# Council Decision (EU) 2016/1780 of 29 September 2016 establishing the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union within the Joint Committee set up under the Agreement between the European Union and Georgia on the facilitation of the issuance of visas, with regard to the adoption of common guidelines for the implementation of that Agreement, Division 2.2.1: Documentary evidence regarding the purpose of the journey


For the categories of persons listed in Article 4(1) of the Agreement, only the indicated documentary evidence proving the purpose of the journey will be required. As stated in Article 4(3) of the Agreement, no other justification, invitation or validation concerning the purpose of the journey will be required. However, this does not mean a waiver of the general requirement of personal appearance for the submission of the visa application and supporting documents with regard to the means of subsistence, which remains unaffected.
If in individual cases doubts remain regarding the authenticity of the document proving the purpose of the journey, the visa applicant may be called for an additional in depth interview to the embassy/consulate where that applicant can be questioned regarding the actual purpose of the visit or the applicant's intention to return (in accordance with Article 21(8) of the Visa Code). In such individual cases, additional documents can be provided by the visa applicant or exceptionally requested by the consular officer. The Joint Committee will closely monitor that issue.
For the categories of persons not mentioned in Article 4(1) of the Agreement (for example tourists), the general rules regarding documentation proving the purpose of the journey continue to apply. The same applies to documents regarding parents' consent for travel of children under 18 years of age.
Schengen rules and national law shall apply to issues not covered by the Agreement, such as recognition of travel documents and guarantees regarding return and sufficient means of subsistence.
In principle, the original of the request, certificate, document or letter required by Article 4(1) of the Agreement will be submitted with the visa application. However, the consulate can start processing the visa application with facsimile or copies of the request, certificate, document or letter. Nevertheless, the consulate may ask for the original document in case of the first visa application and will ask for it in individual cases where there are doubts.
Article 4(1) of the Agreement provides that:
‘1. For the following categories of citizens of Georgia, the following documents are sufficient for justifying the purpose of the journey to the other Party:
(a) for close relatives — spouse, children (including adopted), parents (including custodians), grandparents, grandchildren — who are visiting citizens of Georgia legally residing in the territory of the Member States:
a written request from the host person;
Point (a) of Article 4(1) of the Agreement regulates the situation of Georgian close relatives travelling to the Member States to visit the citizens of Georgia legally residing in the territory of the Member States. This facilitation does not apply to citizens of the Union living in the Union who invite Georgian relatives.
The authenticity of the signature of the inviting person must be proven by the competent authority according to the national legislation of the country of residence.
It is also necessary to prove the legal residence of the inviting person and the family tie; for example providing, together with the written request from the host person, copies of documents explaining that person's status, such as a photocopy of the residence permit and a document confirming the family ties.
That provision also applies to relatives of staff working in diplomatic missions and consulates travelling for a family visit of up to 90 days to the territory of the Member States except for the need to prove legal residence and family ties.
‘(b) for members of official delegations who, following an official invitation to Georgia, shall participate in meetings, consultations, negotiations or exchange programmes, as well as in events held in the territory of the Member States by intergovernmental organisations:
a letter issued by a Georgian authority confirming that the applicant is a member of a delegation travelling to the territory of the Member States to participate in the aforementioned events, accompanied by a copy of the official invitation;’.
The name of the visa applicant must be indicated in the letter issued by the competent authority confirming that the person is part of the delegation travelling to the territory of the other Party to participate in the official meeting. The name of the visa applicant need not necessarily be indicated in the official invitation to participate in the meeting, although this might be necessary when the official invitation is addressed to a specific person.
That provision applies to members of official delegations irrespective of the type of passport (service or ordinary passport) they hold.
‘(c) for pupils, students, post-graduate persons and accompanying teachers who undertake trips for the purposes of study or educational training, including in the framework of exchange programmes as well as other school-related activities:
a written request or a certificate of enrolment from the host university, college or school or student cards or certificates of the courses to be attended;’.
A student card is only accepted as justification of the purpose of the journey if it has been issued by the host university, college or school where the studies or educational training are going to take place.
‘(d) for persons travelling for medical reasons and necessary accompanying persons:
an official document of the medical institution confirming necessity of medical care in this institution, the necessity of being accompanied and proof of sufficient financial means to pay for the medical treatment;’.
The document from the medical institution confirming the three elements (the necessity of medical care in that institution, the necessity of being accompanied and the proof of sufficient financial means to pay for the medical treatment) must be submitted.
‘(e) for journalists and accredited persons accompanying them in a professional capacity:
a certificate or other document issued by a professional organisation proving that the person concerned is a qualified journalist or accompanying person in a professional capacity and a document issued by his/her employer stating that the purpose of the journey is to carry out journalistic work or assist in such work;’.
This category does not cover freelance journalists and their assistants.
The certificate or document proving that the visa applicant is a professional journalist or an accredited accompanying person in a professional capacity and the original document issued by that person's employer stating that the purpose of the journey is to carry out journalistic work or assist in such work must be presented.
Currently, no professional media associations, centres, institutions, unions or other similar organisations exist in Georgia which would represent the interest of a group of journalists or accredited accompanying persons in a professional capacity and could issue certificates proving that the person is a professional journalist or an accredited accompanying person in a professional capacity in a specific area. Until such organisations are established, the consulates may accept a certificate from the employer and press accreditation to one of the Member States' organisations.
‘(f) for participants in international sport events and persons accompanying them in a professional capacity:
a written request from the host organisation, competent authorities, national sport federations or national Olympic committees of the Member States;’.
The list of accompanying persons in the case of international sports events will be limited to those accompanying the sportsperson in a professional capacity: coaches, masseurs, managers, medical staff and head of the sports club. Supporters will thus not be considered as accompanying persons.
‘(g) for business people and representatives of business organisations:
a written request from the host legal person or company, organisation or an office or a branch of such legal person or company, state or local authorities of the Member States or organising committees or trade and industrial exhibitions, conferences and symposia held in the territories of the Member States, endorsed by the State Chamber of Registration of Georgia;’.
The National Agency of Public Registry will issue a document confirming the existence of the business organisations.
‘(h) for members of the professions participating in international exhibitions, conferences, symposia, seminars or other similar events held on the territory of the Member States:
a written request from the host organisation confirming that the person concerned is participating in the event;
(i) for representatives of civil society organisations when undertaking trips for the purposes of educational training, seminars, conferences, including in the framework of exchange programmes:
a written request issued by the host organisation, a confirmation that the person is representing the civil society organisation and the certificate on establishment of such organisation from the relevant register issued by a state authority in accordance with the national legislation;’.
A document from the civil society organisation confirming that the visa applicant is representing that organisation must be presented.
The competent Georgian state authority issuing the certificate on establishment of a civil society organisation is the National Agency of Public Registry.
The Register in which the certificates on establishment of civil society organisations are registered is the National Agency of Public Registry. The Ministry of Justice and the National Agency of Public Registry are working with local authorities on developing an electronic database of NGOs which, upon completion, would be available via the website of the Ministry of Justice: https://enreg.reestri.gov.ge/main.php.
Members as such of the civil society organisations are not covered by the Agreement.
‘(j) for persons participating in scientific, cultural or artistic activities, including university and other exchange programmes:
a written request from the host organisation to participate in the activities;
(k) for drivers conducting international cargos and passenger transportation services to the territories of the Member States in vehicles registered in Georgia:
a written request from the national company or association of carriers of Georgia providing for international road transportation, stating the purpose, duration and frequency of the trips;’.
Currently, two national associations of carriers of Georgia competent for providing the written request to professional drivers exist in Georgia: the Georgian International Road Carriers Association (GIRCA) and the Georgian Association of Carriers of Passengers by Road (GACPR). Carriers which are not members of those associations may present a request issued by the Land Transport Agency, Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia. In the case of well-known carriers, consulates may accept a written request from the Georgian carrier/transport company employing the driver. The request must state the purpose, duration and frequency of the trips.
‘(l) for participants of the official exchange programmes organised by twin cities:
a written request of the Head of Administration/Mayor of these cities or municipal authorities;’.
The Head of Administration/Mayor of the city or other locality competent to issue the written request is the Head of Administration/Mayor of the host city or other locality where the twinning activity is going to take place. This category only covers official twinning.
‘(m) for visiting military and civil burial grounds:
an official document confirming the existence and preservation of the grave as well as family or other relationship between the applicant and the buried.’.
The Agreement does not specify whether the above-mentioned official document should be issued by the authorities of the country where the burial ground is located or those of the country in which the person who wants to visit the burial ground resides. It should be accepted that the competent authorities of both countries may issue such an official document.
The above-mentioned official document confirming the existence and preservation of the grave as well as of the family or other relationship between the visa applicant and the buried must be presented.
The Agreement does not create any new liability rules for the natural or legal persons issuing the written requests. The respective Union and/or national law applies in case of false issuance of such requests.’

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eudn/2016/1780/schedule/ANNEX/division/II./division/2.2./division/2.2.1. (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/eu-decision-2016-1780/schedule-ANNEX/division-II./division-2.2./division-2.2.1.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.