ArmeniaAsylum / refugee status

Asylum in Armenia in Armenia

Armenia grants asylum to foreign nationals and stateless persons who had to leave the country of their citizenship or former permanent residence because of persecution, war or mass violations of human rights. A separate political asylum procedure is intended for publicly known participants in social and political life who are persecuted for their views in the country of their citizenship.

Threshold

No state duty is charged; housing, allowances and social support from the state and UNHCR

Processing time

Up to 3 months from registration, extended by a further 3 months

Work

An automatic right to work without a permit, on the same footing as citizens

Source: migration.mia.gov.am — Migration and Citizenship Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Armenia

Who can obtain it

The procedure is run by the Migration and Citizenship Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Armenia. The law divides protection into two separate regimes: asylum with refugee status, and the right of political asylum.

Grounds for refugee status

A well-founded fear of persecution on grounds of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion
The person is outside the country of their citizenship and is unable, or because of that same fear unwilling, to avail themselves of its protection
A stateless person is outside the country of their former permanent residence and is unable or unwilling to return there
Flight because of widespread violence, external attack, internal conflict, mass violations of human rights or other serious events disturbing public order
A person who has been formally recognised as a refugee by another state party to the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees is also treated as a refugee

Where and how you apply

At border crossing points — to the Border Troops within the National Security Service
Inside the country — to the Migration and Citizenship Service or to the police, and if the person is in a place of detention, to the administration of that place
The land crossings of Bavra, Bagratashen, Meghri and Gogavan, the railway crossing of Ayrum, and Zvartnots and Shirak airports
The request for asylum is made orally, in writing, in sign language or by other means of communication during a personal application
Asylum seekers and refugees are not prosecuted or held administratively liable for unlawful entry or unlawful stay

Political asylum — a separate law

The law covers foreign nationals and stateless persons who carry out social and political activity in the country of their citizenship or permanent residence and are known to the public
Political persecution is physical, psychological or other pressure by state bodies or by social and political organisations aimed at changing a person's political convictions
From abroad the application is filed with a diplomatic mission or consular post of Armenia; inside the country, with the authorised body for migration
The right of political asylum gives the legal regime of a person with temporary residence status under the Law on Foreigners
The police issue a Convention travel document to a person granted political asylum

What it costs

Examination of the asylum application and grant of refugee status — the service is free of charge	0 AMD
Refugee identity card — a state duty of three times the base duty (the base duty is AMD 1,000)	3 000 AMD
Convention travel document with the refugee's biometric data — 25 times the base duty	25 000 AMD
Total government feesThe sum of the mandatory rows in the table.	28 000 AMD

Documents to gather

The asylum application is completed on the spot, at the Migration and Citizenship Service. It is filed in writing in Armenian, in the applicant's native language or in one of the UN languages. If the applicant does not speak Armenian, the body provides an interpreter free of charge and, at the applicant's request, an interpreter of the sex they choose.

The asylum application in the form approved by the Government
An identity document — if there is one
A photograph
A detailed account of the reasons why the person is seeking asylum, and the grounds for the fear of persecution or a description of the circumstances that forced them to leave the country
All documents the applicant holds that contain information needed for the procedure
For the refugee identity card: an application, any document with a photograph (if there is one), the asylum seeker's identity certificate, the decision of the authorised body recognising the person as a refugee, and the receipt for payment of the state duty
For the Convention travel document: an application, the refugee identity card and the receipt for payment of the state duty
Photographing and fingerprints of the index fingers of both hands are taken at the police; children's fingerprints are taken from the age of six, and children are photographed at any age

How the process runs

The asylum procedure is conducted as administrative proceedings. The general processing time is three months from the day the application is registered with the authorised body, with the possibility of a reasoned extension of up to three further months. The single service card gives a processing time of three to six months.

1
The request for asylum
on the day you apply
The request is made to the Border Troops at a crossing point, to the police, to the Migration and Citizenship Service or to the administration of a place of detention. The body holds a short interview to obtain details of the person, of accompanying family members and of the route from the country of origin, and registers the request in a log. At the same point the applicant must be told of the right to approach UNHCR and of the right to free legal assistance.
2
The asylum application
immediately after the request
The written application is filed with the Migration and Citizenship Service — either following the request for asylum or straight away without one. An application for the whole family may be filed by any member of it who is in Armenia; this does not deprive the other adults of the right to file an individual application on personal grounds.
3
Registration of the application and the asylum seeker's certificate
the certificate is issued for three months
The applicant is entered in the body's information database and a personal file is opened. The asylum seeker's identity certificate is issued free of charge, confirms lawful residence and is valid throughout the country. Its validity is extended each time by three months until the final decision; the extension must be requested no later than three working days before it expires. Details of family members under sixteen are entered in the certificate of the parent or guardian.
4
Advice on rights and obligations
when the application is accepted and registered
The authorised body explains free of charge the grounds for refugee status, the time limits and order of examination, the consequences of withdrawing the application and the duty to cooperate with the authorities, and warns that the application may be rejected if the person fails to cooperate in good faith or gives false information.
5
The interview
notice within three days of registration, at least five working days before the date
The interview is conducted by an officer of the relevant unit, who draws up a full written record that is read out to the applicant and signed by them. The interpreter is free of charge, and a lawyer and a UNHCR representative may be present. Before the interview the body gives the applicant the country-of-origin information it has gathered. Information from the interview is confidential. For an unaccompanied or separated child a representative is appointed first, and the interview is held within two weeks of the appointment.
6
The decision on the application
three months from registration, extendable by up to three months
The decision is taken on the basis of the personal file and reliable, up-to-date country-of-origin information from a range of dependable sources. A lack of evidence cannot be a reason for refusal, and doubts about events outside Armenia that cannot be resolved are interpreted in the applicant's favour. The decision is sent to the applicant within three working days in Armenian and in a language they understand. Manifestly unfounded and repeat applications are examined under an accelerated procedure — no later than ten working days, with a possible extension to one month; the accelerated procedure is not applied to applicants with special needs.
7
Refugee documents
15 working days
On the basis of the decision of the authorised body, the police issue within fifteen working days a refugee identity card — the document confirming identity and lawful residence in Armenia. At the request of the card holder, a Convention travel document for leaving and returning to the country is issued within the same period. The card is issued for ten years to those over sixteen and for three years to children under sixteen; the same periods apply to the Convention travel document.

Who you can bring with you

The law extends asylum to the refugee's family and separately describes the reunification procedure if relatives have remained abroad.

A spouse, a child under eighteen and any other dependant

They are also treated as refugees and as having been granted asylum if they live together with the refugee in Armenia and hold no citizenship of another country giving effective protection

Other relatives of the refugee or of their spouse

They may be recognised as refugees on the same conditions: living together in Armenia, being dependent on the refugee and holding no other citizenship with effective protection

The parents of a child recognised as a refugee

They are recognised as refugees together with the child's siblings under eighteen and with siblings over eighteen who lack legal capacity, if they live together with the child

Family members outside Armenia

They apply to a diplomatic mission or consular post of Armenia, or, where there is none, to one in the nearest country. After a positive decision the consulate issues a visa; on arrival the police issue a refugee identity card, and the Convention travel document within fifteen working days on request

Adult family members under a single application

Each has the right to their own interview; the body must explain the legal consequences of a single application and the right to file an individual one. One common decision is taken on a single application, but if that would reveal the particular circumstances of one of the family members and harm their interests, a separate decision is issued for them

An unaccompanied or separated child

They receive a separate asylum seeker's certificate if they are under sixteen. The body appoints a representative who takes part in every action of the procedure, assists in the appointment of a guardian and takes steps to trace the parents or relatives for the sake of family reunification, where that is in the child's interests

The family when the main applicant's status is revoked

The status of family members obtained through them is revoked or terminated together with theirs, but the relatives keep the possibility of filing an asylum application at once on personal grounds

Trips, renewal and the grace period

You have to live in the country in fact; travel to the country of citizenship leads to loss of the status

The law sets no time limit on asylum itself — what is renewed are the documents. The refugee identity card and the Convention travel document are exchanged if the information they contain has changed, the document has become unusable, its validity has expired, it contains incorrect data or the holder has asked for it; the travel document is also replaced when the pages for visas have run out. The exchange takes fifteen working days, and at the applicant's request the document is issued faster for a separate payment, the amount of which is set by the Government. Documents are declared invalid on expiry, on revocation or termination of the status, on obtaining a passport of a citizen of Armenia, on loss, forgery or issue in breach of the law, on the death of the holder, and also if the person has not collected the document within two years from the day the application was filed. Refugee status is terminated if the person has voluntarily availed themselves again of the protection of the country of their citizenship, has regained lost citizenship, has acquired the citizenship of Armenia or of another state and enjoys its protection, has voluntarily returned to the country they left, or if the circumstances for which they were recognised as a refugee have ceased to exist. Asylum is also terminated where the person is, on well-founded grounds, a danger to the national security of Armenia or has been convicted of a grave or particularly grave crime. The right of political asylum is arranged differently: it is granted for one year and extended by a decision of the authorised body each time for one further year, and it is terminated in particular if the term has expired and the person has not applied for an extension, if the grounds have ceased to exist, if they have acquired the citizenship of Armenia or of another state, if they have left for permanent residence abroad, or if they have not submitted documents on continuing persecution.

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.

	Asylum in Armenia	Ethnic repatriation	Visa-free entry
Visa term	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	No more than 180 days within one year
Grounds	Convention grounds	Armenian descent	Citizenship of a country with which Armenia has a visa-free regime
Money	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	You pay no visa fee
Residence	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	Without a visa you stay no more than 180 days in one year

What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship

Route to permanent residence

The status gives indefinite lawful residence; a separate permanent residence permit is not needed

Route to citizenship

Simplified citizenship without the 3-year residence requirement and without the language examination

Frequently asked questions about Asylum in Armenia

Where do you apply for asylum and how much does it cost

The service "Obtain asylum (refugee status)" is provided by the Migration and Citizenship Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Armenia, and the application is made in person only. The request for asylum is made at border crossing points to the Border Troops of the National Security Service, and inside the country to the police, the Migration and Citizenship Service or the administration of a place of detention. The single service card names the crossings of Bavra, Bagratashen, Meghri, Ayrum and Gogavan and Zvartnots and Shirak airports. Accepting the application takes about forty-five minutes, and refugee status in Armenia is granted free of charge.

How long does the asylum application take

The authorised body examines the application within three months of its registration. By a reasoned decision the period may be extended by up to three further months if there are grounds for extending the administrative proceedings. Manifestly unfounded applications and repeat applications accepted for examination are dealt with under an accelerated procedure: the decision is taken no later than ten working days from the day it begins, with a possible extension to one month. The accelerated procedure is not applied to applicants with special needs. The decision taken is sent to the applicant within three working days.

What documents does a refugee receive and for how long

On the basis of the decision of the authorised body, the police issue within fifteen working days a refugee identity card — the document confirming identity and lawful residence in Armenia. The card is issued for ten years to those who have turned sixteen and for three years to children under sixteen. At the request of the card holder, a Convention travel document for leaving Armenia and returning is issued within the same period of fifteen working days; its validity is the same. The card contains an electronic data store with an electronic signature certificate and an email address.

How much do refugee documents cost

The state duty for issuing an identity card of a citizen of Armenia or of a refugee is set at three times the base duty, and for a biometric electronic passport or a Convention travel document with the refugee's biometric data at 25 times the base duty. The base duty is AMD 1,000, so the refugee card costs AMD 3,000 and the Convention travel document AMD 25,000. The receipt for payment of the duty is attached to the application both on first issue and on exchange of the document.

Can you work and receive medical care while the procedure is under way

Asylum seekers and refugees granted asylum have the right to seek work and to work in Armenia on the same conditions as citizens of the country, unless the law provides otherwise. Refugees carry on business activity on the same footing as citizens. Asylum seekers have the same right as citizens to state-guaranteed free medical assistance and services, and refugees granted asylum also have a right to social services, state allowances, pension provision and social protection in case of unemployment. The right to education of asylum seekers and refugees is equal to that of citizens. Those in need of accommodation are placed in the Temporary Accommodation Centre, where they are given three meals a day, bed linen, personal hygiene items and, where necessary, clothing and footwear; where accommodation is not possible, financial assistance is paid in the manner established by the Government.

What to do if you are refused

Asylum seekers and refugees are entitled to challenge in court any negative decision of the authorised body within thirty days of the day they learned of it. A deadline missed for a valid reason may be restored: the appeal is filed within fifteen days after the reason has ceased to exist, but no later than three months from the day the decision became known. If the appeal is not filed in time, the decision becomes final. A person who by a final decision has been recognised as a refugee but has not been granted asylum has the validity of their identity certificate extended by six months; if departure to another country is impossible, they are granted asylum without any additional procedure.

How does political asylum differ from refugee status

These are different procedures under different laws. The right of political asylum is granted to foreign nationals and stateless persons who carry out social and political activity in the country of their citizenship or permanent residence, are known to the public and are subject to political persecution there. The law does not cover those who have already acquired refugee status or another residence status in Armenia. An application from abroad is filed with a diplomatic mission or consular post of Armenia, which forwards it within ten days through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the authorised body. The decision is taken within three months and, where additional examination is needed, the period is extended to six months; the decision is communicated in writing within five days. The right is granted for one year and extended each time for one year, and the police issue its holder a Convention travel document. A refusal may be challenged in court within thirty days.

Is there free legal assistance and protection from expulsion

Asylum seekers and refugees are provided with free legal assistance in accordance with the Law on Advocacy, and the bodies receiving the request for asylum must inform them of that right, as well as of the right to approach UNHCR at any time. An asylum seeker may not be expelled from Armenia until a final decision has been taken on their application. The principle of non-refoulement prohibits returning a refugee to the frontiers of territories where their life or freedom may be at risk, and prohibits expelling, returning or extraditing a person to a country where there is a well-founded risk of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or of torture.

Other ways to move to Armenia

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.