Georgia extends the right to stay for some Ukrainians until 24 February 2027 — who is affected?
The Georgian government on 24 February 2026 officially extended the visa-free stay for Ukrainians who were in the country as of 24 February 2025. In short — who received relief, and who remains excluded.
By Tetiana Suchkova-Ladik
February 25, 2026 · 2 min read
What the government decided
In the Georgian government resolution of 24 February 2026 (source: media SOVA) it was announced that the right to visa-free stay for Ukrainian citizens who entered and were residing in Georgia before 24 February 2025 is extended. For this category, the right of stay has been extended until 24 February 2027.
Who it concerns — numbers and statuses
According to data cited by Echo of the Caucasus, about 30,000 Ukrainians live in Georgia: of them approximately 25,000 have refugee status, and about 6,290 hold a residence permit. The government's decision gives temporal stability to a significant part of this group, but applies only to those who entered by the specified date.
“About 25,000 Ukrainians with refugee status live in the country; in total about 30,000 Ukrainians in Georgia, of whom 6,290 have residence permits.”
— Irakli Kobakhidze, Prime Minister of Georgia
Why this happened — brief context
The policy on the length of visa-free stay has changed several times over the past two years: in the resolution of 23 April 2024 the period for Ukrainians was increased to three years, but on 3 April 2025 it was shortened to one year. Today's decision is a kind of partial step back toward a more liberal approach, but with clear temporal restrictions.
Diplomatic background: on 27 January 2026 the President of Ukraine appointed a new ambassador to Georgia — a signal of intensified bilateral contacts that may have influenced practical decisions concerning citizens.
What this means in practice
- For displaced persons: an additional year provides time to complete paperwork, find employment, or regularize family matters legally.
- For public services: a need to accelerate registration procedures and access to social services so the decision does not remain merely declarative.
- For diplomacy: a test of whether Tbilisi and Kyiv can turn temporary measures into a stable legal solution.
Important dates
- 23.04.2024 — the visa-free period was increased to 3 years.
- 03.04.2025 — the period was shortened to 1 year.
- 24.02.2026 — the government extended the right of stay for those who were in Georgia by 24.02.2025 until 24.02.2027 (source: SOVA).
Summary
This is not an automatic solution to all problems faced by displaced persons, but it is an important time buffer for tens of thousands of people. The next step is work at the level of administrative procedures and bilateral policy so that the temporary measure becomes a sustainable practice of supporting civilians who were forced to leave their homes. Whether this becomes the start of systemic solutions depends on how quickly and effectively government services and diplomats act.
