Kazakhstan concerned over increased refusals of entry to Georgia

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan has voiced concern over a rising number of cases in which Kazakh citizens are denied entry to Georgia. The issue was highlighted in a statement released by the Kazakh Foreign Ministry on Wednesday, following consular consultations with Georgian officials in Tbilisi.

The statement said the Kazakh delegation had expressed its discontent regarding the frequent refusals of entry and subsequent deportations of Kazakh citizens who primarily travel to Georgia for tourism. The ministry emphasized that the majority of Kazakh nationals adhered to Georgian laws during their visits.

"The Kazakh side expressed concern over the frequent cases of refusal of entry of Kazakh citizens to Georgia and subsequent deportations," the ministry’s statement read.

In response, Georgian representatives noted a decline in entry refusals since the beginning of May and expressed optimism that the trend would continue. Georgian officials also reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring favorable conditions for Kazakh citizens visiting the country.

The consular consultations, held in Tbilisi, also addressed a range of bilateral issues, including the protection of citizens' rights, cooperation in criminal justice, extradition, and adherence to international conventions. The discussions were led by Giorgi Tabatadze, Director of the Consular Department of the Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Bauyrzhan Dosmanbetov, Deputy Director of the Consular Department of the Kazakh Foreign Ministry.

Kazakhstan is among the top ten countries for international visits to Georgia. According to data from March 2025, a total of 958,947 international tourists visited Georgia, with 21,625 of them arriving from Kazakhstan.