Georgia to Reintroduce Visa-Free Rules with Iran from Feb.15

Georgia will reintroduce 45-day visa-free travel rules for Iranian citizens starting from February 15, 2016, the Georgian Foreign Ministry said.

Georgia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Davit Jalagania notified Iran’s ambassador, Abbas Talebifar, of the change at a meeting on February 8.

Also on February 8, Georgia’s PM Giorgi Kvirikashvili and Iran’s President held a phone conversation and discussed cooperation, including the lifting of visa rules for Iranian citizens.

Georgia and Iran signed an agreement on 45-day visa-free travel rules in November 2010, when the then-Foreign Minister of Iran visited Georgia.

The agreement went into force in late January 2011, which contributed to an increase in the number of visits from Iran to Georgia from about 21,300 in 2010 to 60,000 and over 89,000 in 2011 and 2012, respectively.

Georgia unilaterally suspended the visa-free rules with Iran in July 2013, which was followed by a decline of visits from Iran to Georgia from 85,700 in 2013 to 47,900 and 25,200 in 2014 and 2015, respectively. (Civil.ge)