Chapter I. Come to Armenia
Aliens enter the Republic of Armenia through checkpoints at the State border on the basis of a valid passport, entry visa or document certifying the status of residence, and the authorizations of the State administration body exercising border control authorized by the Government of the Republic of Armenia.
1. ENTRY VISAS
Entry visas of the Republic of Armenia are issued once for up to 120 days of stay in the Republic of Armenia, with the possibility of extension for a maximum period of 60 days, unless international treaties provide otherwise.
The following types can be issued:
a) Visa to visit or meet relatives (friends), family reunion, tourism (recreation), treatment, education in educational institutions of the Republic of Armenia, participation in cultural, sports, scientific and other events organized in the Republic of Armenia, conferences, realization of short-term programs of technical assistance, humanitarian, charitable, financial assistance in the Republic of Armenia, participation in business negotiations, employment, for visiting for the purpose of economic activity (the grounds of a commercial organization, establishment of a branch or representative office of a commercial organization of a foreign state, investment in the Republic of Armenia, import and export of goods and services), as well as for members of the personnel of vehicles, performing international air or land passenger transportation, for single entry or multiple entry with a validity of up to one year.
b) Official visa: for persons holding an official (service) passport
– for embassies and consular offices accredited in the Republic of Armenia, employees who do not have diplomatic status in international organizations or their representations, who have residence in the Republic of Armenia, and members of their families for multiple entry for a period of up to 3 years,
– officials of foreign states or international organizations arriving in the Republic of Armenia for official purposes at the invitation of the state bodies of the Republic of Armenia or of embassies, consular offices accredited in the Republic of Armenia, international organizations or their missions, for one entry or multiple entry with a validity of one year,
– for members of official delegations with ordinary passports – for one entry or multiple entry valid for one year.
c) Diplomatic entry visa: for persons holding a diplomatic passport or diplomatic status
– for embassies and consular offices accredited in the Republic of Armenia, employees of international organizations or their representations having residence in the Republic of Armenia, and members of their families for multiple entry for a period of up to 3 years,
– for members of the delegation arriving in the Republic of Armenia on official, state, working visit or for service purposes, and members of their families, as well as for officials for one entry or multiple entry with a period of up to 1 year;
– for persons not arriving in the Republic of Armenia for official purposes – for one entry with a validity of up to 120 days.
r) Transit visa for one entry or multiple entry with a validity of up to 3 days with a stay of up to 4 days for persons travelling by air or land on the territory of the Republic of Armenia.
Citizens of some countries unilaterally or on the basis of bilateral or foreign treaties from the requirement to obtain a visa and can stay in the territory of the Republic of Armenia for 180 days.
2. INVITATION
An invitation to visit the Republic of Armenia may be given to an alien:
a) a citizen of the Republic of Armenia residing in the Republic of Armenia;
b) an alien with the status of residence in the Republic of Armenia;
c) legal entities registered in the Republic of Armenia;
r) State bodies of the Republic of Armenia, local self-government bodies, embassies, consular offices and international organizations or their representative offices accredited in the Republic of Armenia.
The invitation shall contain the details of the person invited and invited, the purpose of the invitation and the duration of the stay of the person invited in the Republic of Armenia.
The invitation shall be valid after the approval of the State administration body authorized by the Government of the Republic of Armenia, for which the State fee shall be charged.
An invitation is a ground for citizens of some countries to apply to diplomatic missions or consulates for an entry visa.
3. STATUS OF RESIDENSE
Three types of residence permits are issued in the Republic of Armenia:
- Temporary residency status
Temporary residence permits are granted to any foreign citizen if he proves the existence of circumstances justifying his stay in the territory of the Republic of Armenia for up to one year, with the possibility of extension for one year, as follows:
– education,
– having work permit,
– being the spouse, parent or child of an alien having a temporary residency status in the Republic of Armenia,
– being spouse or close relative (parent, child, brother, sister, grandmother, grandfather, grandson) of a citizen of the Republic of Armenia or an alien having a permanent or special residency status in the Republic of Armenia;
– conducting business in the Republic of Armenia,
– being Armenian by nationality.
- Permanent residency status
A permanent residence permit is granted to any foreign citizen for a period of 5 years, renewable each time for the same period, if the following grounds are available:
– being the spouse or close relative (parent, child, brother, sister, grandmother, grandfather, grandson) of a citizen of the Republic of Armenia or an alien with a special residency status in the Republic of Armenia), having an apartment and means of subsistence in the Republic of Armenia, resided in the Republic of Armenia for at least 3 years before applying for permanent resident status in accordance with the procedure established by law;
– conducting business in the Republic of Armenia,
– being Armenian by nationality.
- Special residency status
Special residency status is granted to foreign citizens of Armenian origin by order of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, as well as to other foreigners engaged in economic or cultural activities in the Republic of Armenia, for a period of 10 years.
Chapter II. StayinArmenia
1. LEGALISE YOUR STAY IN ARMENIA
We will advise such possible options for acquiring or maintaining legal grounds of stay as:
1. conditions of compliance with the visa-free regime,
2. obtaining or extending a residence permit (see above),
3. obtaining citizenship:
A person of legal age who has reached the age of majority may apply for RA citizenship
- has permanently resided in the Republic of Armenia during the last 3 years in accordance with the procedure established by law,
- speaks the Armenian language (can explain in Armenian),
- is familiar with the Constitution of the RA.
Paragraphs 1 and 2, however, are optional and may be disregarded for one of the following reasons:
- The applicant is married to a citizen of the Republic of Armenia during the last 2 years prior to the submission of the application for citizenship of the Republic of Armenia, and legally resides in Armenia for at least 365 days during these 2 years or has a child, who is a citizen of the Republic of Armenia,
- The parents of the applicant or one of them previously had RA citizenship or were born in RA, and the applicant after reaching the age of 18 applied for RA citizenship within 3 years,
- The applicant after 1 January 1995 has, according to his application, renounced the RA citizenship
- An applicant for citizenship is recognized as a refugee in the Republic of Armenia or is a stateless person residing in the Republic of Armenia.
2. START YOUR OWN BUSSINES
All You need is to decide on the type and kind of activity.
We will help You to
- prepare the necessary documents,
- register a legal entity or individual entrepreneur,
- prepare internal acts or contracts for the company or individual entrepreneur,
- open accounts with Banks
- register trademark,
- get IT benefits if You do IT activities and have up to 30 employees.
Contact us for more information!
Author: Anna Khalatyan /Junior Lawyer
