According to the general rule, foreigners in the Republic of Armenia have the same rights, freedoms and duties as citizens of the Republic of Armenia. The status of residence in Armenia gives a foreign citizen (a person without citizenship) the opportunity to enter Armenia, stay in its territory for the period specified in the resident card, engage in business, etc.
Within the framework of this overview, we will answer the most frequently asked questions about the residency status of foreigners in RA.
What kind of residency statuses are provided in the Republic of Armenia for foreigners?
Three residency statuses are established for the stay and residence of foreigners in the Republic of Armenia: temporary, permanent and special. The documents confirming these residency statuses are, respectively, a temporary resident card, a permanent resident card and a special passport.
In which cases foreigners can obtain a temporary residence status and for what period?
The status of temporary residence is granted to every foreigner, if he/she proves that there is a circumstance justifying his/her residence in the RA territory for a period of one year or more. Such circumstances are, for example, studying, having a work permit, being the spouse or close relative (parent, child, brother, sister, grandmother, grandfather, grandchild) of RA citizen or a foreigner with a permanent or special residence status of the RA, engaging in entrepreneurial activities, being Armenian by nationality. etc.
Temporary residence status is granted for a period of up to 1 year, with the possibility of extending it by one year each time.
In which cases foreigners can obtain a permanent residence status and for what period?
Permanent residence status is granted to a foreigner if he:
- proves the presence of his close relatives (parent, spouse, brother, sister, child, grandmother, grandfather, grandson) in RA,
- is provided with housing and means of existence in RA,
- lived in RA for at least 3 years before submitting an application for permanent residence status, according to the law,
or
- carries out business activities in RA,
or
- is Armenian by nationality.
Permanent residence status is granted for a period of 5 years, with the possibility of extending it for the same period each time.
In which cases foreigners can obtain a special residence status and for what period?
Special residence status is granted to foreigners of Armenian nationality, as well as to other foreigners carrying out economic or cultural activities in the Republic of Armenia. It is issued for a period of 10 years and may be issued more than once.
To which body must the foreigner apply in order to obtain a residence status and in what terms is the decision made?
In order for a foreigner to obtain a temporary or permanent residence status in RA, the documents provided by law are to be submitted to the Passport and Visa Department of the RA Police, which in turn makes a decision within 30 days on granting or denying the residence status. The necessary documents to obtain a special residence status are submitted to the Passport and Visa Department of the RA Police but the decision is made by the Prime Minister of RA.
Does the same procedure apply for EAEU citizens?
Those citizens of EAEU member states who are working in RA (as well as their family members) are exempt from the requirement to obtain any kind of authorization for the entire term of the employment contract. In order to confirm the legality of their residence in the territory of the Republic of Armenia, they are given a certificate confirming the legality of their stay. The said certificate can be applied for electronically via https://workpermit.am/.
If you have any other questions about obtaining a residence status in the Republic of Armenia or the described processes, our team will be more than happy to share with you our experience and knowledge in this field.
