Business residence permit in Armenia
Temporary residence status in Armenia is granted to a foreign national who carries on business activity in the country: has registered a company or been entered on the register as a sole trader. The Law on Foreigners names this ground alongside study, work under a permit and family ties. The residence card is issued for up to a year and renewed for as long as the ground remains. The application is filed in person at the Department for Determining the Legal Status of Foreigners of the Migration and Citizenship Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Yerevan.
Who is granted this residence permit
The law names business activity itself as the ground and does not restrict the form of the business.
Founder or head of a company
- A foreign national who has set up a commercial organisation in Armenia or heads its executive body
- Registration of a limited liability company using the standard forms of documents involves no state duty
- Proved by the state registration of the legal entity with the State Register Agency of Legal Entities of the Ministry of Justice
Sole trader
- A foreign national entered on the register as a sole trader without forming a legal entity
- A state duty is charged for registration when applying in person; online registration with an electronic signature is free of charge
- Proved by the extract confirming registration as a sole trader
When this ground will not suit you
Three cases where business status is an unnecessary step.
You are a citizen of an EAEU state and are taking employment rather than opening your own business
Citizens of EAEU states are issued a certificate confirming the lawfulness of their residence. No state duty is set for it.
You have no business in Armenia, but a spouse or a close relative lives there
Apply for temporary status on the basis of marriage and close family ties — a separate ground in the same article of the law.
You are Armenian by descent and do not want to renew the card every year
Look at the special residence status: it is issued for 10 years and may be renewed.
Who it suits
Documents
The application form, three colour photographs 35×45 mm, the passport with a notarised translation into Armenian, a certificate of health, proof of lawful entry, documents on the business in Armenia, and the receipt.
What it costs
The duties are published by the Migration and Citizenship Service and by the State Register Agency of Legal Entities.
| State duty for temporary status and the residence cardPaid before the application is filed; the receipt is attached to the set of documents. | 105 000 AMD |
|---|---|
| Registration as a sole traderThe rate for applying in person at the State Register Agency. Online registration with an electronic signature is not subject to the duty. | 3 000 AMD |
| Duty for temporary status for citizens of the USAA separate rate set for citizens of the USA. | 85 000 AMD |
| State registration of a limited liability company using the standard forms of documentsRegistration takes place immediately on filing the standard forms, and no duty is charged. | 0 AMD |
| Renewal of temporary status for the following yearThe same as for the first issue. | +105 000 AMD |
| Permanent status and residence cardThe duty for those who later move to permanent status. For citizens of the USA it is 90,000. | +140 000 AMD |
| Total government feesThe sum of the mandatory rows in the table. “Renewal of temporary status for the following year” adds 105 000 AMD; “Permanent status and residence card” adds 140 000 AMD; the “Duty for temporary status for citizens of the USA” branch replaces the “State duty for temporary status and the residence card” line — 88 000 AMD; the “State registration of a limited liability company using the standard forms of documents” branch replaces the “Registration as a sole trader” line — 105 000 AMD. Charges with no official price list are in the list below. | 108,000–353 000 AMD |
Paid separately
- Notarised translation of the passport into Armenian — The rate is set by the notary; the agency does not publish it.
- Certificate of health — Issued by a medical organisation; there is no state rate.
The duty is paid through the electronic payments system, by bank transfer to treasury account 900005162111 or through a payment terminal at the office.
How the process runs
The order of steps for someone who has already entered Armenia lawfully.
- 1
Registering the business
immediately on filing the documentsYou register a company or are entered on the register as a sole trader with the State Register Agency of Legal Entities of the Ministry of Justice.
- 2
Collecting the documents
You have the passport translated by a notary, obtain a certificate of health and have photographs taken.
- 3
Paying the duty
You pay the state duty and keep the receipt — without it the set of documents will not be accepted.
- 4
Booking an appointment
You book in advance at the Department for Determining the Legal Status of Foreigners at 14 Tairov Street in Yerevan.
- 5
Filing the application
the appointment takes about 20 minutesYou come in person, fill in the form on the spot and hand in the documents.
- 6
The decision and issue of the card
up to 30 days from the day of filingThe Service takes a decision on the application and issues the temporary residence card.
Timelines and rights
Work
Founders of organisations are on the list of exceptions in article 23 of the Law on Foreigners: they do not need a work permit.
Who you can bring with you
Relatives are not entered on the holder's card: each files their own application for temporary status on the ground of family ties.
A spouse
A parent
A child
Renewal and the grace period
The status is renewed each time for a year, and the law names no limit on the number of renewals. The application for renewal is filed no later than 30 days before the card expires. The law sets no separate grace period after the card expires.
How it differs from the routes next to it
The comparison is built from the official terms of the routes themselves — the source links sit on their own pages.
| Business residence permit | Asylum in Armenia | Ethnic repatriation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visa term | Up to 1 year, renewed each time for 1 year | The refugee identity card is usually valid for 10 years, with an indefinite right of residence | Citizenship is granted straight away; the passport is indefinite |
| Grounds | Carrying on business activity in Armenia | Convention grounds | Armenian descent |
| Money | The duty is AMD 105,000 for the status and the card, and the same amount for a renewal | No state duty is charged; housing, allowances and social support from the state and UNHCR | The state duty is nominal (about EUR 2), plus legalisation of documents and translations |
| Residence | The law sets no threshold of days for temporary status | You have to live in the country in fact; travel to the country of citizenship leads to loss of the status | No prior residence is required |
What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship
Route to citizenship
After 3 years of permanent residence you apply for citizenship: Armenian, knowledge of the Constitution, a duty of AMD 50,000.
Frequently asked questions about Business residence permit
Does the owner of a company need a work permit in Armenia
Is the duty paid for children
Can a foreign national obtain an identity card and an electronic signature
What does the status give after several years of residence
Do you have to come in person and book in advance
Other ways to move to Armenia
- Refugee status / political asylumAsylum / refugee status
- Ethnic repatriationRepatriation
- Visa-free entry and stay of up to 180 days a yearVisa-free regime
- Temporary residence permit for marriage and close family tiesFamily
- Temporary residence permit for studyStudy
- Permanent residence permitPermanent residence
- Special residence statusPermanent residence
- Work by EAEU citizens without a work permitWork
- Armenian citizenship through marriage and through childrenCitizenship
Every route in one list — migration programmes: Armenia.
The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 7 August 2026.