties, restrictions on admitting foreign students, or even loss of accreditation.

The draft law also introduces stricter measures on residence permits obtained through marriage to Georgian citizens. Authorities plan to establish a special commission to verify the authenticity of relationships.

Fictitious marriages intended to secure citizenship or residency would be criminalised, with penalties including deportation and bans on re-entry for between two and ten years.

In addition, the Migration Department of the Interior Ministry is expected to receive expanded powers, including authority to conduct operational and investigative activities.

By Aghakazim Guliyev