On 8 September 2026, Georgia’s Migration Department reported that 61 foreign nationals had been deported from Georgia in recent days and were banned from re-entering the country. The useful takeaway for ordinary expats is not the headline number; it is the need to keep lawful stay, residence status and the right to work legally separate and current.
Deportation news does not mean every foreign resident is at risk
Georgia’s Interior Ministry removes foreign nationals under specific legal grounds and procedures. A person who is lawfully present and complying with applicable residence and work rules should not treat a general enforcement announcement as a personal deportation notice.
At the same time, the 2026 legal changes show a clear enforcement direction: unauthorized work, unlawful stay and non-compliance with immigration procedures have more explicit consequences than before.
Lawful stay is the first question
Visa-free entry, a visa, a residence permit and an application pending before an authority are not interchangeable. An expat should know the legal basis for being in Georgia today and the date that basis expires.
Do not assume that filing a residence application or court challenge automatically extends the passport holder’s existing entry permission. The effect depends on the exact process.
Work authorization is a separate question
Since 2026, many foreign employees and self-employed persons carrying out activity in Georgia need a separate right-to-work authorization unless an exemption applies. Registering an LLC or Individual Entrepreneur does not by itself prove permission to work.
The September Aliens Law amendment also adds immigration consequences where a foreign national violates right-to-work conditions or performs labour activity without the required authorization.
A court appeal does not automatically stop expulsion
For Agency decisions under the Aliens Law, the new procedure generally requires a direct court challenge within 10 calendar days after service. The law expressly states in several contexts that a court challenge does not itself prevent the competent authority from considering or enforcing expulsion.
What expats should keep in one folder
- passport and entry stamp/border record;
- visa or visa-free basis and expiry calculation;
- residence permit/card and renewal documents;
- right-to-work authorization or exemption evidence, if relevant;
- Agency decisions and proof of when they were served;
- current mobile number and actual Georgian address supplied to the Agency.
