Living and doing business in Armenia
Residence permit in Armenia in 2026: grounds, documents, fees
A temporary residence permit in Armenia is issued for up to 1 year, a permanent one for 5 years. Grounds include work, business, study, family and Armenian origin. The state duty is currently AMD 105,000 for a temporary card and AMD 140,000 for a permanent one, and the decision takes 30 days. Rules and filing change on 1 November 2026.
Contents
Current as of 20 October 2026. The old rules apply until 31 October 2026; from 1 November 2026 the amendments to the Law "On Foreigners" (HO-11-N) take effect. See New rules 2026 for details.
Residence statuses
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs there are three statuses:
- temporary: a card for up to 1 year, renewable for a year;
- permanent: a card for 5 years, renewable for the same term;
- special: a 10-year special passport for persons of Armenian origin. Under HO-11-N, special passports stop being issued from 1 November 2026; those already issued stay valid until expiry.
Applications go to the Department for Determining the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens of the Migration and Citizenship Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (14 Tairov St., Yerevan). A decision is made within 30 days of filing.
Grounds: summary table
Duties are from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and apply until the new system starts.
| Ground | Status and card term | What proves it | Duty now, AMD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employment contract | Temporary, up to 1 year | Employment contract and right-to-work document | 105,000 |
| Sole proprietor | Temporary, up to 1 year | Registration, AMD 1m in an account or AMD 1m turnover in the 60 days before filing (per HO-11-N) | 105,000 |
| Shares or founder of a company | Temporary, up to 1 year | Charter capital or shares from AMD 2m (per HO-11-N) | 105,000 |
| Study | Temporary, up to 1 year | Contract with the institution | 105,000 |
| Family: spouse, parent, child of a citizen or resident | Temporary, up to 1 year; permanent after 3 years | Marriage or kinship certificate, proof of housing | 105,000 / 140,000 |
| Armenian origin | Temporary or permanent | Baptism in an Armenian church or a document recording Armenian ethnicity | 105,000 / 140,000 |
| Business, for permanent status | Permanent, 5 years | A running business; from 01.11.2026 3 years of temporary status are required | 140,000 |
| Investment | Permanent, 5 years | Criteria not approved (the law refers to a government decision) | not published |
Notes:
- Today the law and the Ministry also count siblings, grandparents and grandchildren as close relatives. From 1 November 2026, permanent residence by family is limited to the spouse, parent and child of an Armenian citizen (per the law firm armenian-lawyer.com; being checked against the HO-11-N text).
- Buying an apartment is not named as a ground in the Ministry's list or in HO-11-N.
- Only one residence status at a time is allowed (Art. 14 as amended by HO-11-N). Cards already issued stay valid until expiry.
Documents
For issue and renewal:
- Application form.
- Three colour photos 35x45 mm.
- Passport, a copy, and a notarised Armenian translation.
- Documents proving the ground (contract, marriage certificate, sole proprietor registration extract, etc.).
- Health certificate.
- State duty receipt.
You can pay via E-Payments, at a bank or at a terminal.
Renewal and permanent residence
- Renew a temporary or permanent permit at least 30 days before it expires.
- Permanent status by family requires proof of housing and means of subsistence and at least three years of residence.
- If the ground ends (the employment contract is terminated), HO-11-N gives you 15 working days to sign a new contract (Art. 19).
What to know in 2026
- From 1 November 2026 filing is online only via the unified electronic platform; the old e-gov portal and the EarlyOne app stop working. Appointments booked there for after 1 November are not valid.
- Annual quotas by status type are introduced; an exhausted quota becomes a ground for refusal.
- Work will require prior permission, and the work entry visa becomes a separate document (per HO-11-N; the provisions apply after the electronic visa system launches).
- Living without a valid status carries a fine of AMD 50,000-100,000 under Art. 201 of the Code of Administrative Offences (migration.e-gov.am).
We found no final implementing acts with the new duties and filing procedure as of 20.10.2026. See How much and how long.
Frequently asked questions
On what grounds can I get a residence permit in Armenia?
How much is a residence permit in Armenia?
What documents are needed?
Can I get a residence permit by buying property?
How long is a residence permit valid?
Sources and laws
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia: residence statuses, documents, state duties, 30-day term
- Law HO-11-N amending the Law on Foreigners (adopted 20.01.2026, in force 01.11.2026)
- ARKA: Migration and Citizenship Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs on the switch to electronic filing from 1 November 2026
- e-gov portal: migration services
This article is for general information and does not replace advice on your specific case.
