How to apply for refugee/humanitarian status -- process
The procedure for granting refugee or humanitarian status includes:
a) Submitting an application;
b) Preliminary review of the application, interviewing, and making a decision on the person’s registration as an asylum seeker;
c) Issuing a certificate or delivering the ministry’s decision to refuse a substantive review of the application;
d) Conducting a substantive review of the application and making a decision on granting or refusing refugee or humanitarian status;
e) Issuing a temporary residence permit to a person granted refugee or humanitarian status or delivering the ministry’s decision on refusal of such status.
1. An asylum request is a person’s direct or indirect, oral or written expression of the desire for legal protection in Georgia based on the grounds specified in Articles 2 or 4 of this law.
2. If a person crosses the Georgian border illegally, they are required to contact the first available state authority within 24 hours.
3. If there are circumstances beyond the person’s control that prevent them from submitting an application on time, the deadline for submission may be extended, but only for the duration of those circumstances.
4. An asylum request received by any state authority must be recorded in writing, a copy of which must be sent to the ministry within three days and provided to the person concerned.
5. If a person who is legally present in Georgia wishes to apply for refugee status, they must personally submit an application to the ministry.
A Preliminary Review of the Application, Interview, and Registration as an Asylum Seeker
1. The ministry shall conduct a preliminary review of an asylum seeker’s application within 10 days of its submission.
2. Within 10 days of the application’s submission, the ministry shall conduct an interview with the asylum seeker based on a standardized questionnaire. The asylum seeker is informed of the interview date on the day of application submission.
3. The ministry shall decide on the person’s registration as an asylum seeker or refusal of registration and shall issue a certificate to the asylum seeker and their family members within 5 days of the decision. A minor’s certificate shall be handed to their legal representative.
4. The decision on the registration of a person as an asylum seeker serves as the basis for granting the rights and imposing the obligations provided for in Article 18 of this law to the asylum seeker and their family members.
Substantive Review of the Application
1. The ministry shall conduct a substantive review of the application within six months from its registration. This period may be extended by up to three months, in which case the asylum seeker must be notified in writing.
2. Within five months of registration, the ministry shall conduct an interview with the asylum seeker. The asylum seeker must be notified of the interview date at least three days in advance via written notice sent to the address provided in the application. If the asylum seeker fails to appear for the interview twice without a valid reason and without responding to the notification, the ministry shall terminate the application review process. Whenever possible, the interview should be conducted by a ministry representative of the same gender as the asylum seeker, and a qualified interpreter of the same gender should be provided. Additional interviews may be conducted if necessary to clarify the facts presented by the asylum seeker.
3. The relevant structural unit of the ministry shall prepare a conclusion on granting or denying asylum, based on:
a) The asylum seeker’s questionnaire;
b) The interview with the asylum seeker;
c) The analysis of the accuracy of the information provided, the credibility of the facts presented, and the reliability of the asylum seeker’s behavior;
d) Verification of information obtained from the asylum seeker and accompanying family members;
e) Information on the asylum seeker’s country of origin;
f) A comprehensive examination of the asylum seeker’s departure from their country of origin, transit through a third country, entry into Georgia, and conditions of stay.