Division V EUROPEAN UNION DECLARATION ON FACILITATIONS FOR FAMILY MEMBERS

Although the Agreement does not include legally binding rights and obligations for facilitating the movement of a wider number of citizens of Georgia who are family members of the citizens of Georgia legally residing in the territories of Member States, the Union takes note of the suggestion of Georgia to give a wider definition to the notion of family members that should benefit from visa facilitation as well as of the importance that Georgia attaches to the simplification of movement of that category of persons.

Therefore, in order to ease the mobility of an extended number of persons who have family links (in particular sisters and brothers and their children) with the citizens of Georgia legally residing in the territories of Member States, in a Declaration annexed to the Agreement, the Member States' consular offices are invited to make full use of the existing possibilities in the acquis for facilitating the issuance of visas to that category of persons, including, in particular, the simplification of documentary evidence requested for the applicants, exemptions from handling fees and, where appropriate, the issuing of multiple entry visas.