What documents are needed to enter Georgia?

If you are planning to spend your vacation in Georgia, then you should prepare for it in advance so that you do not have any problems or surprises when crossing the border. It doesn't matter which way you get to your holiday destination, whether it be a plane, a ferry or a car - you still have to go through the checkpoint and so that nothing darkens the upcoming days of rest, you should take care of some things in advance.

Especially for this, this article was written, it contains the main points and rules for crossing the Georgian border, the observance of which will allow you to spend one of the best vacations in life. The information is current for 2017.

Entry to Georgia

Visa-free entry to the territory of Georgia is open for Russians, Ukrainians and many other foreign citizens. Do not think that the rules for entering the country for citizens of the Russian Federation are special - no one will honor you, check your suitcases with passion or be rude behind your back - all these are prejudices and invented stereotypes. Any person who wants to legally enter the country is primarily a tourist, so relax and leave the political squabbles to specially trained people. Here it was understood long ago and therefore with equal joy they welcome Russians, Belarusians and Ukrainians, with truly Georgian cordiality and hospitality.

As mentioned above, the visa regime in Georgia has been simplified - obtaining a visa has been canceled for citizens of 94 states, including the Russian Federation, Ukraine and Belarus. Now the Georgian border can be crossed without unnecessary problems and stay on its territory for a whole year without having to travel outside of it.

What documents are needed to enter Georgia?

Russian citizens and other foreign citizens

Of the documents, without fail, you only need a foreign passport.

Many do not know how long a passport should have - it, in principle, should be valid at the time of entry into the territory of Georgia.

This rule has been significantly simplified and now it is not required that the document be valid for another 3 months from the day you leave the country.

For kids

If you take a child with you, then you need to issue a passport for him or enter it into your own. Children under 14 years of age can be entered into their own document, while it is imperative to paste a photograph of the child, on which there must be a stamp of the passport and visa service.

It is not necessary to have a birth certificate in your hands, but it is better to take it, especially if the minor has a different surname or travels to a separate foreign country - in theory, it may be needed to confirm the relationship.

Children cannot be entered into a biometric passport; in this case, you will have to draw up a separate document for each family member.

Does the child need permission from the second parent to travel to Georgia?

Since 2015, it is no longer necessary to make a power of attorney (to obtain permission or consent of the second parent) to take children abroad if they are traveling with only one of them. The exceptions are cases when one of the spouses has imposed a ban on the export of a child abroad, then you will have to obtain his written consent or seek judicial annulment of this ban.

ФЗ dated 15.08.1996 N 114-ФЗ (as amended on 23.05.2015)

"On the procedure for leaving the Russian Federation and entering the Russian Federation"

Chapter III. THE PROCEDURE OF A CITIZEN'S LEAVING

RUSSIAN FEDERATION FROM RUSSIAN FEDERATION

Article 20. A minor citizen of the Russian Federation, as a rule, leaves the Russian Federation together with at least one of the parents, adoptive parents, guardians or trustees. If a minor citizen of the Russian Federation leaves the Russian Federation unaccompanied, he must have with him, in addition to his passport, the notarized consent of the named persons to leave the minor citizen of the Russian Federation, indicating the time of departure and the state (states) that he intends to visit. ...

(as amended by Federal Laws of 24.06.1999 N 118-FZ, of 10.01.2003 N 7-FZ)

Article 21. In the event that one of the parents, adoptive parents, guardians or trustees declares his disagreement with the departure of a minor citizen of the Russian Federation from the Russian Federation, the issue of the possibility of his departure from the Russian Federation shall be resolved in court.

For dogs

Not sure what documents you need for a dog to travel to Georgia? Along with standard vaccinations, in the international veterinary passport of the animal there must be a mandatory mark about rabies vaccination given to the dog a maximum of a year and at least a month before visiting Georgia. In any municipal veterinary clinic in your city, draw up a "Certificate of Form No. 1" no later than 5 days (120 hours) before the intended trip, otherwise it will be invalid.

For auto

The legal owner of a car with him must have the usual set of documents, the same as he carries with him at home.

Insurance for a car in Georgia is not needed, if you voluntarily make it at home (extended hull insurance), then it will not get worse, but no one will demand it either.

A power of attorney for a car is not needed at a Russian checkpoint, while Georgian border guards can inquire about its presence if the car is fresh (up to 3 years old). This happens extremely rarely and can be triggered by the high cost of the vehicle, the emergence of suspicion about you or the documents for the car, or the change will be so picky. In the absence of a permitting document, the border guards can call the authorities and ask you clarifying questions regarding the car and its owner, and then let it go. So far, there have been no known cases of Georgians deploying tourists due to the lack of a power of attorney, and the very fact of its verification is recorded quite rarely. If, for your own peace of mind, you decide to issue a power of attorney for a car to travel to Georgia, then you can draw it up yourself in Russian, and only certify it with a notary, the main thing is not to forget to indicate that you are allowed to export this car outside of Russia. If the vehicle is leased, then obtain a permitting certificate from the leasing company.

If you decide to visit Turkey, then if you are not the title owner of the car, the Turkish border guards will ask you to present the STS and a power of attorney certified by a notary, which says that you have the right to export this vehicle outside the Russian Federation and be sure you need to translate the document into English. If you are going to cross the Georgian-Turkish border in a car registered for an LLC, the director of which is one of the passengers, then a handwritten power of attorney, translated into English, which contains the phrase "with the right to export the car outside the Russian Federation "and the seal of the organization.

It is enough for the driver to show Georgian border guards only STS and VU.

An international driver's license is not required - you can drive with an old-style license.

Cars that are registered in Crimea, i.e. with the numbers of the 82nd and 92nd regions, they are not allowed into Georgia.

If you are stopped on the territory of Georgia, then you must have a driver's license, STS and international passport with you.

Finding inexpensive housing in Georgia

Border crossing procedure

Russian customs

After passing the barrier, you drive up to the border control and enter any free corridor, if the border guard himself does not indicate the direction. There is a hole under the car through which your bottom can be seen, but they can also check with mirrors. As soon as you stop at the end of the corridor - all passengers should get out of the vehicle, immediately open the trunk and all doors - customs officers can visually inspect the contents of the cabin and trunk, or they may require you to remove all bags for a thorough examination. If your behavior is suspicious, the car may be sent for x-ray scanning. There is a passport control booth at the exit from the corridor - you should get a stamp about crossing the border there.

You will need to go through similar procedures on the way back. A thorough examination of things is not often carried out, but in the car behind me they asked me to take out all the things for inspection, though they did not wool them, but at random they said to open 2 bags - they looked into them and that's it.

The procedure itself is not long - 15 minutes, but the queues, especially during the tourist season, are forced to wait for several hours.

Georgian customs

When you approach it, the border guard will indicate the stopping place and ask all passengers to go to the neighboring building to go through passport control. Drivers, on the other hand, may not even leave the car's interior - a passport, to obtain a stamp, can be stretched through the window of the booth and so on. After driving a couple of meters, you will need to stop, open the trunk and the windows of the passenger compartment - they will be visually inspected and passed on. There will be a large parking lot where drivers are waiting for their passengers.

But here, too, they may ask to get all the bags and trunks. Near us stood a mikrik filled with bales inside and outside, in which the gypsies were riding. They drove a cart and asked to transfer all the trunks to it, the women lamented for a long time and grabbed their heads, but in the end they had to unload.

Everything about everything takes 8-10 minutes - this side works efficiently and does not create a queue artificially.

What can be imported and exported?

Check out the list of things that must be declared when entering and leaving Georgia:

jewelry: stones, metals, jewelry, as well as antiques and art objects: icons, paintings, sculptures, which are artistic values - to move them you need a special permit issued by the Ministry of Culture of Georgia;
plants and animals (their parts or products obtained from them);
radio-electronic devices of high frequencies or means of communication;
some office equipment more than $ 300 requires customs clearance at 18% of its cost, for this you must have a receipt;
cash currency, securities and traveler's checks in the amount equivalent to GEL 30,000. When entering Russia, amounts over $ 10,000 per person are subject to mandatory declaration, i.e. if there is a father and a child in the car, then you can safely have $ 20,000 with you.

It is prohibited to carry: weapons, explosive and flammable substances, cartridges, narcotic and psychotropic substances without the permission of the relevant government agencies; milk and dairy products, meat and meat products without presenting an appropriate veterinary certificate, goods intended for commercial activities, agricultural products (especially flowers and potatoes, the rest in small quantities), fuels and lubricants and spare parts for cars, radioactive, toxic substances and some medicines.

An individual can fill out a customs declaration in Russian, Georgian or English.

The list of things that are not subject to declaration, if they are imported into Georgia by individuals. face 1 time in 24 hours:

jewelry and jewelry for personal use;
food products with a total weight of up to 30 kg and a cost of up to GEL 500 - vegetables, fruits, dried fruits, pasta and similar finished products, nuts, sugar, candies and various types of confectionery;
alcohol and cigarettes - for one adult, you can spend 400 cigarettes or 50 cigarillos, or 50 cigars, or 250 grams of tobacco, 4 liters of any alcoholic beverages;
other products and goods worth up to GEL 1,000 and an indivisible weight of up to 20 kg, and when arriving by plane, no more than GEL 3,000 and weighing up to 50 kg. Exceeding the weight limit entails the payment of a fee in the amount of 1 lari per 1 kg.

Personal goods that are not subject to declaration when entering the territory of Russia (Customs Union):

by car: their weight must not exceed 50 kg, and the customs value is 1.500 euros per passenger;
by plane: no more than 50 kg, with a total cost of up to 10.000 euros;
alcohol and cigarettes - for one adult, you can spend 200 cigarettes or 50 cigarillos, or 50 cigars, or 250 grams of tobacco, or the specified tobacco products in an assortment with a total weight of up to 250 grams, 3 liters of any alcoholic product;
inherited things, as well as one car and a trailer, if there is documentary evidence of their inheritance.
a complete list of goods permitted and prohibited for carriage nat. persons can be found at.

Import restrictions apply to agricultural products, pay special attention to cheeses and honey, can be withdrawn; goods for sale; spare parts for cars; new electrical equipment more than $ 500 (to confirm, have a receipt).

To import a pet, you need a veterinary passport with a mark from the veterinary service of your country that the animal is healthy.

Transportation of medicines

Georgian border guards may not let a tourist in or let him in only after long proceedings if he is carrying a medicine that is freely available in Russia, for example, most antibiotics or afabazole, but is prohibited in Georgia or sold only by prescription. Therefore, it is recommended to hide them out of sight and not overdo it with the amount of medicines taken with you on vacation. It is advisable to have a prescription or a certificate certified by a doctor on hand.

How much alcohol can you export from Georgia to Russia?

On the territory of the Russian Federation, it is allowed to import 3 liters of alcohol duty-free, if you pay the duty (10 € per 1 liter), then the limit can be extended to a maximum of 5 liters per adult passenger. If they find alcoholic beverages that have not been declared in excess of the norm, this will entail the imposition of an administrative fine in the amount of 0.5 to 2 times its value, with or without confiscation of wine and chacha, or they may simply confiscate without a fine.

Low Price Calendar

International checkpoints

It is necessary to understand that you need to cross the Georgian border not where it is convenient for you, but where it is allowed. If you do not pass the border control, then you will face a fine in the amount of 400 GEL, in case of a repeated violation, the fine will increase at least 2 times. In the presence of aggravating circumstances, for example, a group of people crossing the border, you can get off with a large fine, or you can be imprisoned for up to 2.5 years. Do you need it?

List of checkpoints:

The border between Russia and Georgia is the Kazbegi - Upper Lars automobile checkpoint.
Border of Azerbaijan and Georgia - automobile checkpoint "Vakhtangisi", "Red Bridge", "Tsodna"; railway checkpoint "Gardabani".
Border of Armenia and Georgia - automobile checkpoint "Ninotsminda", "Akhkerpi", "Guguti", "Sadakhlo"; railway checkpoint "Sadakhlo".
The border between Turkey and Georgia is the Sarpi and Vale automobile checkpoints.
International airports are Shota Rustaveli in Tbilisi, Chorokh in Batumi and Kopitnari in Kutaisi.
Seaports - ports in Poti and Batumi.

On this map, with a yellow circle, the only place through which one can absolutely legally enter Georgia from the territory of Russia is circled. Checkpoints marked on the map to the left of the circle will only allow you to enter and leave Abkhazia and South Ossetia. You cannot legally enter Georgia through these unrecognized republics. The rest of the icons indicate border checkpoints from the territories of other countries, through which you can freely move on any transport.

Is it possible to travel through Abkhazia to Georgia?

It is impossible to get from Russia to Georgia or vice versa, in transit through the territory of Abkhazia or South Ossetia, in a legal way - when caught, an article on illegal border crossing is incriminated, which will entail the imposition of an administrative penalty, and maybe even a criminal one. More details about fines were mentioned above.

If the passport contains a note about visiting South Ossetia or Abkhazia, then entry into Georgia will be closed for you until you change your passport. If you previously entered / flew into South Ossetia or Abkhazia from Russia and you do not have any corresponding checkpoint stamps in your passport, then 99.9% that Georgians will not know about this and will let you in without any problems.

If you want to visit, for example, Sukhumi, you enter through Adler, relax, and then leave the same way - there should be no other options. Visa and passport, citizens of the Russian Federation, in this case, are not needed.

Since April 1, 2016, only citizens of those countries with which it has signed intergovernmental agreements on mutual visa-free travel can enter the Republic of Abkhazia without a visa: the Russian Federation, the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic, Nicaragua, South Ossetia and the Republic of Tuvalu. Citizens of the Republic of Belarus and Kazakhstan also do not need a visa for tourist and business trips for a period not exceeding two weeks.

How to obtain a permit to pass through the Ingur checkpoint?

No way. On the border of Georgia and Abkhazia, there is the Ingur checkpoint, through which it is theoretically possible to travel in one direction or another, but for this it is necessary to obtain a bunch of permissive documents from the Foreign Ministries of both countries, which in practice makes this undertaking guaranteed impracticable.

This checkpoint is used only for the movement of citizens living on the contact line. Not only tourists are not allowed there, but even the residents of Abkhazia living far from it. There are no benefits, indulgences or exceptions.

From the Russian Federation to Georgia, you can legally enter and leave only through Upper Lars, and to Abkhazia through Adler - there are no other direct land routes.

Summary

Perhaps, after reading everything that is written above, with all these restrictions and prohibitions, the thought may creep into my head: “Maybe well, he’s nafig, I’d better go to the village”. But do not worry, this information is given for review, as the saying goes "He who is forewarned is armed." Relying on it, you can avoid some mistakes and do everything according to your mind.

In fact, crossing the border between Russia and Georgia is not difficult at all. The only trouble is a queue of several hours, but sometimes they give orders from above, and the customs officers begin to stir, though not for long, very soon kilometer-long queues will form again.

Understand the basic rules:

Whichever side of the border you are on, there is no need to be nervous and worried either in the queue or at the checkpoint.
Do not put alcohol in a conspicuous place - hide it deeper in different parts of not only the trunk, but also the interior.
Do not leave in a conspicuous place things that could provoke a more in-depth search.