19:00, 29 April 2011

Georgia enacts visa-free regime for citizens of Iraq and several countries of Europe

On April, 28, the Government of Georgia considered changes to the law "On Legal Status of Foreigners" according to which citizens of a number of countries, in particular, Albania, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Iraq will be able to enter Georgia without visas.

Giorgi Khuroshvili, Parliamentary Secretary of the Georgian Government, told the journalists that according to the changes, citizens of these countries would be able to stay in the territory of Georgia 360 days a year.

The law in force now stipulates a visa system with these states. The Government of Georgia considers that enacting a visa-free regime will promote inflow of foreign investments into the country and development of tourism, RBC reports.

Additionally, the Government explains that while discussing this decision it takes into account that Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia are on the list of probationary members of European Union, Albania is a member of NATO, Serbia and Montenegro have received Membership Action Plan NATO MAP, "Georgia-Online" reports.