Permanent residence permit in Armenia
Permanent residence status is a long-term permission to live in Armenia for foreign nationals who are already connected with the country. It is granted to those who have lived here lawfully for the required period and have close relatives who are citizens, accommodation and means of subsistence, and also to Armenians by ethnicity and to those who carry on business activity in Armenia. The holder is issued a permanent residence card and entered on the register; with it you may work without a work permit. The card is renewed, but the status is tied to actually living in the country: it is annulled for a long absence.
Source: arlis.am — Law of the Republic of Armenia on Foreigners, art. 16
Who is granted permanent status
The Law on Foreigners describes independent grounds for permanent status. Falling within one of them is enough.
Relative of a citizen of Armenia
- The spouse, parent, child, brother, sister, grandmother, grandfather or grandchild of a citizen of Armenia or of a foreign national with special residence status
- Accommodation in Armenia and means of subsistence are required; the law sets no specific amounts
- The marriage or birth certificate, the relative's document, and proof of lawful residence in Armenia for at least three years before filing
Armenian by ethnicity or a business owner
- A foreign national of Armenian descent, or one who carries on business activity in Armenia
- For this ground the law names no financial thresholds and no requirement as to the length of previous residence
- Documents on Armenian descent, or documents on business activity in Armenia
When permanent status will not suit you
There are situations in which the application will be refused or the status will be of no use.
You have only just arrived in Armenia, have no relatives here who are citizens and have not opened a business
Start with temporary residence status for work, study or business and build up the required record of lawful residence.
You are Armenian by descent and want to obtain the status from abroad without coming to Yerevan
Special residence status is granted on the basis of Armenian descent, and the application is accepted at an embassy or consulate of Armenia.
You spend long periods outside Armenia and come only for visits
Permanent status is annulled for a long absence. Special residence status is closer to what you need: the law sets no number of days in the country for it.
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, a document confirming residence in Armenia for at least 3 years, documents on family ties or on the business, and the receipt.
What it costs
The rates are tied to the base duty under the Law on State Duty. The receipt for payment goes into the set of documents.
| Permanent status, residence card and entry on the registerA single payment under subparagraph (b) of paragraph 8 of article 14: 140 base duties of AMD 1,000 each. | 140 000 AMD |
|---|---|
| Notarial certification of the translation of the passportHalf the base duty for each page of the translation. Certifying the translator's signature costs the same. | 500 AMD |
| Certification of the translation of the passport at a consulate of ArmeniaIf you prepare the documents abroad: ten base duties per page of translation from a foreign language into Armenian, article 15. | 10 000 AMD |
| Replacement of the permanent residence cardPaid when the details change or the card is damaged before the end of its validity. | +20 000 AMD |
| Replacement of a lost cardA duplicate in place of a lost card is issued for a separate duty. | +12 000 AMD |
| Total government feesThe sum of the mandatory rows in the table. “Replacement of the permanent residence card” adds 20 000 AMD; “Replacement of a lost card” adds 12 000 AMD; the “Certification of the translation of the passport at a consulate of Armenia” branch replaces the “Notarial certification of the translation of the passport” line — 150 000 AMD. Charges with no official price list are in the list below. | 140,500–172 500 AMD |
Paid separately
- Renewal of permanent status for a new term — The Law on State Duty has no separate line for renewing permanent status, and the agency does not publish a rate.
- Certificate of health — Part of the list of documents; the agency does not name the price of the medical report.
- The translator's work — The duty covers only the certification. The translation of the passport itself is paid at the provider's rate; there is no official rate.
- Colour photographs for the application form — Printed by a photo studio; there is no state price.
The law sets all the rates as multiples of the base duty: if it changes, the amounts change with it.
How the process runs
The application is filed in person or through a representative at the Department for Determining the Legal Status of Foreigners of the Migration and Citizenship Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, 14 Tairov Street in Yerevan.
- 1
Electronic appointment booking
The slot is booked in advance on the migration services portal. Documents are not accepted without an appointment.
- 2
Collecting the documents
The passport is translated into Armenian and the translation certified, a certificate of health is obtained, the documents for your particular ground are prepared and the duty is paid.
- 3
Filing the application
On the appointed day you bring the application form, the photographs and the original documents to the Department for Determining the Legal Status of Foreigners.
- 4
Examination
up to 30 days from the day the application is filedThe Service checks the documents and the ground, verifies the data with other authorities and takes a decision.
- 5
Issue of the permanent residence card
After a positive decision the card is issued and the applicant is entered on the register.
Who you can bring with you
Permanent status gives no separate right to family reunification: each relative obtains their own status. The law ties permanent status based on family ties to citizens of Armenia and holders of special status, so the relatives of a permanent card holder can obtain temporary residence status.
A spouse
Children
Parents, brothers, sisters, grandmothers, grandfathers and grandchildren
A relative who has built up the residence record
Renewal and the grace period
Permanent status is granted for five years and renewed each time for the same period; the law sets no limit on the number of renewals. The application for renewal is filed no later than a month before the term expires — the law provides for no grace period after the card ends. The status is declared invalid if the applicant gave false information or if the marriage on which the ground rested has been dissolved.
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.
| Permanent residence permit | Asylum in Armenia | Ethnic repatriation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visa term | The permanent residence card is issued for 5 years and renewed each time for the same period | 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 | At least 3 years of residence in Armenia, close relatives, accommodation and means of subsistence | Convention grounds | Armenian descent |
| Money | The duty is AMD 140,000 for the status and the residence card | 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 |
| Work | Holders of permanent status work without a work permit (art. 23) | An automatic right to work without a permit, on the same footing as citizens | A full right to work, to run a business and to hold public office |
| Residence | At least 3 years of residence in the Republic of Armenia before filing the application | 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 permanent residence
This is the permanent status itself: it is granted for 5 years and renewed for a further 5. The status is terminated if the person has been absent from Armenia for more than 6 months — article 21 of the Law on Foreigners.
Route to citizenship
After 3 years of permanent residence you apply for citizenship: Armenian, knowledge of the Constitution, a duty of AMD 50,000. From 1 January 2026 applications are accepted only through mcs-citizenship.am.
Frequently asked questions about Permanent residence permit
Do you need a work permit with an Armenian permanent residence permit?
What happens to the permanent residence permit if you leave Armenia for a long time?
How do you book an appointment to file documents for a residence status?
How does permanent status differ from special status?
How much does Armenian citizenship cost after a permanent residence permit?
What is needed for Armenian citizenship besides residence?
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 businessBusiness
- Temporary residence permit for marriage and close family tiesFamily
- Temporary residence permit for studyStudy
- 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.