[Rant] Georgia visa is a scam and I'm done - 3 rejections, fake reasons, ₹1.5L wasted. Avoid.
Posted by _Floydimus@reddit | Shoestring | View on Reddit | 23 comments
So I planned a honeymoon to Georgia. Beautiful country, great food, amazing history - or so I thought. What followed was one of the most frustrating experiences of my life dealing with any government system, and I want to make sure nobody else goes through this blind.
Attempt 1: I got rejected because I entered my name incorrectly. Fair enough, my mistake. Except - their portal gives you zero guidance on how they want names entered. No format example, no validation, nothing. Azerbaijan's portal tells you exactly what they want. UK's portal has a full guide before you start. Georgia's portal just... lets you fill it wrong and then charges you to find out.
Attempt 2: Rejection reason was so vague I genuinely couldn't figure out what to fix. Reapplied based on my best guess. Wrong guess apparently. Still no clarity from their end.
Attempt 3: Fixed everything. Same documents as my wife's application which got approved. Bank statement - certified, unaltered, straight from the bank. Rejection reason? "Bank statement was modified."
It wasn't. My wife's application with the SAME bank statement got approved. Think about that for a second.
Now here's the fun part - the rejection email says you can appeal within 10 days using a form. There is no form. No link. Nothing on the portal. Emailed them. No reply. Called them. Nobody picked up. The appeal process exists on paper and nowhere else.
I've travelled to the UK, Turkey, Egypt, UAE. All approved me with lesser balance, lesser documents, zero drama. Georgia - a country that desperately needs tourism dollars - is out here rejecting Indians on made up grounds and pocketing the fees.
Their "Visit Georgia" marketing is a straight up lie. The reality is an opaque portal full of glitches, no customer support, no appeal mechanism, and rejection reasons that contradict themselves.
If you're an Indian passport holder planning Georgia - just go to Armenia instead. Visa on arrival, genuinely welcoming, similar history and landscapes, and the people actually want you there. Or Azerbaijan. Their e-visa portal alone shows they respect your time.
Georgia isn't worth the mental gymnastics. There are better countries in the Caucasus and they want your business more.
Shot_Clue9491@reddit
This sounds really similar to my bf's experience applying for a visa to Pakistan. I don't know how accurate this is, but we were told that they will rarely outright reject someone. Instead they will just repeatedly tell you to reapply citing some vague/bs "mistake" in your paperwork until you give up. I wonder if that's what happened to you.
_Floydimus@reddit (OP)
I sense clearly this is what happened to us because they were making money out of our applications.
SalamancaVice@reddit
Could you summarize what happened here? Might help other people in the future who are struggling with the online portal.
_Floydimus@reddit (OP)
Yes, have mentioned in detail here: https://www.reddit.com/r/travel/comments/1tcvsr1/comment/olrm6gt/
Making sure others don't face the same.
munchingzia@reddit
it sucks the other way around too. Georgians need to put in a deposit of alot of money to get a US visa for example
which is returned later. I base my destination alot on friction involved securing a visa.
CptPatches@reddit
That's a bummer. I think you've got some great options with an Indian passport that are less challenging. Maybe one of these would be better?
_Floydimus@reddit (OP)
Yes, right now I am enraged and sulking. Lol
And yes, gotta explore better alternatives.
usernametaken78523@reddit
Lol take the hint. They don't want you. Prob something to do with your kind ruining countries like Thailand and Canada and stuff no offense
_Floydimus@reddit (OP)
Reported for being a racist.
Inner-Marionberry-25@reddit
That's genuinely gutting. It's the best country out of the 3 Caucasian countries, but that does sound like too much of a fuss
_Floydimus@reddit (OP)
We are distressed. Begging airlines and hotels to consider a cancellation wavier.
Pomksy@reddit
Never ever ever buy tickets and hotels before you get your visa.
_Floydimus@reddit (OP)
Coming from a third nation, many countries demand confirmed bookings to approve visas.
Pomksy@reddit
Then book refundable.
_Floydimus@reddit (OP)
Lesson learnt
Inner-Marionberry-25@reddit
I disagree actually, buy flights/hotels first if they can be refundable. Visas are easier to get if you have things like this booked. Lots require the address of the first accomodation for instance
Pomksy@reddit
If they are refundable, yes, but OP did not do that :/
cannongoel@reddit
Georgia is totally a scam when it comes to visa. Travelling in India is way better than going to Georgia. I have heard multiple experiences of people getting their visas rejected for Georgia. Go to Bali/ Vietnam/ Srilanka for your honeymoon. They are better choices
_Floydimus@reddit (OP)
Expensive realisation. Will think of some better country now.
cannongoel@reddit
You can use this tool https://beta.exploroai.com/ to discover for new places and it gives everything along with visa requirements and costing including flights hotels etc. Best way to make a call for next time
Dropmeoffatschool@reddit
Just stay in India or go somewhere else. Why would you want to go somewhere that clearly doesn’t want you to come? Do you really think they’re unaware that the appeal process is unclear?
_Floydimus@reddit (OP)
I get it now.
_Floydimus@reddit (OP)
Learned the hard way.