Georgian Citizenship for Foreigners: Requirements and the Dual Citizenship Problem

Overview

The regular route to Georgian citizenship needs 10 years in a row of legal residence, a job, property or business in Georgia, and passing tests in Georgian language, history and law.
Spouses of Georgian citizens can apply after 5 years in a row of legal residence. They still take the tests.
Georgia generally doesn't allow dual citizenship. If you naturalize the normal way, the grant only takes effect once you prove you've given up your other citizenship.
The President can grant citizenship by exception, and those citizens can keep their other passport. It's rare and depends on ties to Georgia, investment or special merit.

Many people who move to Georgia ask about a Georgian passport within the first year. For most Westerners, the answer changes once they learn the dual citizenship rule. Here's how naturalization works, what it costs you, and when it makes sense.

Based on the Organic Law on Georgian Citizenship as published on October 28, 2026. Parliament amended the law in June 2026, so check the current text before you apply.

The regular route

To naturalize in the regular way, you need all of these:

10 years of legal residence in a row right before you apply.
A tie to the economy. A job in Georgia, property in Georgia, a business here, or shares in a Georgian company.
Passed tests in the Georgian language, Georgian history and the basics of Georgian law.

"In a row" means you can't be out of Georgia for more than 90 days in any year. Time abroad for study or medical treatment is the exception. A long work trip or a summer back home can break the count.

The marriage route

If you're married to a Georgian citizen, you can apply after 5 years in a row of legal residence. You still need the language, history and law tests. The job or property condition doesn't apply.

The residence side has changed. Since September 1, 2026, foreign spouses first get a 1-year spouse permit, renewed for up to 5 years, and the marriage is checked more closely. See our spouse permit guide.

The tests

You take the tests at the Public Service Development Agency before you apply. If you fail, you can retake them. A pass is valid for 1 year, so time your application to match.

The language test is the real barrier for most English speakers. Georgian has its own alphabet and a grammar that's very different from English. Plan for years of study, not months.

The dual citizenship problem

This is the part that stops most Americans, Brits, Canadians and Australians.

Georgian law generally doesn't allow dual citizenship. For a foreigner who naturalizes in the regular way, the decree granting citizenship takes effect only once the authorities get proof that you've given up your other citizenship.

In plain terms: to become Georgian the normal way, you give up your US, UK, Canadian or Australian passport. For most people, that's a bad trade. A Georgian passport is useful, but it doesn't open as many doors as the one you'd lose.

Citizenship by exception

The President can grant citizenship by exception for special merit or state interest. The grounds the law lists include:

a family link to Georgia, such as ancestors who emigrated for political or economic reasons.
a substantial investment in Georgia.
success in sport, science or the arts.

People granted citizenship this way can keep their other citizenship. You still need the language, history and law knowledge, unless a disability exempts you. It's a discretionary decision, and you can't plan around it the way you'd plan a residence permit.

Timing and refusals

The law gives the authorities 3 months to decide on an application. If you're refused, you can reapply on the same grounds after 6 months. Since a March 2025 Constitutional Court decision, you can also challenge a refusal in court.

Permanent residence first

For most Westerners, permanent residence gets you almost everything you need. You can live here for good, work without a work permit and keep your own passport. Citizenship adds the right to vote and a Georgian passport, at the cost of your current one in most cases.

How we can help

We check whether you qualify, how your years of residence count, and whether an exception might apply to you. Then we prepare and file the application. Ask about citizenship or see what we do.