The US has a rather strict visa policy for Georgian citizens - for example, in 2021, the US approved 71% of Russian citizens’ visa applications and only 37% of Georgian citizens’ visa applications, writes the Chairman of the Georgian Dream Irakli Kobakhidze on his Facebook page.

“After joining the European Union and introducing the visa-free travel regime, the population in Lithuania decreased by 600 000 - from 3.4 million to 2.8 million, and in Latvia by 400 000 - from 2.3 million to 1.9 million.

At the same time, the vast majority of Lithuanians and Latvians who left the country were young people.

Georgia has the most optimal data. In particular, after the introduction of the visa-free travel regime in the EU, in 2018-21, the negative migration balance amounted to only 29 000, that is, in 4 years, only 29 000 more people left the country than entered [during the previous Government, in 2004/2012, when Georgian citizens could not use the visa-free travel regime with the EU, the negative migration balance amounted to 221 000].

If not the visa-free travel regime with the EU, it can be said with certainty that in 2018/2021, Georgia would have not a negative, but a positive migration balance.

The US has a rather strict visa policy for Georgian citizens. For example, in 2021, the US approved 71% of Russian citizens’ visa applications, and only 37% of Georgian citizens’ visa applications [https://ukvisa.blog/2019/08/01/usa-visa-refusal-rate/].

Of course, this circumstance causes serious inconvenience for the citizens of Georgia, among them it forces some people to take risks and move to the US through Mexico. However, on the other hand, the strict visa policy significantly hinders the immigration of Georgians from Georgia to the US, which has its own positive effect.

Naturally, the balance of migration would worsen in the conditions of simplification of the visa regime by the US.

In conclusion, it can be said that the demographic situation and trends of Georgia require serious attention. However, speculative statements prevail on this topic, which requires a proper response.

Those who really care about the improvement of the country’s demographic trends should not be engaged in speculations, but in presenting appropriate business proposals”, - writes Irakli Kobakhidze.