Georgia has added a new rule allowing service providers to ask customers for formal proof that they are lawfully present in the country before certain transactions proceed.
Under Article 21³, public and private service providers may require a certificate confirming lawful stay before non-medical services are provided. Medical care is explicitly excluded from the scope of the new provision.
Who issues the certificate
The document is issued by the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, or by another body that the government designates for that purpose. Officials have not yet published full application steps, fees, or turnaround times alongside the legal change.
The certificate is meant to give providers a standard document when they need to verify immigration status, rather than relying on informal checks or copies of varied permits.
Which services will be affected
The Government of Georgia will publish the list of services for which the certificate becomes mandatory or optional. Until that decree appears, the practical reach of the rule remains unclear.
Providers outside the medical sector are covered by the legal framework in principle, but day-to-day impact will depend on which sectors the cabinet names. Banking, telecoms, housing, education, and transport are among areas residents and foreign nationals often watch when residency paperwork rules change.
What to expect next
Foreign nationals and residents should keep existing residence permits, visas, and registration documents current. Once the service list is published, Georgia Times will update this report with the named sectors and any stated exemptions.
For now, the change establishes the legal basis for a new proof-of-stay certificate rather than an immediate blanket requirement at every counter.
