Armenian special passport in Armenia
Special residence status in Armenia is granted to foreign nationals of Armenian descent, and also to those who carry on economic or cultural activity in the country. The decision is taken by the Prime Minister, and the holder is issued a special passport of Armenia. The status gives the rights and obligations of a citizen of Armenia, apart from the right to vote, to stand for election and to belong to political organisations. The holder is exempt from military service.
Source: arlis.am — Law of the Republic of Armenia on Foreigners, art. 18
Who is granted this status
The Law on Foreigners names the grounds on which the Prime Minister grants special status. What you use to prove your entitlement depends on the ground.
Armenian descent
- A foreign national whose belonging to the Armenian nation is proved by a document.
- For this ground the law requires no income, investment or balance on an account.
- A certificate of baptism in an Armenian church, an official certificate of ethnicity, a parent's birth certificate stating ethnicity, or a passport with an entry of ethnicity.
Economic or cultural activity
- A foreign national without Armenian roots who carries on economic or cultural activity in Armenia.
- The law sets no threshold of investment or turnover: the authorities assess the activity itself.
- Documents on the business or on a cultural, educational or charitable project in Armenia, and a letter of application explaining why the status is needed.
When special status will not suit you
The status does not answer every relocation need. Here are the cases where you should look elsewhere.
You have neither Armenian roots nor economic or cultural activity in Armenia — you are moving as an employee or a freelancer.
Temporary residence status for work, study or business. For citizens of EAEU states it is enough to register the employment contract.
You need to regularise your position quickly — for example, to open an account or sign a long lease soon.
Temporary residence status: it is examined noticeably faster and the documents can be filed in Yerevan itself.
Your aim is an Armenian passport, the right to vote and to take part in politics.
Citizenship. Persons of Armenian descent are granted it under a simplified procedure — without the requirement to live in the country for the set period and without the language examination.
Who it suits
Documents
The application form, a letter of application, the passport with a notarised translation into Armenian, six colour photographs 35×45 mm, documents on Armenian descent — a certificate of baptism or a birth certificate stating ethnicity — and the receipt. The law on the identity document comes into force no later than 1 November 2026: after that a residence card with a note of the special status is issued, and special passports issued earlier remain valid until the end of the term of the status.
What it costs
The rates are written into the Law on State Duty: they are expressed as multiples of the base duty, and the base duty is AMD 1,000.
| State duty for the special status and the special passport150 times the base duty. Paid once when the status is granted. Documents are not accepted without the receipt. | 150 000 AMD |
|---|---|
| Notarised translation of the passport into ArmenianThe rate per page: the translation and the notarial certification are counted together. The total depends on how many pages are translated. | 12 000 AMD |
| Applicant under 16The public services portal exempts persons under 16 from the duty. The consular pages of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs name a different age — under 18. | 0 AMD |
| Survivor of the Armenian GenocideThe Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia: the special passport is issued under a simplified procedure and no duty is charged. | 0 AMD |
| Replacement of the special passport if lost75 times the base duty. If the document has worn out or the details have changed, the replacement is free of charge. | +75 000 AMD |
| Total government feesThe sum of the mandatory rows in the table. “Replacement of the special passport if lost” adds 75 000 AMD; the “Applicant under 16” branch replaces the “State duty for the special status and the special passport” line — 12 000 AMD; the “Survivor of the Armenian Genocide” branch replaces the “State duty for the special status and the special passport” line — 12 000 AMD. Charges with no official price list are in the list below. | 162,000–237 000 AMD |
Paid separately
- Fee of the embassy or consulate — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs states that a fee of the diplomatic mission is added to the state duty, but each mission has its own and it is not published in the general schedule.
- Photographs in the prescribed format — Part of the compulsory list of documents; the state does not set the price.
- Document on Armenian descent — A certificate of baptism or a certificate of ethnicity is issued by a church or an archive abroad. The rate depends on the institution and is not published.
The duty is paid before the application is filed: by terminal at the migration service, online or by bank transfer to the treasury account.
How the process runs
The application passes through several authorities in turn, and the decision is signed by the Prime Minister.
- 1
Collecting the documents
You prepare the application form, the letter of application, the notarised translation of the passport, the photographs and the document on Armenian descent or on your activity in Armenia.
- 2
Paying the state duty
You pay the duty in advance and take the receipt: it is included in the set of documents.
- 3
Filing the application
You file in person or through a representative: in Yerevan, at the Migration and Citizenship Service by prior appointment; outside Armenia, at the embassy or consulate in your country of residence.
- 4
Checks by the authorities
Ministry of Foreign Affairs — a week, National Security Service — two weeks, police — three weeksThe application is examined in turn by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Security Service and the police. For repeat applications the periods are shorter.
- 5
The Prime Minister's decision
Special status is granted by the Prime Minister. A refusal is issued on the grounds in article 19 of the Law on Foreigners.
- 6
Receiving the special passport
The passport is issued at the migration service in Yerevan or at the diplomatic mission where you filed the documents.
Who you can bring with you
Special status does not extend to relatives. But article 15 of the Law on Foreigners allows the holder's close relatives to obtain temporary residence status of their own.
A spouse
Parents and children
Brothers, sisters, grandmothers, grandfathers, grandchildren
A child of Armenian descent
Trips, renewal and the grace period
The application is filed from the country of residence through an embassy or consulate. The law sets no compulsory number of days in Armenia for this status.
Special status is granted for ten years. The law allows it to be granted more than once, so on expiry a new application is filed — with the same set of documents and the same duty. The law names no separate grace period after the term ends. The rule on losing the status after an absence from the country of more than six months is applied by article 21 to permanent status, not to special status: no minimum number of days in Armenia is set for the holder of a special passport.
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.
| Armenian special passport | Asylum in Armenia | Ethnic repatriation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visa term | 10 years, renewable | 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 | Armenian descent, or carrying on economic or cultural activity in Armenia | Convention grounds | Armenian descent |
| Money | The duty is AMD 150,000 | 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 special 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 | The application is filed from the country of residence through an embassy or consulate | 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
The status is granted for 10 years and renewed. The holder enjoys the rights of a citizen of Armenia, apart from the right to vote and to stand for election.
Route to citizenship
The status by itself does not give citizenship. Persons of Armenian descent apply for citizenship without the 3 years of residence and without the language examination; the duty is AMD 50,000.
Frequently asked questions about Armenian special passport
How long does a decision on special status take?
Does the holder of a special passport need a work permit?
Does special status give Armenian citizenship?
What do you do if the special passport is lost or damaged?
How does the special passport differ from a permanent residence card?
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
- Permanent residence permitPermanent 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.