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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Travel
Simon Calder

Georgia opens up to travellers with Covid-19 vaccination

Photograph: Simon Calder

Another nation has opened its frontiers to vaccinated travellers.

The country of Georgia has lifted all restrictions for foreign visitors who arrive by air and can provide evidence of completing a two-dose course of any Covid-19 vaccine.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the capital, Tbilisi, has announced “new rules and conditions for entering Georgia”.

Starting this month, the Georgian government says: “Citizens of all countries, travelling by air from any country may enter Georgia if they present the document confirming the full course (two doses) of any Covid-19 vaccination at the border checkpoints of Georgia.”

Non-vaccinated visitors who have been in the UK within the previous two weeks “will be placed in mandatory quarantine for 12 days upon entry”.

Other foreign tourists must present a negative PCR test result taken within the 72 hours before arrival in the former Soviet republic, and take another test on the third day of their stay.

The option does not apply to the nation’s land and sea frontiers, including the rail link from Baku in Azerbaijan; the midnight train to Georgia is currently suspended.


In normal times there are nonstop flights from the UK to both the capital, Tbilisi, and the city of Kutaisi in central Georgia. The nation’s third airport is Batumi, on the Black Sea coast.

Another former republic of the USSR, Estonia, has also announced easing its arrival rules for vaccinees – as well as allowing those who have recovered from Covid-19 to visit without quarantine.

The Indian Ocean archipelago of the Seychelles plans to open up in March, once at least 70 per cent of the population has been vaccinated.

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