Georgian businessman and opposition leader Badri Patarkatsishvili died in London of a heart attack on February 13. One-time Kremlin insider Berezovsky sought and received political refugee status in Britain in 2001, shortly after Vladimir Putin gained the Russian presidency.
Berezovsky said he had received a reply from the Georgian authorities saying they would need a week to consider the application. He said however that he had subsequently written a letter to the consulate explaining why he needed a visa sooner.
"I want to say good-bye to my close friend," he said adding that he was "not afraid" of any possible "problems" related to his trip to Georgia and an outstanding arrest warrant issued by Russian authorities.
Russia has issued multiple warrants for Berezovsky's arrest and has repeatedly demanded that the U.K. extradite him. The businessman is accused of plotting to stage a coup in Russia, as well as embezzling $13 million from a leading Russian bank. He was also sentenced to six years imprisonment in absentia in Moscow recently on charges of embezzling funds from the state airline Aeroflot.
Eleven criminal probes have so far been launched in Russia against Berezovsky, a one-time close associate of the late Russian president Boris Yeltsin.
Georgia's foreign ministry declined to comment on the tycoon's application for a visa. A ministry spokesperson told RIA Novosti the issue "has not been considered yet."
The body of Patarkatsishvili arrived in Tbilisi on Tuesday after being flown in from the U.K.
According to relatives, several foreign leaders are expected to attend his funeral on Thursday.
Patarkatsishvili, once Georgia's richest man, came third in the January 5 presidential polls in the ex-Soviet Caucasus state, garnering 7.1% of the vote.
He was put on the wanted list at home on charges of plotting a coup during November street protests in Tbilisi against Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili.
