Removing a criminal record in Georgia — lawyer
A criminal record gets in the way of jobs, visas, emigration and much more. By law it expires after a set period, and if you have behaved impeccably since serving your sentence, a court can remove it even earlier.
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Under Article 79 of the Criminal Code, a person has a criminal record from the day the guilty verdict enters into force until the record expires or is removed. An expired or removed record is no longer taken into account.
Before the period ends, a court decides on removal at your request if you have behaved impeccably since serving the sentence. We prepare the application and the evidence — work, family, references — and represent you in court.
When a criminal record expires
- Suspended sentence — when the probation period ends
- A sentence lighter than imprisonment — 1 year after serving it
- Imprisonment for a less serious crime — 3 years after serving it
- Imprisonment for a serious crime — 6 years after serving it
- Imprisonment for an especially serious crime — 8 years after serving it
A less serious crime carries a maximum of up to 5 years, a serious crime up to 10 years, and an especially serious crime more than 10 years or life. If you were released early or your sentence was replaced with a lighter one, the period runs from the sentence actually served.
Our services
- Calculating the expiry date in your case
- Application for early removal of the record
- Evidence of impeccable conduct
- Representation in court
- Advice on visas, jobs and emigration
- Appealing a refusal
Questions & answers
When will my criminal record expire?
It depends on the sentence and the category of crime: for a suspended sentence — after the probation period; for imprisonment — 3, 6 or 8 years after serving it.
Can a criminal record be removed early?
Yes. If you have behaved impeccably since serving the sentence, a court can remove the record at your request before the period ends.
What does a removed record mean?
An expired or removed record is no longer taken into account — for example, when a new case is classified or a sentence is set.
Legal basis
Official texts (in Georgian) — Legislative Herald of Georgia, matsne.gov.ge.
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