Georgia's long-awaited visa-free travel to the European Union may become the same visa regime soon, only in more veiled terms of "pre-authorization": this option is being considered by the European Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE).
Tbilisi believes that it is the EU's reaction to the flow of illegal immigrants from Georgia, which has intensified after the abolition of Schengen visas this spring, because it does not want to openly spoil relations with the Georgian authorities, who consider visa-free entry to the EU Tbilisi's main achievement on the path of European integration.
According to the commission, non-EU nationals who do not need a visa to enter the Schengen area will have to fill in an electronic form with their personal data, travel document information, home address and contact information, and the European country of first intended entry. The applicant will also need to inform authorities of any convictions for serious criminal offenses, about stays in specific conflict zones and of any prior administrative decisions requiring them to leave a country, all over the last ten years.
The travel authorisation will cost 10 euros, although some travellers will be exempted from paying this fee (persons under 18 and over 60 years of age, family members of EU citizens and students and researchers travelling for academic purposes), and it will be valid for three years (or until the travel document expires).
From 28 March Georgia became second post-Soviet country after Moldova, which nationals with biometric passport can travel visa-free to the 26 countries of the Schengen Area.
