Register as an Individual Entrepreneur (IE) in Armenia Remotely in 2026: Online, by Proxy, for Foreigners

It is possible to register as an IE in Armenia remotely, but the procedure depends on your status. If you have a mobile ID or ID card and an electronic signature, you can register online at e-register.moj.am: this service is free, takes 3–4 minutes, and registration is immediate. Others must submit documents through a representative via a power of attorney and pay a 3,000-dram fee. The general registration process is described in the article IE Registration; this article details only remote options. Data verified as of 11.11.2026.

Three Methods and Their Conditions

Sources: service page, Article 27 of the Registration Law.

Method 1. Online, Independently

The service page specifies: the online service is available only to those with an ID card and electronic signature. Login is via the "ЕСЕм" platform. You select your passport data, fill in the fields, sign the application with your mobile ID, and registration is completed immediately. The system automatically verifies your passport data with other databases, including the electronic signature database (Article 27, parts 4 and 5). No fee is charged for online registration (Article 27, part 3).

Armenian Citizen Abroad

The service page does not restrict where you can submit from. You only need a working electronic signature and to log in via ЕСЕм. The mobile ID is tied to a SIM card from an Armenian telecom operator, so check in advance that the connection and signature work abroad.

Foreigner

There is a limitation here. According to the EKENG page, foreigners can obtain a mobile ID as follows:

1. You need a document confirming your status in Armenia (temporary or permanent residence card, special passport), or a certificate of legal stay, your SSN (social card) number, and a phone number registered to you.
2. For identification, you must visit the Migration Service in person (Yerevan, 3 Vazgen Sargsyan St).
3. Then activate the service with the telecom operator.
4. Pay for the EKENG service. The service page states 3,000 drams, but on the CoSign payment page for foreigners, as of February 1, 2026, the signature certificate costs 10,000 drams per year. Confirm the amount with EKENG.

The SSN is issued by the Migration Service. You cannot obtain a signature based on an SSN unless you are physically present in Armenia (EKENG). Conclusion: if you have not obtained status and a mobile ID, online registration is not available, and "remotely" means acting via a representative.

Method 2. Through a Representative

An authorized person may file the application. The law specifies the required documents (Article 27, part 1):

1. application;
2. passport (returned after identification);
3. proof of payment of the 3,000-dram fee;
4. power of attorney and a copy of the future IE's passport.

An application is deemed properly submitted if the applicant provides the necessary information to the registry official and signs the prepared text (Article 27, part 2). Registration is completed at the time of submission (Article 27, part 6). An excerpt from the registry is sent to the specified email and can be obtained by code online (Article 27, part 8). Details of required registry information are in the registration article.

Power of Attorney from Abroad

The registry does not describe requirements for foreign powers of attorney on its service page. What can be inferred from primary sources:

• The Registration Law requires a power of attorney but does not specify its form.
• For foreign founders of commercial organizations, the registry requires a notarized translation of the ID copy into Armenian (Registry FAQ). For IEs, such a requirement is not stated on the service page.
• According to Armenia’s responses in the Hague Conference on Private International Law questionnaire, documents from foreign authorities must be legalized, except for documents from countries party to the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961 (Apostille Questionnaire 2021). For those countries, an apostille is sufficient. Bilateral treaties may also waive the apostille, but we have not checked the list here.

Practical advice: before issuing a power of attorney, confirm with the State Registry Agency (contact number for legal support on the service page: +374 10 20 14 48) which form, language, and certification they will accept.

What Data You Must Prepare

The registry requires passport details, registration address (if none, provide address of residence or business; for foreigners also the address where you conduct business), main activity code (per classifier), SSN or a statement of refusal, contact information, and citizenship if you are a foreigner (Article 25 of the Registration Law). See the article Types of Activities for choosing classification codes. It's best to send all this to your representative at once so they can fill out the application in one visit.

If Your Application Is Rejected

Rejection is possible only for three reasons (Article 28 of the Registration Law). If documents are missing, you are immediately given an opportunity to provide them. If you refuse to correct them, the application is rejected in writing within two days. If you are already registered as an IE or have been deprived of the right to conduct business, the rejection is immediate with the reason stated. The decision is signed by the agency’s electronic signature and sent to your specified email address. Therefore, it is advisable to provide a valid email address in your application.

What to Do After Registration

1. Save the excerpt from the registry.
2. Within 20 days, apply for a tax regime (Article 254, part 1, point 2 of the Tax Code). The registry agency will email you a notification about the tax regimes and application deadlines (Article 27, part 10 of the Registration Law). Tax regimes are covered in the article Tax Regimes.
3. Open a bank account: see Bank Account for IE.
4. Set up remote work with tax authorities. Foreigners can obtain a signature based on their taxpayer number (TIN): this is arranged by an authorized person via the State Revenue Committee. According to EKENG, this signature works only in the unified online tax portal for individuals (self-portal.taxservice.am).

Realistic Steps from Abroad

1. Decide who your representative in Armenia will be and confirm with the State Registry Agency which form of power of attorney they will accept.
2. Arrange to have the power of attorney notarized where you are. For Hague Convention countries, an apostille is generally required; for others, legalization.
3. Send the representative your passport details, address, main activity, and contact email.
4. The representative submits the application, pays the 3,000-dram fee, and receives the registry excerpt at the specified email.
5. Within 20 days, the representative files for a tax regime.

Pitfalls

• Registration can only be refused for three reasons: you are already registered as an IE, your documents are incomplete, or you have been deprived of the right to do business (Article 28). Immigration status is not listed among grounds for refusal.
• Registration as an IE and the right to reside in Armenia are governed by separate laws. The relation between these and residence permits is explained in Residence Permit by IE.
• IEs are liable with all their personal assets, so you do not need to issue a broad power of attorney: limit it to IE registration and tax application.
• The 20-day period for the tax regime application starts from registration, not from when you learn about it. Arrange in advance with your representative who will file the application.

Brief Summary

1. If you have a mobile ID: register online.
2. If you do not have an ID and are abroad: authorize a representative, fee 3,000 drams.
3. If you have neither but are in Armenia: apply in person with your passport.
4. In any case, submit the tax regime application within 20 days.