Georgian citizen acquires foreign citizenship: how to keep Georgian citizenship: what to do under Georgian law

What to do

1. Stage: the other citizenship has not yet been obtained / has been obtained / Georgian citizenship has been terminated. Acquiring another citizenship is grounds for loss of Georgian citizenship, except where retention is granted by consent (Law of Georgia on Citizenship, Art. 21); living abroad does not terminate citizenship (Law of Georgia on Citizenship, Art. 5).
2. Not yet obtained: act before taking the oath of the other state. Citizenship is retained if consent is obtained BEFORE the other citizenship is acquired (Law of Georgia on Citizenship, Art. 21¹); consent is given where there is a genuine link with Georgia (refusal is on security grounds) (Art. 21¹); the application is submitted in person or through a representative to the Public Service Development Agency or a consulate (Art. 22); the decision on consent is taken by the President (Art. 24); the review period is no more than 3 months (Art. 26).
3. Obtained without consent: loss is not automatic; the President formalises it on the submission of a State body (Law of Georgia on Citizenship, Art. 23); there may be no loss if the ground is eliminated before it is identified (Art. 21); if no decision on loss was taken before 15 August 2018, a request for retention may be made until 1 January 2027 (Art. 32²).
4. Terminated: a person who lost Georgian citizenship because of another citizenship may request restoration until 1 January 2027 (knowledge of the language; no grounds for refusal; there is no need to renounce the other citizenship) (Art. 32²); apply immediately. Appeal: termination is challenged in court, with the President as defendant (Art. 29); a claim must be filed within 1 month (APC, Art. 22).
5. Children: a child with two citizenships by birth retains Georgian citizenship until the age of 18; without an application for retention, it terminates (Law of Georgia on Citizenship, Art. 21¹).
6. Where to apply: Public Service Development Agency or a consulate; President of Georgia; court.
7. Documents to prepare: passport or ID; date of the oath abroad; evidence of a link with Georgia (property, family, business); language certificate.
8. Pitfalls: acquiring a foreign citizenship before consent has been granted; believing that living abroad terminates citizenship; missing the restoration window; confusing retention (for a Georgian citizen) with the exceptional procedure (for a foreigner).

Be sure to check

• acquiring another citizenship is grounds for loss, except where retention is granted by consent
• consent must be obtained BEFORE the other citizenship is acquired; the authority, the President’s decision, the review period
• what to do if another citizenship has already been acquired or Georgian citizenship has been terminated (eliminating the ground, the window until 2027)
• appeal of a termination decision