Georgia Reverses Decision to Tighten Visa Rules for Russians

Georgia has again simplified visa requirements for Russian citizens, less than a week after announcing it would tighten them.

“Russian citizens will be able to obtain Georgian entry visas at any border-crossing point upon arrival in Georgia,” Grigol Vashadze, the Georgian deputy foreign minister, said on September 4. “So the Georgian government has kept yet another promise and demonstrated to the Russian Federation the difference between a free and democratic state and a non-free and undemocratic state.”

The Georgian Foreign Ministry said in a statement issued on August 26 that a decision had been taken to tighten visa rules for Russian citizens, starting from September 8. And on September 2, Georgia formally notified Russia over its decision to cut diplomatic ties with Moscow. Tbilisi, however, said it was maintaining its consulate in Moscow.

In response, Russia closed both its embassy and consulate in Tbilisi and stopped issuing Russian entry visas for Georgian citizens.