Documents.ge performs archival requests and document searches throughout Georgia — in state, historical, regional, church and departmental archives. We search for records of birth, baptism, marriage, death, education and other materials from the 19th–20th centuries: those needed to confirm kinship, reconstruct family history or for further legal procedures.
We work not only with current civil status records — how to obtain them is described on the page retrieval of documents in Georgia. We also take on complex historical requests, when it is first necessary to establish where exactly the document may be located, identify the archive and fond, and review materials covering several years.
What we can search for
Metrical and church records
We search for:
- records of birth and baptism;
- records of marriage;
- records of death and burial;
- metrical books of Orthodox parishes;
- Armenian-Gregorian church books;
- vital record registers of Jewish communities and rabbinates — for Tiflis, such books (birth, marriage, divorce, death) are deposited in the Central Historical Archive for the period from the 1880s to 1920;
- books of Muslim communities and Transcaucasian religious boards operating in Tiflis;
- other surviving confessional archival materials.
If the exact year is unknown, a search covering a range of years is possible. If the specific parish is unknown, we determine which churches, synagogues, or prayer houses operated in the relevant city or locality during the required period and arrange for verification of the surviving fonds.
Before 1917, civil status records in the Russian Empire were kept by confession: for Orthodox Christians — parish clergy; for Armenian-Gregorians — diocesan structures; for Jews — state rabbis and community boards; for Muslims — spiritual directorates. Therefore a person’s religion directly determines which archival collection to search: the same family from Tiflis may be “listed” in entirely different books depending on the community.
A found birth record is often needed not by itself, but as the basis for obtaining a modern document — a birth certificate, a birth certificate indicating nationality or a marriage record.
Documents of gymnasiums, schools and educational institutions
We request archival documents of pre-revolutionary and Soviet educational institutions, including:
- personal files of students;
- applications and petitions for admission;
- questionnaires;
- lists of pupils and students;
- class registers and progress reports;
- examination lists;
- academic performance records;
- school leaving certificates and certificates;
- documents on graduation from an educational institution;
- administration correspondence;
- other materials containing information about a specific person.
For example, it is possible to search for documents of former Tiflis gymnasiums, schools, institutes and other educational institutions of the Russian Empire and later periods. If you are looking for modern diplomas and school leaving certificates, see the pages education documents and recognition of foreign education (recognition) of diplomas.
Genealogical and historical requests
We arrange the search for documents necessary for:
- researching family history;
- confirming ancestry;
- establishing maiden name;
- confirmation of kinship;
- establishing the place and date of birth;
- searching for information about parents;
- confirming residence or study in Georgia;
- reconstructing family history for descendants of emigrants;
- preparing documents for further legal or administrative procedures — for example, for confirmation of citizenship or repatriation.
How Georgian archives are organized
The country’s archival system is subordinate to the Ministry of Justice of Georgia: the National Archives of Georgia unites four central archives — the Central Historical Archive (materials up to 1921), the Central Archive of Contemporary History (from 1921), the Central Archive of Audiovisual and Film Documents, and the Kutaisi Central Archive, — as well as territorial (regional) archives in approximately twenty cities and districts.
The practical meaning of this scheme is simple: the same person can “live” in several archival fonds at once. The 1899 birth record is in the historical archive, a 1930s student’s personal file is in the archive of contemporary history, and documents of a district school or village council are in the regional archive at the place where the event occurred. Some fond inventories have been published in the electronic catalogues of the National Archives, but far from all: a significant share of materials is described only in paper inventories available on site.
Therefore, archival search is not “send one letter” but sequential work: identify likely fonds, check inventories, request archival units and formalize the result with an official document.
We work throughout Georgia
Search is possible not only for Tbilisi. We accept requests concerning the following cities and districts:
Tbilisi · Telavi · Kutaisi · Batumi · Gori · Sighnaghi · Akhaltsikhe · Zugdidi · Poti · Rustavi and other localities in Georgia.
Depending on the period and type of document, the search may be conducted in:
- National Archives of Georgia;
- Central Historical Archive;
- regional archives;
- collections of former state institutions;
- church collections;
- collections of educational institutions;
- other surviving archival collections.
If the event relates to the period after the 1930s and the record is kept not in the archive but in the civil registration authorities, the document is obtained through them — the addresses are collected on the page Civil Registry Offices of Georgia.
Even if you do not know where to look
To begin with, you do not necessarily need to know:
- the archive fund number;
- the name of the church;
- the exact name of the educational institution;
- the specific archive;
- the parish register number.
It is enough to provide us with as much known information about the person as possible. We analyze the initial data and determine where and in which archival materials it makes sense to search.
To begin the search, it is advisable to provide
- surname, first name and patronymic of the person, including possible spelling variations;
- the approximate year or date of the event — birth, marriage, education, and so on;
- the city, village or district in Georgia.
If known — also:
- religion;
- parents’ names;
- maiden name;
- name of the school or gymnasium;
- years of study;
- profession;
- place of residence;
- any additional information.
Even a small detail can sometimes help identify the necessary archival collection: the parish, the number of the city district, the name of the regiment, or the father’s place of work narrows the search from dozens of books to one or two.
How the process works
- You send us the known information.
- We assess where the required document may be stored.
- We identify the archive, collection, or several possible sources.
- We prepare and submit an archival request.
- We receive the search result: an archival certificate, extract, or copy of the document — depending on what has been preserved in the archive.
You do not need to come to Georgia for this: the entire process is done remotely; the procedure and payment are described on the page remote document ordering.
Complex archival requests are our specialty
It is required to find a record of birth or baptism in the parish registers of the churches of the city of Telavi for 1899, and if no record is found, to check the years 1898–1900.
It is required to check the documents of the Second Tiflis Women’s Gymnasium for 1905–1916: personal file, application for admission, questionnaires, class and examination lists, school leaving certificate, and other surviving materials.
We can arrange such requests. We are not limited to searching for a document at one obvious address: when necessary, we consider several archival fonds and sources where information about the person may have been preserved.
What to do with the found document
An archival certificate or a copy from the archive is rarely the final goal — usually it must be presented to an institution in another country. We continue working with the found document:
- we affix an apostille in Georgia or carry out consular legalization — the choice of route depends on the destination country (see apostille and legalization and countries we work with);
- we perform translation into the required language with notarization;
- we send the original by courier service to any country or send an electronic copy.
Frequently asked questions about archive search
Do you guarantee that the document will be found?
No, and no one can guarantee that: some archive collections have been lost in wars, fires, and relocations, and some parish registers survive with gaps. We guarantee something else — that the search will be conducted across all collections where the document could realistically be held, and that you will receive an official response from the archive: either the document itself or a certificate stating that no information was found.
How long does an archive search take?
The time frame depends on the archive, the period, and the scope of the check: a request for one known record book and a request to “check the parishes of the city for three years” differ in labor intensity. We state the estimated time frame and cost after a preliminary assessment of your initial data, before work begins.
What will I receive as a result?
Depending on what has been preserved: an archival certificate with the reference details of the fond, inventory, and file; an archival extract; a certified copy of the document. If the record is not found, the archive issues an official response stating that no information is available — such a document also has legal significance, for example for a court.
Can an apostille be affixed to an archival certificate?
Yes, documents issued by Georgian archives are apostilled in the standard procedure — details on the page apostille Georgia. For countries not party to the Hague Convention, instead of an apostille, consular legalization is carried out.
Do records from church and synagogue books have legal force?
What matters is not the book itself, but who issues the document on its basis. Vital record books of parishes, synagogues and Muslim communities of the pre-revolutionary period have been transferred to state custody, and a record from them is confirmed by an archival certificate or an extract from the state archive. The National Archives of Georgia is part of the system of the Ministry of Justice of Georgia; an apostille on its documents is affixed through the Public Service Hall — that is, such a certificate is an official document and is accepted abroad on an equal basis with other state documents. A certificate issued today directly by a religious community is not a state document: it is used as a source of information, and not as a title-establishing document.
Do you need to come to Georgia?
No. The request, archive work, receipt of the result, apostille, translation, and courier delivery are performed without your participation. You only need to provide the initial information and, in some cases, a power of attorney — what that is, is explained on the page what is a power of attorney.
What if only the approximate year of birth is known?
This is a common situation. The search is conducted by a range of years: as a rule, the stated year plus one or two years before and after it are used. The more precisely the place and parish are known, the wider the period that can be covered without a sharp increase in labor intensity.
Need a document from the archive of Georgia?
Send us:
- Full name of the person;
- year or approximate period;
- city or locality;
- what exactly needs to be found,
— and all additional details you have. We will first assess whether an archive search is possible and quote the timeframe and cost. Phone and messengers: +373 67 666 333 · WhatsApp · contacts. It is convenient to leave a request on the remote document ordering page; answers to general questions about working with us are in the frequently asked questions section.
Documents.ge — documents and archive search across Georgia. Birth records · parish registers · church archives · marriages · education · gymnasiums · personal files · genealogical requests · historical documents.
The material is for informational purposes. The availability and preservation of specific archival files are determined by the archive; the timeframes for processing requests are set by the archive and may change.
BUSINESS LIGA SRL · documents.ge · +373 67 666 333 — the material has been verified and published in full.