The FINANCIAL — For the second time since the foundation of the German-Georgian Economic Union in September 2007, Patricia Flor, the German Ambassador to Georgia, hosted the German businessmen’s visit to Georgia in September.
“It was only two weeks ago that I hosted the first visit of German businessmen and I’m more than happy to be welcoming the delegation attending today’s evening. I believe these types of meetings will contribute to moving German-Georgian trade relations forward from the current 5th position,” declared Patricia Flor, German Ambassador to Georgia.
On October 8, 2007 MdL Minister Volker Hoff paid a business visit to Georgia. The Minister was accompanied by a group of German manufacturers engaged in: energy, bio-energy, and waste management spheres.
The visit envisioned meetings with the Georgian Prime Minister- Zurab Noghaideli, the Minister of Economic Development of Georgia- George Arveladze, the State Minister on Economic Reforms-Kakha Bendukidze and the Minister of Environment Protection and Natural Resources- David Chantladze.
“The idea of holding this meeting was initiated during the Georgian Prime Minister‘s visit to Hessen, Germany. I see a great potential of cooperation between the countries regarding topics like renewable energy and the energy sector in a broader sense,” stated MdL Minister Volker Hoff.
Earlier, on September 20-23 a delegation of 25 German businessmen paid a three-day visit to Tbilisi. The main focus of the meeting was the development of business and trade cooperation between Germany and Georgia. The visit offered the businessmen from both countries valuable opportunity contracts for future cooperation.
“The German Embassy has been a kind of first-aid assistance body for our company. We had particular problems with the previous government and without the support of the German Embassy, would have stopped functioning,” claimed Goderdzi Goderdzishvili, Head of Heidelberg Druckmaschinen.
A Guide to Georgian Emigrants in Germany
The German Embassy in Georgia provided The FINANCIAL with information on Georgian emigrants in Germany.
Q. How can a Georgian citizen get a work visa to Germany?
A. Georgian citizens who would like to work in Germany can apply for a work visa at the German Embassy in Tbilisi. The applicant must present his labour contract with an employer in Germany and his application must not only be approved by the embassy but also by several other competent authorities in Germany. The prospects of an application depend on the qualifications of the applicant as well as on the situation in the German labour market.
Q. How easy is it for a Georgian citizen to get employed in Germany? What are the necessary procedures to get German citizenship?
A. The prospects of employment for a Georgian citizen who already resides in Germany and holds a residence and work permit depend solely on his qualification and the needs of the labour market, as it is for any other resident in Germany, German or non-German.
To be eligible for naturalization, a person has to have lived legally in Germany for at least eight years and possess the appropriate residence permit. Foreigners who have successfully completed an integration course are eligible for naturalization after seven years. Foreigners wishing to become naturalized citizens must also declare their allegiance to the German constitution and have a sufficient command of the German language. They must be able to support themselves without recourse to social assistance or unemployment benefits and have a clean criminal record. In addition, they generally have to give up their previous citizenship.
Q. Is it possible to become eligible for legal employment in the case of having a student visa?
A. A foreigner who has been granted a student visa is legally entitled to work 90 days or 180 half-days per annum in Germany.
Q. What are the benefits for the children of emigrant parents? How much is the child allowance in the case of being a German citizen, a Georgian citizen?
A. Child allowance is paid by the competent German Authority (Familienkasse) regardless of the child’s or parents’ nationality.
Q. Does a baby born in Germany automatically become a German citizen? What are the benefits for emigrant parents in regards to: employment, state aid, citizenship, eligible living?
A. A child born in Germany to foreign parents after 31 December 1999 automatically acquires German citizenship if the following requirements are fulfilled:
– one of the parents must have been a legal resident in Germany for at least eight years and
– have an unlimited residence permit at the time of the child’s birth.
At the age of 18 the child has to decide either to maintain German citizenship or the citizenship of his parents. Consequently, either of both citizenships must be renounced.
As with any other legal resident, the non-German parents of the child will enjoy social welfare benefits if they meet the legal requirements and prove their eligibility.
Q. How many German families are registered legally in Georgia? Where are the German families employed in Georgia?
A. Since there is no legal obligation for German citizens living abroad to register at a German diplomatic mission, the German Embassy cannot provide a definite number of Germans living in Georgia. According to the knowledge of the embassy, there are approximately 250 German citizens residing in Georgia. This figure includes family members of delegated German personnel working for German companies or institutions (e.g. GTZ, CIM experts, German Academic Exchange Service, Goethe Institute, KfW, German teachers) and international organisations (UN, European Commission, OSCE).
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