June 8, 2026 - The South Caucasus News - SouthCaucasusNews.com

Georgia’s Interior Ministry announced on June 8 new legislative amendments tightening migration rules for foreign students and local educational institutions and criminalizing fictitious marriages between Georgian and foreign citizens, among other measures.

The initiative follows the Georgian Dream government’s crackdown on illegal migration, including pledges to “free” the country of illegal migrants amid continued reports of expulsions. It also follows other anti-migration measures, including the latest ban on foreigners without a permanent residence permit, with certain exemptions, from taking up specific positions in the country.

According to the Interior Ministry, the new initiative “responds to modern migration challenges and aims to establish a more efficient, transparent, and secure system for regulating the presence of foreign nationals in Georgia.” The amendments are set to be adopted under the country’s Law on the Legal Status of Aliens and Stateless Persons and related legislation.

Changes to Foreign Student Rules

The Interior Ministry said the amendments include “additional requirements” for the admission of foreign students to higher and vocational education institutions in Georgia, arguing that the current legal framework “does not provide detailed regulations” regarding their studies and that, “in practice, there are cases in which foreign nationals are formally enrolled at universities, but their participation in the academic process is not actually confirmed.”

According to the ministry, such additional requirements would include “the submission of an international language certificate and/or passing a foreign language or state language examination organized by the National Assessment and Examinations Center (NAEC),” as well as setting a “maximum quota for the admission of foreign students” for educational institutions.

The ministry added that educational institutions will also be required to enter information on foreign students into what it described as a “unified information system,” including their admission eligibility, enrollment, suspension, termination or restoration of student status, mobility, completion of studies, and “other information,” to which “appropriate state agencies will have access.”

“Educational institutions will face administrative liability for violations of the rules for recording foreign students, and sanctions may include both a fine and restrictions on the admission of foreign students and revocation of authorization,” the ministry warned.

The legislative amendments will also regulate issues related to student residence permits, the Interior Ministry noted, saying that such permits will be issued to adults “studying at an authorized higher or vocational education institution.” The amendments will also establish grounds for revoking such permits, “including if the student fails to meet academic requirements, violates conditions of employment, or is not actually present on the territory of Georgia for the period defined by law.”

Criminalizing Fictitious Marriages

The amendments will introduce a new type of residence permit to be issued to the spouses of Georgian citizens until a person acquires a permanent residence permit. Such a permit will be preceded by a check of the authenticity of the marriage by a special commission, the ministry said.

The legislative amendments will criminalize “fictitious marriages” between a Georgian citizen and a foreign citizen “for the purpose of obtaining Georgian citizenship, a residence permit in Georgia, or another legal basis for lawful stay in Georgia,” the ministry said, adding that penalties will include deportation of a foreign national and a reentry ban for a period of two to ten years, or a fine, or house arrest for one to two years, or imprisonment for up to two years.

The legislative package also provides for the replacement of the unserved portion of a foreign convicted person with deportation from Georgia and a ban on entry to the country, the ministry added.

“For the purpose of combating, preventing, and suppressing illegal migration, the legislative amendments will grant the Migration Department of the Interior Ministry of Georgia the authority to conduct operational-search activities,” the ministry said.

The amendments would also introduce “significant changes” to court proceedings. “Specifically, appeal deadlines will be shortened, expedited timelines for case hearings will be established, and in certain cases, proceedings may be conducted without oral hearings,” the ministry said.

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