Moving to Armenia

Article 15(1)(e) of the Law on Foreigners (HO-47-N, edition in force from 1 September 2026) lists engaging in entrepreneurial activity among the circumstances for temporary residence status; that edition sets no capital or income floor in the Law itself, and the list of documents is set by the Government (Article 17(2)). Status is granted for up to 1 year, extendable each time by 1 year (Article 15(2)), and the Law sets a 30-day decision period (Article 17(3)). From 1 November 2026 the amending Law HO-11-N (adopted 20 January 2026) adds Article 29.4: entrepreneurial activity can be a ground only if the foreigner is a participant or shareholder of, or owns securities in, an Armenian commercial organisation and has invested at least AMD 2,000,000 in its charter capital (or acquired shares or securities worth AMD 2,000,000), or is an individual entrepreneur holding at least AMD 1,000,000 across the entrepreneur's accounts or with AMD 1,000,000 of turnover from the business in the 60 days before applying. The status lapses if that capital is withdrawn or falls below AMD 1,000,000, or if no tax calculated on the business appears in the State Revenue Committee's records within 180 days of the grant. Applications submitted before 1 November 2026 are considered under the earlier rules (HO-11-N Article 30(4)). Permanent residence: until 31 October 2026 Article 16(1)(b) grants it to a foreigner carrying out entrepreneurial activity in Armenia, with no prior-residence period; from 1 November 2026 the amended Article 16(1)(c) also requires temporary residence status for at least 3 of the last 5 years. Family: from 1 November 2026 the spouse, parent or child of a foreigner with residence status can obtain temporary residence on that ground (amended Article 15(1)(d)); before then the family ground for relatives of a temporary resident covers only the categories named in Article 15(1)(c). The government fee for a temporary residence permit and card is AMD 105,000, per the Office of the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs' fee table. Citizenship: the Law on Citizenship (Article 13, part one) lets an adult apply after permanently residing in Armenia for the last three years as prescribed by law, if able to express themselves in Armenian and familiar with the Constitution. Armenia permits dual citizenship.

Article 15(1)(b) of the Law on Foreigners (HO-47-N, edition in force from 1 September 2026) grants temporary residence on the basis of a work permit or, for the exempt categories it names, a conclusion that the person is on the list of exemptions from the work permit. A work permit is required unless Article 23 exempts the person; the exemptions include, among others, permanent and special residents, temporary residents on the study, family, Armenian-nationality and volunteering grounds, founders and heads of Armenian companies in which foreign capital holds more than half the votes, invited lecturers, teachers and researchers, highly qualified foreigners meeting the Government's criteria, and foreigners exempted by an international treaty. When an employer files the vacancy on the unified electronic platform (Article 22.1), the period for applying must be at least 15 working days, so that the employment authority can study the labour market and, where possible, propose Armenian citizens for the post (Article 22(3)). The status lapses if no employment or services contract is concluded within 15 working days of the grant (Article 28(1)(a)). Status is granted for up to 1 year, extendable each time by 1 year (Article 15(2)). The government fee for a temporary residence permit and card is AMD 105,000, per the Office of the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs' fee table. From 1 November 2026 the amending Law HO-11-N (adopted 20 January 2026) repeals the vacancy-period rule (Article 22(3)) and replaces the work permit with a work visa and a permit to stay or reside for the purpose of employment, but those provisions take effect only after Armenia's new electronic entry-visa system is introduced (HO-11-N Article 30(7)); applications submitted before 1 November 2026 are considered under the earlier rules (Article 30(4)). Employment is not a ground for permanent residence under Article 16 in either version. Family: from 1 November 2026 the spouse, parent or child of a foreigner with residence status can obtain temporary residence on that ground (amended Article 15(1)(d)); before then the family ground for relatives of a temporary resident covers only the categories named in Article 15(1)(c). Citizenship: the Law on Citizenship (Article 13, part one) lets an adult apply after permanently residing in Armenia for the last three years as prescribed by law, if able to express themselves in Armenian and familiar with the Constitution. Armenia permits dual citizenship.

Article 18 of the Law on Foreigners (HO-47-N, edition in force from 1 September 2026) grants special residence status to foreigners who are Armenian by nationality, and allows it also to other foreigners carrying out economic or cultural activity in Armenia. It is granted for ten years and may be granted more than once; the application is filed with the migration and citizenship authority in Armenia or with an Armenian embassy or consulate abroad, and the Prime Minister decides. The document is a special passport (Article 14(2)), and a special resident may work without a work permit (Article 23(1)(a)). The Office of the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs states that the special passport can be extended indefinitely in 10-year increments; that it lets its holder travel to and from Armenia without a visa and live, work, study, do business and engage in any other lawful activity without work permits or other papers, and own agricultural and other land in their own name; that children under 16 can also get one; that it takes around 60 days; and that the government fee is AMD 150,000. ABOLISHED FROM 1 NOVEMBER 2026: the amending Law HO-11-N (adopted 20 January 2026) repeals Article 18 from that date. Foreigners who received special residence status before then keep the rights and obligations of that status until it expires (HO-11-N Article 30(6)), and applications submitted before 1 November 2026 are considered under the earlier rules (Article 30(4)). From that date a foreigner who is Armenian by nationality may instead obtain five-year permanent residence status under the amended Article 16(1)(b), which sets no prior-residence condition. For those of Armenian origin the citizenship route is easier still: the Law on Citizenship (Article 13, part two, point 3) waives the three-year residence requirement and the Armenian-language test, but NOT familiarity with the Constitution. Armenia permits dual citizenship.

Under Article 15(1)(d) of the Law on Foreigners (HO-47-N, edition in force from 1 September 2026), temporary residence status is available to the spouse or close relative (parent, child, brother, sister, grandmother, grandfather, grandchild) of an Armenian citizen or of a foreigner with permanent or special residence status in Armenia; for relatives of a temporary resident, Article 15(1)(c) covers only the spouse, parent or child of a temporary resident in the categories it names. Temporary status is granted for up to 1 year, extendable each time by 1 year (Article 15(2)). Permanent residence (Article 16(1)(a)) requires all of: a spouse or close relative in Armenia who is an Armenian citizen or holds special residence status; housing and means of subsistence in Armenia; and at least three years of residence in Armenia before applying. It is granted for 5 years and can be extended each time for the same period (Article 16(2)). Government fees, per the Office of the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs' fee table: AMD 105,000 for temporary and AMD 140,000 for permanent residence. AMENDMENT IN FORCE 1 NOVEMBER 2026: the amending Law HO-11-N (adopted 20 January 2026) narrows the temporary ground to the spouse, parent or child of an Armenian citizen or of a foreigner with residence or refugee status (amended Article 15(1)(d)), and permanent residence to an applicant with a spouse, parent or child in Armenia who is an Armenian citizen, housing and means of subsistence, and temporary residence status for at least 3 of the last 5 years (amended Article 16(1)(a)); temporary status is then granted for up to one year. Applications submitted before 1 November 2026 are considered under the earlier rules (HO-11-N Article 30(4)). Citizenship: the Diaspora Affairs Office states that the spouse of an Armenian citizen whose marriage has been registered for the two years before applying, with at least 365 days of that period resident in Armenia, or a person with a child who is an Armenian citizen, is exempt from the three-year residence and Armenian-language conditions of the Law on Citizenship (Article 13); familiarity with the Constitution is still required. Armenia permits dual citizenship.

Article 15(1)(a) of the Law on Foreigners (HO-47-N, edition in force from 1 September 2026) lists study among the circumstances for temporary residence status; the list of documents is set by the Government (Article 17(2)), and the Law sets a 30-day decision period (Article 17(3)). Status is granted for up to 1 year, extendable each time by 1 year (Article 15(2)). A temporary resident on the study ground may work without a work permit for the term of the status (Article 23(1)(b)), and a foreign student at an Armenian educational institution may work without one for a year after completing the course (Article 23(1)(zhth)). From 1 November 2026 the amending Law HO-11-N (adopted 20 January 2026) widens the ground to formal or non-formal education, vocational training, educational exchange and scientific-technological or innovation activity, on a contract with the institution or organisation, which files the application through the unified electronic platform; the status follows the contract's term but not more than one year, and lapses if the institution terminates the contract or the studies are interrupted (new Article 29.3). Study is not a ground for permanent residence under Article 16 in either version. Family: from 1 November 2026 the spouse, parent or child of a foreigner with residence status can obtain temporary residence on that ground (amended Article 15(1)(d)); before then the family ground for relatives of a temporary resident covers only the categories named in Article 15(1)(c). The government fee for a temporary residence permit and card is AMD 105,000, per the Office of the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs' fee table. Citizenship: the Law on Citizenship (Article 13, part one) lets an adult apply after permanently residing in Armenia for the last three years as prescribed by law, if able to express themselves in Armenian and familiar with the Constitution. Armenia permits dual citizenship.