Residence Permit in Armenia in 2026: Grounds, Documents, Fees

Residence permits in Armenia are issued on five grounds: study, work, family, entrepreneurship, and Armenian origins. Temporary status is granted for up to 1 year, permanent for 5 years. Applications are decided within 30 days from submission. The rules are set out in Law HO-11-N, effective from November 1, 2026. Data as of 11.11.2026.

Types of Status

Since November 1, 2026, there are two types of residence status in Armenia:

• Temporary: card valid for up to 1 year, upon renewal a new card is issued for the same term;
• Permanent (permanent residence): card valid for 5 years.

The third status, special (a special 10-year passport for individuals of Armenian descent), is no longer issued. Those who previously obtained it retain it until expiration (Art. 30 para. 6 HO-11-N).

Applications are reviewed by the Migration and Citizenship Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Armenia. From November 1, 2026, applications are submitted only via the electronic platform (Art. 17 para. 1 of the Law).

Grounds for Temporary Residence Permit

Grounds are listed in Art. 15 of the Law on Foreigners. For each, the law or HO-11-N sets specific requirements.

The law also allows for "other cases established by law," but in practice the grounds in the table above are used.

Entrepreneurship: Thresholds

According to Art. 29.4 HO-11-N, a participant or shareholder must contribute at least 2 million drams to share capital or shares of a company. An individual entrepreneur must demonstrate one of two conditions: at least 1 million drams (in any currency) in their accounts, or business turnover of at least 1 million drams or equivalent within 60 days prior to application.

Status is revoked if the invested capital drops below 1 million drams or if, within 180 days after status is granted, no taxes are accrued in the State Revenue Committee database from your activities. For more details on individual entrepreneurs and companies, see Residence Permit via Individual Entrepreneur.

Employment

Work visa and work permit requirements come into effect only after the launch of the new electronic visa system (Art. 30 para. 7 HO-11-N). Until then, clarify the current procedure before applying for a work-based residence permit. If an employment contract is terminated, you have 15 business days to sign a new one; otherwise, your residence status may be revoked.

Grounds for Permanent Residence Permit

The grounds for permanent residence (permanent residence permit) are set out in Art. 16 of the Law. Any of the following five grounds are valid:

1. Family: you are the spouse, parent, or child of an Armenian citizen, have accommodation and sufficient means, and held temporary status for at least 3 of the last 5 years.
2. Armenian nationality.
3. Entrepreneurship: active business and at least 3 years of temporary status in the last 5 years.
4. Investments in Armenia.
5. Special services to Armenia: status is granted by the Prime Minister.

The procedure and terms for permanent residence are described in the article Permanent Residence and Special Residence Permit.

What Is Not Included

• Purchasing an apartment or land is not listed separately in Articles 15 and 16 as an independent ground.
• The "investment" ground is listed (for permanent status), but criteria and types of investments are determined by the government. As of 11.11.2026, we have not found such a decision.
• Relatives other than spouse, parent, and child (e.g., siblings, grandparents) are not included as eligible family members under the new law. Previously, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA RA) considered close relatives in this list (MFA RA), but now, only spouse, parent, and child appear in Article 15.

Family and Children

Applications based on family grounds are not submitted by the foreigner, but by an Armenian citizen or a family member with resident status, confirming the relationship via the platform (Art. 29.5 para. 1 HO-11-N). Children under 16 are granted status based on the parent's status. If one parent is an Armenian citizen, the child's status is issued for the term specified by the parent in the application, but no longer than the maximum allowed for that status. If the parent is a foreigner with resident status, the child is granted status for the validity of the parent's document. Separate rules apply for children studying at institutions on the government's approved list.

If a marriage with a foreigner holding residence status is dissolved or annulled, the spouse may apply for renewal provided the marriage lasted and they resided in Armenia for at least one year (Art. 15 para. 3).

How to Choose a Ground

• If you have several possible grounds (for example, work and marriage), you must choose one: holding two statuses simultaneously is not permitted.
• If you are starting a business, check the thresholds: 1 million drams in an individual entrepreneur's account, or 2 million drams in company share capital. Review tax obligations: without taxes accrued within 180 days, your status will be revoked.
• If you have Armenian roots, prepare supporting documents in advance. Application is personal, after initial verification via the platform.
• For permanent residence, you must have 3 years of temporary status in the past 5 years for family and business grounds. Exceptions: Armenian origins, investments, and special merits.

When Can Your Application Be Refused

Refusals can occur for reasons listed in Art. 19: for example, if you were expelled or lost status less than three years ago, have an unsettled conviction for a medium or more serious crime, provided false information, or if the annual quota is exhausted. Refusals can be appealed in court; during the appeal, you are issued a temporary stay permit (Art. 20).

Required Documents

The MFA RA list, valid before the online platform:

1. Application form.
2. Three color photos 35×45 mm.
3. Passport, its copy, and a notarized Armenian translation.
4. Documents confirming the ground for residence.
5. Health certificate.
6. Proof of payment of the state fee.

The new list of documents for online application can only be approved by the government (Art. 17 para. 3). As no such list has been published, check the requirements in your online platform account before applying.

Application Process

• The application is submitted on the electronic platform. If documents are missing, the platform sends a notification. You have 5 days to correct errors, otherwise consideration is suspended. If you do nothing within a month, the application is closed (Art. 17 paras. 9-10).
• A decision is made within 30 days of submission. Exception: permanent status for special merits, which is granted by the Prime Minister.
• Cards are collected in person: you must provide fingerprints and an electronic signature (Migration Service).
• If your lawful stay expires during consideration, your stay is deemed legal until a decision is made.
• Persons of Armenian descent must register on the platform, upload documents, and, after preliminary verification, book a personal appointment.

Fees

Fee amounts depend on status. As of November 1, 2026, under HO-215-N:

Exempt from fees are, among others, close relatives of Armenian citizens and persons under 18 years old (Art. 26 of the Law on State Duty). For more on costs and processing times, see the article How Much Does a Residence Permit Cost and How Long to Wait.

What to Do Next

1. Choose a ground you can confirm with documents today.
2. Check that the fee and document list match the information in your platform account.
3. Apply in advance: your current card should be valid long enough to allow for consideration and potential correction.
4. Note that a refusal does not permanently block you: you may reapply after a year (Art. 20 para. 4), but not for all refusal grounds. For changes since November 1, see New Rules 2026.