The European Commission has suspended visa-free travel for Georgian citizens holding diplomatic, official, and service passports, activating its updated visa suspension mechanism as of April 2.
Under the new rules, affected individuals will now be required to obtain a visa when entering the Schengen Area for official purposes.
European Commission says the mechanism was triggered in response to what it described as Georgia’s “deliberate and systematic” failure to uphold key obligations related to democracy and fundamental rights under the visa liberalization framework.
“Visa liberalization is intended to strengthen people-to-people contacts and promote shared values, including respect for human rights and democratic principles. Since October 2024, actions taken by the Georgian authorities — including repression against protesters, opposition politicians, and independent media — have negatively impacted the situation in the country and led to violations of several fundamental rights and international legal standards. Georgia has also refused to align with the EU’s visa policy, which is a necessary condition for maintaining visa-free travel. The Commission considers that the actions of the Georgian authorities undermine the principles on which visa liberalization is based,” the statement reads.
The Commission has also issued guidelines to EU member states’ consular services and border authorities to ensure effective implementation of the decision.
These guidelines recommend enhanced checks on all Georgian citizens crossing EU borders. Georgian officials travelling for diplomatic or official purposes are required to use diplomatic or service passports; failure to comply may result in refusal of entry.
Member states are also advised to systematically check Georgian nationals against national and European databases, including the Visa Information System (VIS), the Schengen Information System (SIS), and other public databases. The Entry/Exit System (EES), which has been gradually introduced since October last year, is expected to add an additional layer of security screening.
Furthermore, when holders of diplomatic, official, and service passports apply for Schengen visas, member states are encouraged to carry out thorough checks, including interviews and requests for additional documentation. Visas should be denied if there are doubts about the credibility of the information provided.
The guidelines will be formally presented to EU member states within the Council’s visa working group format. The Commission said it will closely monitor their implementation.
The temporary suspension entered into force on March 6 and will remain valid for 12 months, until March 6, 2027. If concerns related to governance and the rule of law are not addressed, the Commission may extend the suspension for up to an additional 24 months.
The Commission also retains the option to extend the measure to all Georgian citizens.
“During this period, it is up to the Georgian authorities to improve the situation. The Commission calls on the Georgian authorities to engage constructively in this process,” the statement said.
The European Union previously decided in January 2025 to suspend visa-free travel for Georgian diplomatic and official passport holders by partially suspending provisions of the 2011 EU–Georgia visa facilitation agreement. That decision was implemented by 19 EU member states.
The current measure, however, activates the updated suspension mechanism under the 2017 visa liberalization agreement between Georgia and the EU. It reintroduces visa requirements at the EU level for holders of diplomatic, official, and service passports for short stays of up to 90 days within any 180-day period and eliminates the possibility of bilateral visa facilitations for this group.
The updated visa suspension mechanism, which entered into force in December 2025, provides the EU with stronger and faster tools to respond to the misuse of visa-free travel, security risks, and backsliding on fundamental rights.
Georgia is the first country against which the EU has activated this strengthened mechanism. The visa suspension mechanism has been in place since 2018 and, in its previous form, was used only once — in 2024, in relation to Vanuatu.
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