Last September 11 to 16, 2017, my husband and I visited Georgia, a country in the Caucasus region. My husband does not need a visa to enter Georgia but for ordinary Philippine passport holders like me need to apply for eVisa. In this post, I will share the steps I’ve been through based on my experience and situation. I will also share suggestions and my border crossing experience.
A. Travel Insurance, accommodation booking and return ticket.
It is important to purchase travel insurance (e.g. World Nomads) that is valid throughout the period of stay in Georgia. It is also a must to book a hotel or in Airbnb for the accommodation just in case the immigration officer will ask for it.
B. Photo and passport copy preparation.
Prepare a scanned passport size photo and scanned passport page with the personal details. The photo size is 472×610 pixels. The passport can also be in .jpg format.
C. The eVisa application process.
Steps:
- Go to Georgia eVisa portal. Click the “Apply Now” button.
- Fill in the required information like Citizenship, type of passport, and others just like the image below.
It is vital to read carefully the information box on the right-hand side of the screen. Then click the “Next” button.
On the next page it says:
In case of approval, the e-Visa will be valid for 120 days with the right to stay in Georgia up to 30 days during the validity period.
Number of entries: Multiple
- The next step, choose the intended arrival to Georgia. Please read and understand the information box on the right-hand side of the screen especially the part which says “Date is indicated according to Georgia Standard Time UTC/GMT+4 hours.”
It is recommended to opt for the date which is one day before the actual arrival to Georgia just in case the flight will be cancelled.
- Confirm or check the checkboxes in front of each declaration that applies. Click the Next button.
- On the next page, enter the Applicant personal information and the photo (jpg format). Do not forget to read carefully the information box on the right-hand side of the screen.
- Then enter travel companion’s details if necessary. Attach the passport (jpg format). Click the “Next” button.
- Then review the details and verify it by clicking the “Verify” button.
D. Email Verification and Payment.
A verification email will be sent to the specified email address. It is important to check also the spam or junk folder just in case the email is there. There is an instruction to follow how to verify the email address used in the application. It must be followed and after that, the payment must be made five hours after performing the email address verification. At the time of my application on August 12 last year, the visa fee was $20.00 plus 2% service fee. After paying the eVisa fee, an email will be sent to the applicant. The email says the payment was successful and to wait five working days for the decision on your eVisa.
E. Five Working Days waiting and eVisa approval.
Exactly after 5 working days, I received an email saying the eVisa was ready. I printed it and carried with me to Georgia.
F. Border Crossing experience.
After some time, Georgian Airways emailed us telling us that our flight was cancelled. They asked us to choose either get a refund or reschedule our flight. We chose to reschedule it because it was cheaper but we made a mistake. We chose a flight a day earlier than my visa validity. My visa was valid from September 12, 2017, but our flight arrival to Georgia was September 11 at 20:50 Georgian time. We were lucky because the Georgian Airways counter in Boryspil International Airport in Kyiv, Ukraine allowed us to check in after telling them that we would wait 3 hours and 15 minutes before the immigration desk in Tbilisi International Airport.