Four steps
The law on foreigners distinguishes three types of residence permit, each with its own term and its own set of qualifying grounds.
The temporary permit is available to any foreigner who can demonstrate grounds for residing in the country for at least one year: study, a work permit, family ties, business activity, or Armenian descent. It is valid for up to one year and renewed one year at a time.
Permanent residency is granted in two situations. The first: a person has a spouse or close relatives in Armenia — a parent, child, sibling, grandparent, or grandchild — who are Armenian citizens or hold a special residence permit, and that person has secured housing and means of support and has legally resided in the country for at least three years prior to applying. The second: the person is of Armenian ethnicity or runs a business in Armenia. The permit is valid for five years and renewable for the same term each time.
The special permit is issued to foreign nationals of Armenian descent and may also be issued to other foreign nationals engaged in economic or cultural activities in Armenia. The term is ten years and may be granted more than once. The application is submitted to the police authority, or abroad — to a diplomatic mission or consular office.
| Status | Duration | Key ground |
|---|---|---|
| Temporary | up to 1 year, renewable for 1 year | study, work, family, own business, ancestry |
| Permanent | 5 years, renewed for 5 years | close relatives who are citizens and 3 years of residence; or descent or a business of your own |
| Special | 10 years, renewable | Armenian nationality; economic or cultural activity |
| Citizenship | indefinitely | 3 years of continuous residence, Armenian language, Constitution |
From 1 November 2026, the ladder changes
Everything described above regarding the tiers reflects the current version of the law. On 1 November 2026, the amendment to the Aliens Act adopted on 20 January comes into force and restructures the ladder.
Special status is being abolished: Article 18 loses force. Those who obtained it previously retain the rights and obligations under it until the end of their term.
Permanent status is granted for five years, but on different grounds. The family ground is narrowed to a spouse, parent, or child who is an Armenian citizen and requires at least three years of temporary status out of the last five. The entrepreneurial ground carries the same requirement: three years of temporary status out of five. Grounds for investment — the conditions of which will be set by the government — and for exceptional merit to Armenia are also introduced.
The obligation mentioned above also changes: holders of temporary status will likewise be required to notify the authorities of absences of 183 days or more, via the electronic platform, within ten days — and failure to do so becomes grounds for the status to be deemed lapsed.
Applications submitted before 1 November will be processed under the previous rules. For details, see the guide ’Armenia from 1 November 2026’.
Citizenship: three years, language, and the Constitution
The citizenship law states the general rule concisely. The right to apply for citizenship belongs to a legally capable person who has reached the age of eighteen, has resided permanently in Armenia in accordance with the procedure established by law for the preceding three years, can communicate in Armenian, and is familiar with the Constitution.
All three requirements go together, and language is not a formality here: the applicant takes the exam in person, and this is where plans most often stall — not on paperwork, but on preparation.
The application is submitted in person to the authorized government body, and citizenship is granted by presidential decree. There is a provision worth reading literally: an application is rejected if the person’s activities harm state and public security, public order, health and morality, or the rights, freedoms, honour and reputation of others. A refusal to grant citizenship does not have to be justified.
The fee for naturalization, according to the Migration Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs fee schedule, is 50,000 AMD. The same schedule also lists 150,000 AMD, but that line refers to renouncing Armenian citizenship, not acquiring it — the two are easy to mix up when comparing prices.
- Three years of permanent residence in the manner prescribed by law
- Ability to communicate in Armenian
- Introduction to the Constitution
- The application is submitted in person; citizenship is granted by presidential decree.
- A refusal does not have to be reasoned
- Naturalization fee — 50,000 AMD
Who is exempt from the residency period and language requirements
The list is exhaustive and set out in the same article. Without meeting the three-year residence and language requirements, citizenship may be granted to a person who has married an Armenian citizen or has a child who is an Armenian citizen; to a person whose parents or one of them previously held Armenian citizenship or were born in Armenia — provided the application is made within three years of turning eighteen; to a person of Armenian descent, meaning someone with Armenian ancestors; and to a person who renounced Armenian citizenship after 1 January 1995 at their own request.
Persons who have rendered exceptional services to Armenia are treated separately: citizenship may be granted to them without meeting any of these conditions either.
Note how the exceptions are structured: they waive the residency and language requirements, but do not eliminate the procedure itself or make the decision automatic.
| Who | What is exempt |
|---|---|
| Spouse of an Armenian citizen, or parent of a child who is an Armenian citizen | on at least three years of residence and language proficiency |
| Descendant of former citizens or people born in Armenia | on length of residence and language, when applying before the age of 21 |
| A person of Armenian origin | on length of residence and language |
| Those who renounced citizenship after 01.01.1995 | on length of residence and language |
| Having rendered exceptional services | as well as knowledge of the Constitution |
Dual citizenship: what it actually means
Armenia recognizes dual citizenship, and that is one of the reasons people choose it. But the law says more than just that.
A dual citizen is a person who holds citizenship of more than one state. The key point follows: for the Republic of Armenia, a dual citizen is recognised solely as a citizen of the Republic of Armenia. This rule also applies to Armenian citizens who, after 1 January 1995, acquired the citizenship of another state without formally renouncing their Armenian citizenship.
The practical consequence is stated directly in the law: a dual citizen holds all the rights of an Armenian citizen and bears all the duties and responsibilities of an Armenian citizen, except as provided by international treaties and law. In other words, a second passport offers no advantage inside the country — it is simply invisible there.
- Dual citizenship is recognised
- Inside Armenia, a person is recognised only as an Armenian citizen
- All civic obligations apply to them in full
- A second passport creates no exemptions beyond those explicitly provided by law and treaty
How the plan is structured
Of the four stages, most of our clients use two: annual status through their own business and, from there, either permanent residence or citizenship.
The key planning question is when the clock starts. The law ties citizenship to three years of lawful permanent residence; a family-based permanent residence permit also requires three years of lawful residence. That means the years start from the date of the first card, not from the date of the move — and delaying the application delays everything that follows.
The second question is language. Three years is enough time to learn Armenian to a conversational level — if you start in the first year, not the last. Those who remember the requirement only when they are about to apply tend to find that three years quietly becomes four or five.
- The clock starts from the first card, not from the date of the move
- Annual status requires year-on-year discipline on filing deadlines
- Language study starts in the first year, not just before filing
- Family and ancestral grounds cut the path dramatically — they are checked first
Status in Armenia: from one year to a passport
- Review of your situation across all four stages and selection of the shortest route
- Checking ancestral and family grounds — they waive both the qualifying period and the language requirement
- Obtaining annual status and timely annual renewals
- Switching to permanent residence once the required period has been accumulated
- Preparing the citizenship file and planning the language requirement well in advance
- Analysis of dual-citizenship risks before you apply, not after
A legal consultation — 50 $.Credited toward the full service fee if you continue with us.
During the consultation the lawyer reviews your situation based on your documents and provides filing route: which basis, what will be needed and in what order.
Government fees, notarisation, certified translations and apostille, where required, billed separately at actual cost — we will itemise them for your situation. Processing time depends on the authority and its workload, which is why we do not publish an average figure.
Frequently asked questions
After how many years can you obtain Armenian citizenship?
As a general rule — after three years of lawful continuous residence, with the ability to communicate in Armenian and knowledge of the Constitution. The application is submitted in person, and citizenship is granted by presidential decree.
Is Armenian required?
Yes, as a general rule. Exemptions apply to spouses of Armenian citizens and parents of citizen children, persons of Armenian descent, descendants of former citizens or those born in Armenia, and those who renounced citizenship after 1 January 1995.
How many years is permanent residence granted for?
For five years, renewed each time for the same period. The renewal application must be submitted no later than thirty days before the card expires.
What a special residence permit is?
A ten-year status for foreign nationals of Armenian descent; it may also be granted to other foreigners engaged in economic or cultural activities in Armenia. It can be granted more than once.
Is dual citizenship allowed?
Yes, it is recognised. However, in Armenia a dual citizen is recognised solely as an Armenian citizen and bears all the duties and responsibilities of a citizen, except as expressly provided by law and international treaties.
Do you need to report an extended absence?
A permanent residence holder who is absent from Armenia for more than six months must notify the competent police authority in writing. This is a direct statutory requirement.
Verified September 11, 2026. The thresholds and amounts are tied to indicators that are reviewed annually — check the official source for your country before filing.
- RA Law on Foreigners — Articles 15, 16, 17 and 18: temporary, permanent and special residence permits, terms and notification of absence
- RA Citizenship Law — Article 13 (naturalisation and exceptions) and Article 13.1 (dual citizenship)
- RA Law ՀՕ-11-Ն amending the Law on Foreigners, in force from 01.11.2026: Articles 15, 16, 17, 18 and 21
- Migration Service of the Armenian Ministry of Internal Affairs — state fee schedule: residence statuses and citizenship
Services and prices — openly, before any conversation
People usually add: notarized translation of a document — from 30 $ · medical certificate for the application — from 70 $. Two or more services — 5% off each.
Prices are in US dollars and are all-inclusive — nothing is added on top. Government fees are paid separately and directly: sole trader registration ~$8, annual residence permit fee 105,000–150,000 AMD, medical certificate ~30,000 AMD.