Visa policy of Abkhazia



Visitors to the Republic of Abkhazia must obtain an entry permit unless they are citizens of one of the visa-exempt countries.

All visitors must have a passport valid for at least 6 months.

Overview
If Georgian border guards find an Abkhazian visa, Abkhazian stamps or a Russian checkpoint stamp on the border with Abkhazia in your passport when you enter Georgia (by land, air or sea), you are very likely to be fined and often not allowed to enter the country additionally.

Sometimes, in addition to a fine, some foreigners who have the above mentioned stamps in their passports or stamps from the checkpoint at the Russian-Abkhazian border are prosecuted for illegal border crossing under the laws of Georgia, as Georgia considers Abkhazia its territory.

In this case, in addition to a fine and deportation from Georgia, you may even face imprisonment or a larger fine in rare cases.

Citizens of third countries (all except Georgian citizens) can cross the border from Georgia to Abkhazia and vice versa, as there is border control in the Zugdidi area ("Ingur" checkpoint). Nevertheless, the departure from Georgia to Abkhazia is de facto free, since Georgia considers Abkhazia to be its part, however, it will be necessary to return from Abkhazia only through Georgia, otherwise the Georgian side will consider that you left the country illegally.

Despite the presence of seaports and several airports and airfields, there is no sea or air passenger communication with the outside world (even with Russia) in Abkhazia, the railway network though, has been repaired and is currently running services from Sukhumi to Sochi and seasonal summer services connect sometimes Moscow to Sukhumi. The territory of Abkhazia has not been controlled by the Georgian authorities since 1992, since the beginning of the war between these countries.

Visa exemption
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Abkhazia, citizens of the following countries (including citizens belonging to the members of the Community for Democracy and Rights of Nations) may enter Abkhazia without a visa for the following period:

ID – May enter with an ID card in lieu of a passport. IP – May enter with an internal passport in lieu of a passport.

In addition, children aged 14 and below may enter Abkhazia without a visa, regardless of nationality.

Tour groups
As part of organized tour groups from travel companies registered in Abkhazia or in Russia, tourists from all countries (except Georgia) can visit Abkhazia without an Abkhazian visa by land officially through Russia and it's also possible to enter through Georgia with a free electronic authorization, for a period of no more than 24 hours.

For an extension of stay in Abkhazia, an extension is required for an additional fee or a requirement to leave Abkhazia under the threat of deportation to Russia and a fine to compensate for the costs of transportation during deportation.

Entry Permit
Citizens of other countries need to obtain an entry permit. Below are the requirements for receiving an entry permit to the Republic of Abkhazia:

1. Copy of passport (sent by e-mail or by fax). Please make sure that your passport is valid for at least 6 months after your planned entry to Abkhazia.

2. Completed application. You should complete all sections of the application. If any necessary information is missing, the application will not be considered.

An entry permit letter to enter the Republic of Abkhazia will be sent to the email address from which the application was sent or to the fax number stated in the application. This letter can be printed be printed and shown at the Georgian-Abkhazian border.

Upon arrival, foreign citizens must visit the Consulate within three working days in order to receive the visa of the Republic of Abkhazia.

Visitors statistics
The Republic of Abkhazia is one of the most visited partially recognized countries by tourists in the world.

The majority of foreigners visiting Abkhazia are from the Post-Soviet space. They visit Abkhazia as it is an affordable destination for beach and mountain tourism. The country also has developed tourism in caves and gorges, for urban exploration in abandoned and destroyed objects.

Citizens of the Russian Federation