The European Union has suspended visa-free travel for Georgian officials.

The European Commission announced the suspension of visa-free entry for holders of Georgian diplomatic and service passports, effective today. The restrictions do not affect Georgian citizens with ordinary passports.

As reported by the Caucasian Knot, in December 2025, the European Commission suggested that Georgia could face a complete suspension of its visa-free regime with the European Union due to the country's "systemic and targeted democratic backsliding." At the end of January 2026, the Commission launched a procedure to suspend the visa-free regime for Georgian citizens holding diplomatic, service, and official passports under a new mechanism.

The European Commission today suspended the visa-free regime for holders of Georgian diplomatic, service, and official passports. Now, to enter the Schengen area for official purposes, they must have a visa, reports Newsgeorgia.

The decision comes into force for one year, until March 6, 2027, and is the first case of applying the stricter mechanism for suspending the visa-free regime, which the EU approved in December 2025.

The European Commission explained that the measures were taken due to Georgia's "deliberate and systematic violations" of its obligations to respect democracy and fundamental rights. The Commission cites repression against peaceful protesters, opposition politicians, and independent media, as well as Tbilisi's refusal to coordinate its visa policy with the EU.

Georgian officials will not be able to avoid restrictions by using regular passports; they are required to present official documents when traveling to the EU for official and diplomatic purposes. Failure to comply with this requirement may result in an entry ban. In view of this, the Commission recommended that Member States strengthen border controls for Georgian citizens.

"Member States should also ensure that all Georgian citizens are checked against national and European databases, such as the Visa Information System, the Schengen Information System, and other publicly accessible databases," the EU Delegation to Georgia said in a statement.

The restrictions do not affect Georgian citizens with ordinary passports: they retain the right to short-term visa-free travel. However, if the human rights situation does not improve, the Commission may extend the suspension to 24 months or extend it to all Georgian citizens.

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas noted that free movement within the EU will be restricted for individuals associated with the "repressive" Georgian government, including Georgian diplomats, Pirveli TV reports.

"When a government attacks its own people, suppresses journalists, and restricts freedoms, it does not go without consequences. The EU has already deprived Georgia of funding due to democratic backsliding. Today, Europe is preventing those associated with the repressive Georgian authorities, including Georgian diplomats, from moving freely within the European Union. The people of Georgia have our full support, but there is no place in our union for those who represent repression," Kallas said. Kallas.

The European Commission believes that the actions of the Georgian authorities are contrary to the principles on which the visa-free regime is based, stated European Commission spokesman Markus Lammert.

"This is the first time the new visa suspension mechanism has been applied. The Commission considers that the actions of the Georgian authorities are contrary to the principles on which the visa-free regime is based. This is incompatible with the norms and values ​​of the European Union," Lammert stated.

It should be noted that on July 9, 2025, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on Georgia, which, in particular, emphasizes that Salome Zurabishvili is the legitimate president of Georgia. The document states that Georgia's European integration process is "effectively suspended" as a result of ongoing democratic regression in Georgia and the falsification of the parliamentary elections in October 2024. The suspension of visa-free travel with Georgia in response to democratic backsliding and repression against pro-European protesters was discussed at a meeting of the EU Foreign Ministers' Council on July 15. Participants in the meeting notified Tbilisi of the conditions for continuing the visa-free regime.