On the congruence subgroup property for GGS-groups

Abstract

We show that all GGS-groups with non-constant defining vector satisfy the congruence subgroup property. This provides, for every odd prime $p$, many examples of finitely generated, residually finite, non-torsion groups whose profinite completion is a pro-$p$ group, and among them we find torsion-free groups. This answers a question of Barnea. On the other hand, we prove that the GGS-group with constant defining vector has an infinite congruence kernel and is not a branch group.