Foreigners with Armenian nationality can obtain Armenian citizenship in a simplified manner

How can a Russian citizen obtain Armenian citizenship?

The question is often asked: how can residents of the Russian Federation obtain Armenian citizenship? Residents of Russia can obtain a passport of this country quite simply if they meet several simple conditions. First, the person must be an adult. Secondly, the candidate must live at least 3 years in the country. Thirdly, a potential citizen of this country must know the Constitution of this region, as well as the Armenian language.

However, there are exceptions to these rules, thanks to which a certain category of persons has the right to receive a passport of a given region without meeting the above requirements. This group of people includes:

parents of a child who is a citizen of the republic;
people married to a citizen of this republic;
a person who acquires citizenship by birth or returns by descent.

In addition to the fact that such people do not need to know the Constitution and the native language of the republic, they receive a passport in a simplified manner. However, depending on the situation, the procedure for obtaining an identity document will be different. Below we will describe what to do to obtain citizenship of Russian citizens belonging to the above categories.

Birth and return of citizenship

If a child is born to parents who are citizens of the region, then he automatically receives citizenship of this republic. In this case, the place of birth does not play a role. That is, if the baby is born in any other country, he will still go through the process of obtaining Armenian citizenship. Also, a newborn child has the right to citizenship if one of the parents has Armenian citizenship.

Often children whose parents previously had a passport from that country want it back. They have the right to this after they become adults. If a person decided to get rid of Armenian citizenship after 1995, then he can return it in a simplified manner. If the individual left residence before the specified date, then he can get it back only in the usual manner established by law.

Citizenship and marriage

State representatives are quite loyal to the group of people who marry citizens of the republic. They can obtain citizenship through a simplified program. They will not take an exam on knowledge of the national language, but such people are required to know the Armenian language at least at the everyday level.

True, there is one nuance. A person who marries an Armenian or an Armenian woman must live at least one year in the territory of Armenia with his other half to obtain citizenship. When filing a petition, you must present a marriage certificate, as well as your spouse's passport.

Naturalization

For Russians who have never had Armenian blood and who do not have a wife/husband with an Armenian passport, they came up with a special item called naturalization. It is spelled out in the thirteenth article of the Constitution of Armenia. Thanks to it, this group of people can obtain citizenship in a given country if they meet the following requirements:

the person must be an adult;
must have legally lived in the country for at least three years;
can write and conduct dialogue in Armenian without difficulty;
knows the legislation and Constitution in force in the region;
successfully passed the exam on the basics of the Constitution and the Armenian language;
has a desire to become a citizen of Armenia;
shows readiness to take the Oath;
There are no obstacles to getting a passport, such as a prison sentence.

If there is a group of Russian residents wishing to obtain Armenian citizenship, then the president can accept them all at once, in accordance with the law on repatriation. A more simplified naturalization program is available to refugees from other countries. Thus, they do not need to pass an exam on knowledge of the language and the basics of the Constitution.

Often people want to become citizens of this country through investment, after purchasing real estate in Armenia or after opening their own business. Such people can obtain Armenian citizenship only in accordance with the general procedure. And state representatives do not plan to change these rules in the near future.

However, there is one single exception to the above rules. A person can become a citizen of Armenia without any checks only if the president personally recognizes his services to this country. Such situations occur quite rarely.

Obtaining citizenship of the Republic of Armenia

Any person who has reached 18 years of age and has legal capacity who does not have citizenship of the Republic of Armenia has the right to apply for citizenship of the Republic of Armenia if he: 1) has been permanently residing in the Republic of Armenia for the last three years in accordance with the procedure established by law; 2) can be explained in Armenian and; 3) became familiar with the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia. Citizenship of the Republic of Armenia, without complying with the requirements established by paragraphs 1 and 2 of part one of this article, can be obtained by a person who does not have citizenship of the Republic of Armenia: 1) who has married a citizen of the Republic of Armenia or has a child who is a citizen of the Republic of Armenia; 2) whose parents or one of them previously had citizenship of the Republic of Armenia or were born in the Republic of Armenia, and who within 3 years after reaching 18 years of age applied for citizenship of the Republic of Armenia; 3) who is Armenian by origin, that is, has Armenian ancestors; 4) who, after January 1, 1995, renounced citizenship of the Republic of Armenia according to his application. Citizenship of the Republic of Armenia, without complying with the requirements established by paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 of part one, as well as part two of this article, may be awarded to persons for exceptional services to the Republic of Armenia. A person seeking citizenship of the Republic of Armenia must submit an application for citizenship to the authorized body of the Government of the Republic of Armenia in person.

Double citizenship

A person with dual citizenship of the Republic of Armenia is considered to be a person who, in addition to the citizenship of the Republic of Armenia, also has the citizenship of another state (other countries). For the Republic of Armenia, a citizen of the Republic of Armenia with dual citizenship is recognized only as a citizen of the Republic of Armenia. This norm also applies to citizens of the Republic of Armenia who accepted or received citizenship of another state after January 1, 1995 without renouncing citizenship of the Republic of Armenia in the prescribed manner, as well as unilaterally renounced citizenship of the Republic of Armenia. A citizen of the Republic of Armenia with dual citizenship has all the rights provided for a citizen of the Republic of Armenia, and bears all the duties and responsibilities provided for a citizen of the Republic of Armenia, except for cases provided for by international treaties or the law of the Republic of Armenia. A citizen of the Republic of Armenia, in the event of accepting or obtaining citizenship of another state, is obliged to notify the authorized body of the Government of the Republic of Armenia about this within a month in the manner established by the Government of the Republic of Armenia. Violation of the requirements of this article entails liability provided by law.

Documents required to obtain citizenship of the Republic of Armenia

- Any capable person who has reached the age of 18, who does not have citizenship of the Republic of Armenia, who has lived in the Republic of Armenia permanently for the last three years in accordance with the procedure established by law, who can speak in Armenian and is familiar with the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia, must personally submit a passport to obtain citizenship of the Republic of Armenia. and the Visa Department of the RA Police: 1. application 2. autobiography 3. passport and its copy 4. 6 photographs, size 35 x 45 mm 5. health certificate 6. certificate of permanent residence in the Republic of Armenia for the last 3 years. The person personally fills out the form at the PV department

- A person who married a citizen of the Republic of Armenia or has a child who is a citizen of the Republic of Armenia, to obtain citizenship of the Republic of Armenia in Armenia - to the Passport and Visa Department of the RA Police, in foreign countries - to the Armenian Embassy or Consulate operating in foreign countries , personally presents:

1. application 2. autobiography 3. passport and its copy 4. 6 photographs, size 35 x 45 mm 5. health certificate 6. marriage certificate and its copy 7. husband’s passport and his passport or certificate of husband’s citizenship 10. the birth certificate of his child and its copy or a certificate confirming citizenship of the Republic of Armenia and its copy, or a passport of a citizen of the Republic of Armenia and its copy. The person fills out the form. Filling out the form in person or at the PV office is not necessary.

- A person whose parents or one of them in the past had RA citizenship or was born in the Republic of Armenia, and who, after reaching the age of eighteen, applied for RA citizenship within three years, or a person who, after January 1, 1995, according to his application for renunciation of RA citizenship in the Republic of Armenia - to the Passport and Visa Department of the RA, in foreign countries - to the Armenian Embassy or Consulate operating in foreign countries, personally submits: 1. application 2. autobiography 3. passport and its copy 4. 6 photographs, size 35 x 45 mm 5. health certificate 6. criminal record certificate from the country where you have lived permanently or primarily for the last 10 years 7. document on work activity 8. birth certificate and its copy. The person fills out the form. Filling out the form in person or at the PV office is not necessary.

- A person who is an Armenian, namely, has Armenian ancestors, to the passport and visa department of the Republic of Armenia, in foreign countries - to the Armenian embassy or consulate operating in foreign countries, personally presents: 1. application 2. autobiography 3. passport and its copy 4 6 photographs, size 35 x 45 mm 5. health certificate 6. birth certificate and its copy 7. document confirming his Armenian origin - birth certificate of a parent (grandparent or brother or sister) and its copy, or another document confirming nationality. The person fills out the form.

- A person who has provided exceptional services to the Republic of Armenia, to whom citizenship of the Republic of Armenia is awarded, to the Passport and Visa Department of the Republic of Armenia, in foreign countries - to the Armenian Embassy or Consulate operating in foreign countries, personally presents: 1. application 2. autobiography 3. passport and its copy 4. 6 photographs, size 35 x 45 mm 5. health certificate The person fills out the questionnaire. Filling out the form in person or at the PV office is not necessary.

— A stateless person, when presenting the relevant documents, instead of a passport and its copy, presents: 1. a certificate of temporary residence of a stateless person and its copy or a travel document 2. a document indicating the status of temporary residence in the Republic of Armenia and its copy. The person presents documents in a foreign language along with Armenian translations certified by a notary.

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Required documents

To obtain citizenship of this republic, you need to begin the procedure for obtaining a passport. As in most other countries, it begins with a person collecting the required documents. According to the requirements of Armenia, a willing person needs to prepare:

an application, a sample of which can be found at the Office;
autobiography;
photocopy and original of the foreign passport;
six color photographs measuring 35 x 45;
marriage document, if available;
a copy of the marriage certificate, if available;
copy and original of birth certificate;
passport of the spouse, if the person is married;
instead of the above point, you can bring a certificate about the presence or absence of Armenian citizenship of your wife/husband;
all documents related to children, if any;
if necessary, a document confirming a three-year stay in the country;
if an individual belongs to Armenian nationality, then a document confirming this fact is needed;
medical certificate of health;
a check proving the fact that a potential citizen of Armenia has paid the state fee.

Once all the required documents have been collected, you can begin the process of obtaining citizenship. It will be described in more detail in the next paragraph.

Change of nationality

As established by the provisions of the Law “On Citizenship of the Republic of Armenia”, renunciation of state affiliation with the Republic of Armenia or acceptance of an indigenous person of another state does not entail the loss of Armenian citizenship.

Renunciation of Armenian citizenship

The head of state makes the decision on termination of citizenship. An application should be written in his name, which is then submitted to the Passport and Visa Department of the Police of the Republic of Armenia or to the Armenian Embassy abroad. After considering the application, employees of the Department of Passports and Visas send the request to higher authorities within 10 days.

To renounce the Armenian indigenous status, the applicant must prepare the following package of documents:

statement;
national passport (+ copy).
color photograph measuring 35 by 45 mm;
certificate from the military registration and enlistment office;
receipt of payment of state duty;
a copy of the marriage registration certificate (if available);
a document confirming receipt of citizenship of another state.

10 days are allotted for consideration of the application.

How can a citizen of Armenia obtain a Russian passport?

Today, a large number of Armenian citizens live in Russia and wish to acquire Russian citizenship. As you know, there are two ways to obtain it: on a general basis or in a simplified manner. It is worth noting that the legislative norms of both countries establish such conditions that dual citizenship of the Russian Federation and Armenia is quite possible, although according to the laws, at least of the Russian Federation, it is prohibited.

Obtaining a Russian indigenous person presupposes the fulfillment of the following conditions:

residence for 5 years in the territory of the Russian Federation;
residence permit, that is, the presence of a document confirming the legality of stay on Russian territory;
majority and legal capacity;
knowledge of the Russian language at a sufficient level;
availability of a source of income and official employment;
availability of registration in rented or own housing;
no criminal record and no criminal liability.

The following categories of Armenian citizens have the right to use a simplified scheme for obtaining a Russian passport:

a spouse who has been married for three years or more to a Russian citizen;
a person who graduated from a university in the Russian Federation;
persons with parents who are citizens of the Russian Federation;
a person who has the status of a native speaker of the Russian language;
Soviet citizens who never received a passport of any state after the disappearance of the USSR.

The process of obtaining Armenian citizenship

You can obtain a passport of this republic while on its territory or abroad. It doesn't matter much. It is important that the individual demonstrates a desire to become a citizen of Armenia and also meets all the requirements. In general, the process of obtaining citizenship always follows the same pattern:

The person must go to the Department with documents and hand them over to the person responsible for this. If the future citizen is outside the borders of Armenia, then it is better for him to go to the diplomatic mission of Armenia. From there the documents will be sent to the Office.
Then the documents are reviewed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and then by the National Security Agency. Based on the results, a conclusion is drawn.
The police are obliged to warn the applicant in writing that all of his documents have been sent to the President for consideration.
The latter issues a decree conferring citizenship.
The future citizen takes a special Oath.
After all the above procedures, the person is issued his passport confirming Armenian citizenship.

It is worth considering that in the higher instructions the person’s documents were approved at each authority. There are situations when a person wishing to become a citizen of Armenia was not allowed to proceed further at any stage. Sometimes they give you the opportunity to correct the reason for the refusal. Most often this happens if not all documents have been collected.

Armenian citizenship for non-residents – advantages of an Armenian passport

When considering the privileges of residence in Armenia, it is worth taking into account the high social and political security in the country, as well as the opportunity to travel to countries with limited access for Western citizens (Russia, Iran, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, etc.). At this stage, there is a visa regime between Armenia and the EU/Schengen area, but by around 2023 the government plans to introduce visa-free travel. Interestingly, residents of Armenia can obtain ten-year class B visas to the United States and class E-2 business visas.

Other privileges of Armenian citizenship and an Armenian passport:

EAEU countries retain the possibility of free movement of labor - you will be able to officially find employment in any member state of the Euro-Asian Agreement without a mandatory work permit (preferential labor law regime);
an Armenian passport will protect foreigners from possible political and economic problems, and will allow them to maintain confidentiality in case of loss or expiration of the first passport;
Armenian citizenship does not force one to renounce one’s current citizenship and allows residence in other states;
after receiving the document, all members of the applicant’s family have the right to become residents of Armenia, regardless of the region and country of residence/birth (including if the immediate family’s plans do not include living in the Republic of Armenia);
cheap, fast, understandable procedure for obtaining Armenian citizenship - when submitting an application directly in the Armenian jurisdiction, the period for processing the document does not exceed 5 months. You do not provide police certificates, address, tax returns and other papers, a biography is enough;
residents of Armenia have the right to acquire agricultural land (not available to non-RA citizens);
the presence of a large number of government social programs to support citizens of all categories;
one of the lowest crime rates in the world - if the political or economic situation in your country worsens, you can easily move to Armenia for permanent or temporary residence;
the opportunity to hold public office, to be elected, to participate as a voter.

Armenian citizenship also allows foreigners to completely renounce an Armenian passport without giving a reason - an easy renunciation is available to everyone with no obligation to the government.

If you are interested in Armenian citizenship and obtaining a valuable travel document - an Armenian passport, write to our lawyers at [email protected] to become a resident of the developed South Caucasus state. The cost of obtaining citizenship and an Armenian passport is from 600 EUR. If necessary, we will help you buy real estate in the Republic of Armenia, open personal and/or corporate bank accounts so that your move to Armenia is as fast and comfortable as possible.

What requirements must be met to obtain Armenian citizenship?

Requirements for applicants for Armenian citizenship are determined depending on the naturalization process. For example, citizenship by residence means permanent residence in Armenia for the last three years and knowledge of the constitution. If Armenian citizenship is issued for investment, there are no conditions; the investor only needs to confirm the investment in the state’s economy and submit an application to the office of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia. If the application is submitted by an ethnic Armenian, there are no requirements for knowledge of the constitution, but there is an obligation to prove Armenian roots with a birth and baptism certificate. You can obtain an RA passport through marriage with an Armenian citizen (2 years of cohabitation).

Do I have to renounce my current citizenship to obtain Armenian citizenship?

The Republic of Armenia fully recognizes dual citizenship and does not force applicants to renounce their current citizenship. You can freely have several passports, adding an Armenian document to your collection. However, here it is worth taking into account the peculiarities of the legislation of the native country - for example, dual citizenship is prohibited in Kazakhstan, which requires mandatory notification of special services and the decision to accept Armenian citizenship. In turn, Russians and Ukrainians, upon receiving Armenian citizenship without renouncing their current one, will be considered full citizens both in their country and in Armenia, and will also have equal rights and responsibilities.

What are the approximate time frames for obtaining Armenian citizenship and an Armenian passport?

Depending on the naturalization process and the individual characteristics of the applicants, it is possible to obtain Armenian citizenship in 4-6 months. Initial preparation of documents and submission to the OVIR takes approximately 3 working days, up to 4 months for review, and upon approval - 3-5 working days for registration with the military department. The period for preparing and issuing an Armenian passport is about three weeks, unless law enforcement agencies have any additional questions when checking the applicant. Investors can undergo naturalization through an accelerated procedure through the Prime Minister's Office with a period of 2.5-3 months when creating new jobs or making significant investments in strategic sectors of the economy.

Terms and cost of registration

The cost of obtaining Armenian citizenship for residents of Russia is the same in all cases. It is equal to 1000 drams. If we convert this amount into Russian currency, it will be about 137 rubles. The application is always considered differently. However, a passport of a citizen of Armenia is issued no earlier than six months after submitting the application. In some cases, this process can take a year or more.

Citizenship of Armenia by marriage to a resident of the country

Another way to obtain an Armenian passport is an official marriage with a citizen of Armenia. In this case, the applicant and the registered marriage must meet the following requirements:

at least two years of being in a registered marriage and over the last two years the applicant has spent more than 365 days in Armenia (in practice, the period of holding a residence permit is also taken into account during this period), or
the spouses have a common child registered as an Armenian citizen.

Here, foreigners wishing to obtain Armenian citizenship through marriage will undergo a mandatory test on knowledge of the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia. It consists of 33 questions. The applicant must answer 17 questions correctly for the test to be considered passed. Usually the task is completed in Armenian, but this will not be a prerequisite - if necessary, you can complete it in English, Russian, or invite a licensed translator.

Attention: fulfilling the above conditions does not provide a 100% guarantee of approval of RA citizenship. Its acquisition is exclusively a privilege, but not a legal right granted by the Presidents of the Republic. At the same time, the refusal to obtain Armenian citizenship cannot be appealed in court.

If you want to avoid paperwork and large losses of time, contact our qualified lawyers who will help you become a full-fledged citizen of the Armenian Republic.

Who can be refused?

As mentioned above, citizenship of this country may be denied. In most cases it is related to documents. But there are situations when they refuse for other reasons. Such circumstances include:

submission of false information;
submission of false documents;
the presence of a prison sentence, although sometimes they do not pay attention to this.

Unfortunately, it is impossible to appeal the refusal of one of the authorities. However, the country's legislation provides for revision of documents after a year. A second chance is given only to those individuals who were rejected due to false information or submission of false documents.

Double citizenship

At the beginning of 2021, people wishing to obtain Armenian citizenship could not have a passport in another country. Such people were obliged to refuse the care of another country. Now an agreement has been concluded between the Russian Federation and Armenia, according to which residents of one of the countries do not have to renounce the citizenship of the other country.

Obtaining a second citizenship follows exactly the same procedure as obtaining the first. Of course, Armenia’s priority is the return of the indigenous population to their homeland. But they are just as welcome to foreigners who sincerely love this country as they are to Armenians.

Citizens of Armenia can obtain Russian citizenship using approximately the same scheme. Russia also treats foreigners warmly. And according to the agreement between these countries, citizens of Armenia can obtain Russian citizenship in an accelerated manner if they meet the requirements.

Armenian citizenship for foreigners: obtaining by settlement

Every citizen of a foreign state who has lived in the country for at least three years has the right to obtain Armenian citizenship by settlement. A non-resident applies for Armenian citizenship, since the Law on Citizenship does not contain a definition of “permanent resident” and does not provide for minimum requirements for living conditions. In practice, a three-year period is more often used to maintain a residence permit (temporary, permanent or special).

To obtain Armenian citizenship, a foreign citizen must pass a test on knowledge of the Constitution of Armenia. This is an easy one out of 33 randomly selected questions. To pass the test, a non-resident must answer at least 17 of them correctly. If the applicant for Armenian citizenship does not speak Armenian, you can use the services of a professional translator (into English).

Armenian citizenship by investment is an exception rather than a standard procedure. In some cases, significant donations or investments may be considered "exceptional merit" in Armenia, where the president can grant citizenship without any other requirements. Citizenship as an exception is issued in an expedited manner - candidates are directly represented in the Office of the Prime Minister without the need to go through migration and other services for granting citizenship.