How To Get Armenian Residency Card (updated in 2024)
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Obtaining Residency Card in Armenia on the Basis of Carrying Out Entrepreneurial Activity in Armenia
The Armenian Legislation gives an opportunity to foreign citizens to obtain temporary or permanent residence statuses through carrying out entrepreneurial activity or investing in Armenia.
The legislation of RA does not specify a specific amount of investment, and the statutory capital of the company does not have to be paid when registering a company, and the minimum amount of the statutory capital is not defined either. State bodies consider residence permit requests on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the investor's citizenship, what kind of business activity the latter is going to engage in Armenia, and so forth. During this process, the foreign citizen can also use the services of the banking system of Armenia by opening bank accounts necessary for their personal use.
Armenia is a remarkable country that offers foreigners a diverse range of opportunities. It is mainly known for its quality education and excellent business prospects. The Statistical Committee of the Republic of Armenia has provided data indicating that in the year 2023, 8,761 foreigners were granted residence status in the country. Most of them were citizens of the CIS countries, Russia and India.
Moreover, the statistics reveal that most foreigners obtained residence cards based on studying, entrepreneurship, and family reunification. In the 2022-2023 academic year, Armenia hosted 5,586 international students. This shows that Armenia is a preferable destination for students seeking quality education. Furthermore, it is noteworthy that Armenia offers a welcoming environment for entrepreneurs, as many foreigners received residence status to engage in entrepreneurial activities.
In conclusion, the Republic of Armenia is a country that offers excellent potential for foreigners in terms of education and business opportunities. The welcoming environment and favorable policies make Armenia an attractive destination for people worldwide.
Key takeaways
Foreigners can obtain temporary or permanent residence statuses in Armenia by conducting business activities or investing in Armenia.
Physical Presence
When applying for temporary and permanent residence status, it is desirable for the foreigner to be in Armenia, because in some cases the representatives of state bodies want to meet with the latter, and in case of receiving the residence status, those people must personally receive their residence card.
As for the location of a foreigner applying for a special residence status, if the latter submitted the application to receive it in Armenia, then he must be in Armenia to receive the special residence passport, and in the case that the latter submitted the application in another state, it is not necessary to be in Armenia.
Key takeaways
In case of obtaining residence status, the foreigner must personally obtain his residence card.
Where to Apply
In order to obtain a temporary or permanent residence status (except temporary residence status granted on the basis of work), applications must be submitted to the Passport and Visa Department of the RA Police.
Unlike the procedures for obtaining temporary and permanent residence statuses, a foreigner can submit an application for obtaining a special residence status outside Armenia, at a diplomatic mission or consular institution of the Republic of Armenia, and in case of being in Armenia, at the Passports and Visa Department of the RA Police.
Key takeaways
Applications for temporary or permanent residence status must be submitted to the Passport and Visa Department of the RA Police.
State Duty and Other Expenses
For receiving a:
Temporary Residence Status (TRS) | AMD 105,000 |
Permanent Residence Status (PRS) | AMD 140,000 |
Special Residence (SRS) | AMD 150,000 |
However, the Armenian Legislation has provided for a number of privileges, exempting certain groups of persons from paying the state tax. The following are exempted from the obligation to pay state tax for obtaining residence status:
People arriving in Armenia in order to provide humanitarian and technical assistance to Armenia,
Close relatives of an Armenian citizen (spouse, child, father, mother, sister, brother),
Employees implementing educational programs in schools and universities of Armenia - pedagogues, lecturers and foreign students, and their relatives (spouse, child, father, mother, sister, brother) pay 60% of the state tax,
Foreigners under the age of 18,
Relatives of a person with refugee status in Armenia (spouse, child, father, mother, sister, brother),
Those ethnic Armenian foreigners, whose foreign country of permanent residence has created an emergency situation threatening their life or health.
Key takeaways
105,000-150,000 AMD may be charged for granting a residence status, but there are also exceptions when the state fee is not charged.
How to pay?
Payment for receiving residence status can be made at any bank, other financial organizations that carry out bank transfers, through an electronic wallet, on the spot through payment terminals, through the E-Payments system, or at branches of the "HayPost" postal service. Payment is made by transferring money to the following banking account: 900005162111 (Beneficiary: RA CA Police).
When filling out the application for obtaining residence status, the foreigner must also submit information about his residence in Armenia. The latter can also provide the address and room number of the hotel where he is staying temporarily. Obtaining a social card basically is not mandatory according to RA legislation, but it is necessary in a number of situations, in particular, when hiring, receiving benefits, opening a bank account, registering a company, etc. It is provided by the Passport and Visa Department of the RA Police.
Timeframe
(How long are residence statuses granted)
Decisions on granting or denying temporary and permanent residence status are made within 30 days from the moment of submitting the application. However, for some cases, the legislation also provides for shorter terms.
The decision on receiving or refusing to receive a special residence status is made within 2 months.
Key takeaways
The decision to grant residence status is made within 30-60 days.
Rejection and Appeal
The legislation of Armenia prescribes a number of bases, in the presence of which the application for granting the residence status can be rejected, among others, they are:
The foreigner was deported from Armenia,
The foreigner was previously deprived of his residence status or deported from Armenia, and three years have not passed since the entry into force of the said decisions.
The foreigner was convicted in Armenia for committing a medium, serious or particularly serious crime provided for by the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia, and the conviction was not expunged or canceled in the prescribed manner,
The foreigner suffers from plague (pulmonary form), cholera, active tuberculosis of the respiratory organs (with excretory secretion - all forms included), tropical malaria, atypical pneumonia, new subtype (with logo) caused by influenza, viral hemorrhagic fevers (Ebola, Marburg, Lass), Corona virus, and so on.
When submitting an application, the foreigner provided false information about himself/herself,
When submitting an application, the foreigner did not submit the necessary documents or submitted, but there are data that his/her presence in Armenia has a different purpose than the declared one.
Decisions on refusal to grant residence status can be appealed in court. Moreover, in the event of a judicial appeal, the foreigner may stay in Armenia until the end of the court case. In this case, the latter is granted a temporary permit until the final decision of the court enters into legal force.
Key takeaways
Decisions on refusal to grant residence status can be appealed in court.
Consequences of Staying in Armenia for an Extended Period of Time After the Expiration of the Residence Card or Visa
First of all, it is essential that in case if the validity period of the foreigner's residency card or visa has expired, or the application for obtaining or extending the residence status of the foreigner has been denied, or he/she has submitted false information while obtaining the residence card and it has come to light, or the validity has been invalidated on other bases the latter's residence status is recognized as lost, the foreigner is obliged to leave Armenia within 15 working days.
In the event that the foreigner does not leave Armenia within 15 working days, the Police of RA initiates a deportation case and submits it to the court.
Later, a note is made in the foreigner's passport that he has been deported from Armenia.
Key takeaways
In the event that a foreigner who does not have a residence status within the period does not leave Armenia within 15 working days, the RA police initiates a deportation case and submits it to the court.
Conclusion
The procedure for obtaining a residence status in Armenia is quite flexible and consists of several stages. Each stage has its own characteristics, and after the exact implementation of legal actions, the application for obtaining a residence status is ready to be submitted to the Passport and Visa Department of the RA Police.
Despite the fact that the procedure is quite flexible, it is essential that the foreigner is accompanied by an experienced lawyer when obtaining residency status.
The experience and knowledge of lawyer enables to prepare all the documents necessary to receive a residence status, to submit them for notarized translation, to carry out representation in relations with the Passport and Visa Department of Armenia.