The European Commission has officially suspended the visa-free travel regime for certain categories of Georgian passport holders.
The Operative Information Center-OMM reports, citing foreign media outlets, that the restriction specifically targets holders of diplomatic, service, and official passports from Georgia entering the Schengen area.
According to the statement, these passport holders will now be required to obtain a visa to enter the Schengen zone for official purposes. It was noted that this mechanism is being implemented for the first time, and the decision has been formally approved by all European Union member states. The move is reportedly a direct response to what the Commission describes as Georgia's deliberate and systematic violation of obligations regarding democracy and fundamental rights under the visa liberalization framework.
The visa-free regime between Georgia and the European Union has been in effect since 2017, allowing Georgian citizens to travel to most EU countries for short stays without a visa. However, bilateral tensions have escalated significantly following the adoption of the controversial "law on foreign agents" in Georgia in 2025. Prior to this collective EU decision, more than 10 member states had already individually revoked visa-free travel privileges for Georgian diplomatic and service passport holders. This development marks a significant shift in EU-Georgia relations, reflecting growing concerns over the country's political trajectory and its alignment with European standards.
