The Diaspora and Caucasus Issues Committee heard information about the temporary rights on the retention and restoration of citizenship, reported by Rusudan Kokhodze, the Chair of the State Service Development Agency. According to her, the aforementioned rights have been re-regulated under the amendments introduced to the Law on Georgian Citizenship in 2018.

“Individuals towards which no decisions were made before August 15, 2018, about the loss of Georgian citizenship due to the acquisition of foreign citizenship, now enjoy the advantage to address the Agency with the appeal on the retention of citizenship, or the former Georgian citizens, who due to the acquisition of foreign citizenship loss Georgian citizenship, now many enjoy the temporary right on the appeal for the restoration”, - she elucidated.

According to her account, a novel legal opportunity introduced in 2018 remains pertinent, as evidenced by substantial interest and a high referral index. Notably, the duration of this opportunity has been extended on several occasions.

As the reporter underscored, the Agency, in view to extend accessibility, applied online services, allowing persons concerned to, via electronic means, submit the application for a respective service.

R. Kokhodze also introduced the statistical data, highlighting that the number of applications for a temporary right to retain and restore Georgian citizenship has been steadily increasing since 2018.

As underlined by Irakli Zarkua, the Chair of the Committee, the Committee, with the aspiration to facilitate seamless access to state services for Georgian citizens residing abroad, envisions a close collaboration with the Agency and pertinent structural units.