CITIZENSHIP HASSLE: GEORGIA’S NEW IMMIGRATION LAWS CREATE CONFUSION FOR ARMENIANS

NEWS | 21.04.15 | 10:38

GOHAR ABRAHAMYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter

The new requirements of Georgia’s new immigration law have caused
problems for many Armenians living in that country and although the
Georgian side insists that the problem is solved, many Armenians
having dual citizenship are still in limbo.

Thirty-seven-year-old Armine, a dual Georgian-Armenian citizen who
lives in Georgia’s mostly Armenian populated Javakhk province, came
to Armenia last week together with her 10-month-old child, who has
only Armenian citizenship. The woman, who did not wish her second
name to be used in the article, says at the border she was told by
Georgian authorities that she could not go back together with her
baby during the next three months.

“But we had been told before that we would not have any problems with
the baby’s status, that’s why we did not care to take any additional
documents for the baby,” says the woman, who came to Armenia for
three days only but now has to stay in the country for three months
to be able to go back home with her child.

At the beginning of 2015, Georgia tightened its immigration laws in
view of the country’s Association Agreement with the European Union.

As part of the new law, citizens with dual citizenship may be deprived
of their Georgian nationality.

Many Georgian Armenians had taken the citizenships of Armenia or Russia
mainly because of their social and economic problems, considering
that Georgia and Russia have problems in their relations, and due
to their second citizenships they have been able to travel to Russia
for migrant work without any entry visa.

According to official sources, about 30,000 people in Georgia have
either given up or been deprived of their second citizenships since
December 1, 2014.

According to the new requirements of Georgia’s immigration laws,
non-citizens can stay in Georgia only for 90 days within every six
months, which means that every six months they have to leave the
country for three months.

Meanwhile, during a video conference on Monday Ruben Palyan, a
Georgian Justice Ministry official, said that residence status issues
for Georgian Armenians are “at the stage of being solved” and the
application of the law has been postponed till July. In the meantime,
he said, people who have been stripped of Georgian citizenship can
apply for temporary or permanent residence permit.

“Many representatives of Georgia’s Armenian community are simply not
aware of their rights and responsibilities. Many problems arise because
of legal ignorance, because people do not know what opportunities the
new law gives them,” he said, adding that more than 3,000 Armenians
who have been deprived of Georgian citizenship have applied and been
granted permanent or temporary residence permits.

According to Palyan, only 23 applications have been rejected so far,
but even if rejected, people can apply for a second or third time.

“While in the past each application required the payment of a duty in
the amount equivalent to 50,000 Armenian drams (about $100), then now,
considering people’s complaints, by the decision of the Ministry of
Justice, the duty will be levied only once. And in order to raise the
awareness of the Armenian community, we have prepared informational
brochures that present the new requirements of the law and the rights
of citizens,” the official said.

To the question that many holders of foreign passports continue to
insist that they have problems when crossing the border and that they
continue to pay fines because Georgian border guards say they are not
aware of the postponement of the data of the application of the law,
Palyan says that it also happens because of the lack of awareness
among Armenians.

“Armenians are not sufficiently aware of the new law and do not know
what is allowed and what is not, and that they are given the right
to stay not in order to cross the border, but to stay and continue to
live in Georgia. After they cross the border, the privileges granted
to them are no longer valid,” he said.

Meanwhile, Armine from Javakhk, who has had problems at the border,
says she has turned to the Georgian Embassy where she has been told
what documents she needs for the visa for her baby. Still, she says
she prefers temporarily staying in Armenia to avoid the hassle.

“I was told by an acquaintance at the embassy that I had better stay
in Armenia for three months if I have an opportunity than go through
all that red tape,” she says.