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A User's Guide To Georgia's 'Neutral' Passports

June 06, 2012

by Claire Bigg

Residents of Georgia's two breakaway regions will soon be allowed to visit the United States with so-called "status-neutral" documents issued by the authorities in Tbilisi.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made the announcement on June 5 during a visit to the Caucasus nation, describing the move as "a strong step toward reconciliation" between Georgia and its separatist provinces of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

What do these "neutral" documents provide for and what does their recognition by Washington mean in concrete terms for residents of the two territories? RFE/RL takes a closer look.

When and why did Georgia start delivering so-called "status-neutral" documents?

These documents were introduced by the Georgian government in July 2011 to facilitate travel for people living in Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

Passports currently issued by the regions' self-styled authorities are not recognized by Tbilisi and cannot be used to cross into Georgia proper.

In terms of overseas travel, only countries that have recognized the two territories as independent -- Russia, Venezuela, Nicaragua, and a few Pacific island nations -- accept locally issued passports.

Many residents hold Russian passports, but they are usually denied visas to Western countries.

Georgian authorities say the new "neutral" documents will help ease travel restrictions for Abkhaz and South Ossetians.

The Neutral Identification Card allows for free travel within Georgia while the Neutral Travel Document is intended for trips abroad.

Prior to the United States, only a handful of countries -- including Japan, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Latvia, and Lithuania -- had recognized Georgia's "status-neutral" passport.

Why are Abkhazia, South Ossetia and their patron, Russia, opposed to these documents?

Moscow has granted Russian citizenship to many Abkhaz and South Ossetians and views Georgia's "neutral" passports as an attempt to challenge its influence in the provinces.

The Russian Foreign Ministry has described the documents as a misleading "scam." It says the documents, while not specifying that their holders are Georgian citizens, are "not quite neutral" since they indicate Georgia's country code and mention the Georgian Interior Ministry as the issuing body.

Abkhaz leader Aleksander Ankvab has even ordered all international organizations that encourage residents to get the Georgia-issued documents to be expelled from the territory.

Authorities in both Abkhazia and South Ossetia say they will continue to promote the recognition of locally issued passports as valid travel documents, including at an upcoming meeting in Geneva devoted to security in the Caucasus.

Residents of Abkhazia and South Ossetia are currently barred from entering mainland Georgia with Russian and locally issued passports. How can they apply for the "status-neutral" documents delivered by authorities in Tbilisi?

Applicants are asked to file an electronic application form available on the website of Georgia's State Ministry for Reintegration.

A compulsory online web-camera consultation with officials in Tbilisi ensues after which, if the application is successful, the "status-neutral" documents are issued within 10 working days.

Documents are then forwarded to the applicants via international organizations operating in Georgia.

If Washington holds its promise, holders of "neutral" documents will soon be free to apply for visas at the U.S. consulate in Tbilisi.

RFE/RL's Georgian Service contributed to this report

Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/users-guide-to-georgias-neutral-passports/24606006.html

Copyright (c) 2012. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.