#32026R0496Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/496 of 6 March 2026 on the temporary suspension of the visa exemption for nationals of Georgia holding diplomatic, service and official passports
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The European Commission has temporarily suspended visa-free travel to the EU for Georgian nationals holding diplomatic, service, or official passports. This 12-month suspension, effective from 6 March 2026, is a direct response to Georgia's adoption of laws restricting fundamental freedoms, including the 'Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence' and the 'Family Values and Protection of Minors' package. These laws, along with the violent suppression of protests and regression in democratic standards, have been deemed incompatible with EU values and the benchmarks required for visa liberalisation. The measure targets only officials and those linked to the Georgian government, leaving ordinary Georgian citizens with biometric passports unaffected.
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Key Changes
- Suspension of visa exemption for holders of Georgian diplomatic, service and official passports for a period of 12 months starting 6 March 2026
- Affected persons must obtain a visa for stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period
- Suspension applies only to specific categories of passports, not to ordinary biometric passports
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Obligations
What this law requires
Member States must require Georgian nationals holding diplomatic, service, and official passports to obtain a visa when crossing external borders of the EU, effective 6 March 2026
Member States must reintroduce visa requirements for holders of diplomatic, service and official passports of Georgia pursuant to Article 6(1) of Regulation (EU) 2018/1806
The European Commission must monitor Georgia's continuous compliance with visa liberalisation requirements as specified in Articles 8c and 8d of Regulation (EU) 2018/1806
The temporary suspension of visa exemption for Georgian diplomatic, service, and official passport holders shall remain in effect for 12 months from 6 March 2026, unless reviewed and modified
Georgian nationals holding biometric passports (ordinary citizens) remain exempt from the visa requirement and must continue to be treated as visa-exempt travelers