How to Get Armenian Citizenship and Residence: The Ultimate Guide

The days of North America and Western Europe being considered the pinnacles of civilisation, modernity and progress are in the rearview mirror.

The world has become a global village, where once poor and overlooked nations are now emerging as desirable countries for expats to live in and explore. 

Asia, for example, boasts countries like Japan, South Korea and Singapore that need no introduction, but it’s also home to many hidden gems that don’t usually make many expats’ bucket lists. 

The same could be said of Latin America and Eastern Europe, where many nations are vying on the international stage to attract investment. 

One of those ambitious countries is Armenia, which is making a name for itself as an undiscovered country with plenty to offer. 

However, getting citizenship and residence in Armenia can be complex, so the Nomad Capitalist team has put together this comprehensive guide on the subject to save you time and money.

At Nomad Capitalist, we understand that a sustainable offshore strategy requires a complete and thorough analysis of all the countries where our clients will be treated best.

Why Seek Armenian Citizenship or Residence?

Situated in the ancient Caucasus at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, Armenia is a country that’s full of surprises.

Sharing borders with Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkey and Iran, Armenia is a mountainous country that is home to several UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

But, before we discuss acquiring Armenian citizenship and residency, let’s talk about why you would choose the ‘Land of Churches’.  

History that Keeps You Hooked

The first historical mention of Armenia can be found in the Behistun Inscription of the Persian ruler, King Darius I, dated to around 520 BC. 

Although the modern-day country is only a tiny portion of ancient Armenia that spanned many modern-day nations, you can find its historical imprint in its streets and architecture.

Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as the state religion, and even now, over 90% of Armenian citizens are Christians. The first Christian cathedral, Etchmiadzin Cathedral, was built in Armenia and still serves as the headquarters of all Armenian churches.

Armenia was once part of the Ottoman Empire and the Soviet Union. However, both regimes proved bloody and troubling for ethnic Armenians, during which they faced atrocities ranging from extradition to wide-scale massacres.

Unfortunately, even now, Armenia is in a territorial conflict with Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave.

Access to Less Travelled Countries

Let’s talk about travel freedom. The Armenian passport is nowhere near being a Tier A passport, nor does it compete well with the passports of neighbouring countries like Turkey and Georgia. 

However, for people from Western countries, Armenia offers something that most Tier A passports don’t – access to more controversial countries.

Much of the West has sanctioned travel to countries like Iran and China, for example. 

Even if travelling to those countries isn’t entirely banned, it’s restricted and regulated, causing frustration and delays for people who are otherwise used to smooth travelling.

An Armenian passport allows visa-free access to 83 countries, including Iran, Russia, China, Uzbekistan and many others. So, if you belong to a country that restricts travel to these regions, Armenian citizenship might be your way in.

Natural Beauty You’ll Never Get Tired Of

If its medieval architecture isn’t enough to take your breath away, Armenia’s scenic backdrop certainly will be.

Armenia has no shortage of awe-inspiring mountain ranges that were even mentioned in the Bible.

It’s said that Noah settled in the Ararat Valley after his ark stopped at Mount Ararat, south of the capital, Yerevan.

Whether you’re a Christian or not, you’ll get to hear many interesting stories that’ll stay with you for the rest of your life.

Deeply Spiritual Environment

The world’s first Christian cathedral was built in Armenia and can still be found in the town of Etchmiadzin. It’s one of the holiest pilgrimage sites in the world.

You’ll also find plenty of monasteries in Armenia, both ancient and recent. Armenia is a profoundly spiritual place for Christians due to its history and almost entirely Christian population.

Low Cost of Living in Armenia

Armenia comes with a key financial advantage for those seeking residency or citizenship: a much lower cost of living compared to North America and Western Europe. 

Housing costs in Yerevan, while higher than in the more rural regions, remain far lower than in major global capitals.

Modern apartments are available at a fraction of the rate you pay in cities like London or New York. For those willing to explore beyond the capital, real estate prices and rents offer even greater savings.

Beyond the undeniable appeal of affordable real estate, daily expenses further add to Armenia’s overall affordability. Groceries, particularly locally-sourced produce found in the local markets and local restaurants, are very affordable. 

Favourable Immigration Regime

Armenia has done its best to ensure its immigration policy is as favourable for foreign nationals as possible. Whether you choose Armenian citizenship or residency, you will not face a lengthy process or onerous physical presence requirements.

A residence permit holder in Armenia enjoys the same rights as an Armenian national, except for voting rights. Moreover, Armenian residents do not have to serve in the Armenian military.

One advantage of Armenian residence is that there are no minimum stay requirements, plus you can maintain and extend your residence permit remotely. Armenia also recognises the right to hold dual nationality.

As a general rule, to be a tax resident in Armenia, you must spend over 183 days in the country. Thus, it’s possible to become an Armenian resident without becoming a tax resident.

How to Get Armenian Citizenship

Generally, you can acquire Armenian citizenship through one of the following routes:

• Citizenship by Descent
• Citizenship by Marriage
• Citizenship by Residence (aka naturalisation)
• Citizenship by Birth
• Citizenship by Exception.

Armenian Citizenship by Descent (CBD)

Foreigners of Armenian ethnicity qualify for Armenian citizenship by descent. With this route, there are no language or residency requirements.

However, you will have to prove that you, your parent(s) or your grandparent(s) were ethnic Armenians. 

You can confirm your Armenian ancestry by showing a baptism certificate, birth certificate, etc. The birth certificate must be certified by an apostille, and its translation into Armenian must be notarised.

Overall, the paperwork isn’t complicated, the process is streamlined and most importantly, it is cheap to acquire Armenian citizenship by descent.

If you want to know more about the Armenian CBD route, see our detailed article on acquiring Armenian citizenship by descent.

Armenian Citizenship by Marriage

Acquiring Armenian nationality through marriage is also straightforward. You must prove that you have been legally married to an Armenian citizen for a minimum of two years, during which time you have stayed in Armenia for at least 365 days or had a child with your Armenian spouse.

To acquire Armenian citizenship by marriage, you must know the Armenian constitution well enough to pass a test. However, you aren’t required to have a working knowledge of the Armenian language.

Armenian Citizenship by Exception

The Republic of Armenia’s citizenship law doesn’t include citizenship by investment. However, there’s a quicker route to obtaining Armenian citizenship without establishing residency there – citizenship by exception.

For this route, you have a few options:

• Gain Armenian citizenship by providing exceptional services

Before July 2022, the only legal way to obtain Armenian citizenship in an expedited manner was to provide exceptional services to the Republic of Armenia.

The law doesn’t specify the evaluation criteria or define exceptional services. However, in some cases, large charitable contributions or investments have been recognised as exceptional services. 

Other criteria include starting a business and employing Armenian citizens or being a doctor-level expert in a certain field of interest. 

The decision and power to grant citizenship under this law is determined by the President of Armenia. Each application is evaluated based on individual merits, such as job creation, the amount of investment or donation and the applicant’s ties to the country.

• Gain Armenian citizenship by making a significant contribution

On July 7, 2022, the citizenship law of Armenia was amended to provide the possibility of obtaining Armenian citizenship by making a significant contribution to specific areas.

As with the exceptional services clause, the law doesn’t clarify the meaning of a significant contribution. 

However, the Armenian government is expected to give more clarity soon. In the meantime, on October 12, 2022, a draft decision was published with  the following criteria:

• A donation of US$150,000 to a scientific or educational foundation
• Investment of US$100,000 in an IT company or a venture fund
• Investment of US$150,000 in a company and hold the investment for ten years
• Purchase of US$150,000 worth of government bonds and hold the investment for seven years
• Purchase of US$150,000 worth of real estate and hold the investment for ten years
• Having over twenty years of work experience in a publicly traded IT company
• Having over ten years of work experience in science and authoring over five scientific articles
• Being engaged in the dissemination and preservation of Armenian culture, heritage and identity
• Having the scientific title of doctor or professor in the area of healthcare.

Applicants who receive citizenship by exception must present themselves before an authorised body of the Armenian government and take an oath before collecting their Armenian passports.

No residency, language or constitutional knowledge requirements exist for those who choose the citizenship-by-exception route, making it the quickest and most hassle-free way to become a citizen.

Armenian Citizenship by Residence

Foreign nationals can be eligible to acquire citizenship in Armenia by permanently residing in the country for three years, but here is the interesting part – the law does not define the term ‘permanent resident.’

So, in practice, you must maintain an Armenian residence permit (permanent or otherwise) for three years, after which you can apply to become an Armenian citizen. You must also know the Armenian constitution enough to pass a multiple-choice test.

Now that you know about Armenian citizenship and how to acquire it, let’s explore how to establish Armenian residence.

Types of Residence Permits in Armenia

Armenian law outlines three types of residence designations, each of which makes you eligible to apply for citizenship after three years. 

You can become a legal resident in Armenia by investing, setting up a business and working or studying in the country.

The following residence statuses for foreigners exist:

• Special residence.
• Temporary residence
• Permanent residence

Temporary Residence (Temporary Resident Card)

A temporary residence permit is valid for one year, with the possibility of a one-year extension. You can be issued a temporary residence permit in Armenia if you:

• Study in Armenia
• Have a work permit in Armenia
• Are the spouse, parent or child of a foreign national who is an Armenian Temporary Resident Card holder
• Are the spouse, parent, child, sibling, grandparent or grandchildren of an Armenian citizen or a foreign citizen holding a Special Passport of Armenia
• Run a business in Armenia
• Are an Armenian national.

After submitting your application, you may get your temporary resident card in less than two months. After maintaining the temporary residency for three years, you can apply for Armenian citizenship.

To extend the Temporary Resident Card, you must apply at least 30 days before the card expires.

While it’s not officially known as a digital nomad visa, remote workers can get a one-year temporary residence permit to register as a sole proprietor in Armenia and work as a freelancer with clients worldwide. 

Applicants can also bring their spouses, children and parents with them. 

Permanent Residence (Permanent Resident Card)

A permanent residence permit is valid for five years, with the possibility of a five-year extension. You can be issued a permanent residence permit in Armenia if you:

• Have adequate means of accommodation or property in Armenia and have legally resided in Armenia for three years before applying for a Permanent Resident Card
• Are the spouse, parent, child, sibling, grandparent or grandchildren of an Armenian citizen or a foreign citizen holding a Special Passport of Armenia
• Run a business in Armenia
• Are an Armenian national.

After submitting your application, you may get your permanent resident card in less than two months. After maintaining permanent residency for three years, you can apply for Armenian citizenship.

To extend the Permanent Resident Card, you must apply at least 30 days before the card expires.

Special Residence (Special Passport)

A special residence permit looks different from other residency cards because it’s issued in the form of a passport as opposed to separate documents. The special passport is issued for ten years and can be extended indefinitely after each decade.

Before Armenia legalised dual citizenship in 2005, special passports were quite popular among people who wanted all the perks of Armenian citizenship, like owning agricultural and other lands in their name – and none of the cons, like obligatory military service or the possibility of renunciation. 

Even now, ‌special passports haven’t lost their appeal.

In practice, special passports are issued to foreigners of Armenian origin. However, in exceptional cases, non-Armenians involved in economic or cultural activities in Armenia have received special passports.

You may get your special passport within three months after submitting your application.

How to Establish Residence in Armenia

If you are an investor or entrepreneur, you should consider establishing residency through the following routes.

Residence by Company Formation

Business owners and location-independent entrepreneurs are eligible for temporary and permanent residence permit cards. 

However, special passports are generally given to business owners with large setups that create many local jobs.

To acquire a residence permit by company formation, you need to keep the following in mind:

• Apply After Setting Up Business: You must apply for a residence permit after you’ve set up your business in Armenia. Applications involving firms in the planning stages are highly likely to be rejected. You are allowed to start a business in Armenia on a visitor visa before applying for a residence permit.
• No Need to Buy or Rent Commercial Property: Your business will be considered valid whether you work from home or have a functional and dedicated office space. However, the latter will look better on residency applications.
• Minimum Investment and Turnover: There are no minimum amount requirements for the business’s income or turnover. However, for the sake of authenticity, the turnover should be enough to cover the applicant’s living expenses in Armenia.
• No Work Permit Needed: As a business owner or a location-independent entrepreneur, you don’t require a work permit to apply for residence in Armenia.
• Register as a Taxpayer: For an acceptable residency application, you must register as a taxpayer in Armenia (as a sole proprietor, etc.). The headline corporate tax rate in Armenia stands at 20%.
• Business Structure and Ownership: The law doesn’t set a minimum share size for shareholders of for-profit companies applying for a residence permit in Armenia. As long as the ownership is real, it doesn’t matter whether the share is 1% or 100%.
• The Type of Business Doesn’t Matter: The nature of the business does not matter considerably as long as you have all the supporting documents and evidence to prove the authenticity of your entity. Creating local jobs, although a plus point, is not required. You may apply for residency even if you are a sole employee or sole proprietor.

Residence Through  Real Estate Purchase

Real estate is an indirect route to establish residency in Armenia. Merely buying Armenian real estate will not qualify you for a residence permit. 

However, you can use your real estate as an income-generating base through which you can be eligible for residency under the same rules as business owners.

Here’s how you can do it:

• Rental Property: You can buy a property and turn it into a rental. In this case, you would be subjected to the same rules and requirements as business owners. You would also need to pay tax on your rental income, which stands at 5%.
• Investing in an Existing Business: If you don’t want to buy a property or set up a new business, you may purchase an existing business or buy shares in one. Note, however, that this route may subject you to increased due diligence and other complications.

Residence for Digital Nomads

Armenia’s digital nomad visa serves as a remarkably straightforward (and affordable) path to residency for freelancers, remote workers and online business owners. 

As with the other residency pathways, you can forget complicated requirements and endless paperwork – Armenia’s approach is refreshingly simple. 

The core rules? Register as a taxpayer in Armenia, report a portion of your income, pay your taxes and you’re already well on your way. No work permit is needed.

The added beauty of this system is its flexibility. No minimum stay requirements mean you can maintain your Armenian residency while globe-trotting. And incredibly, after three years of holding this permit, you become eligible for Armenian citizenship.

Getting started is surprisingly simple. The basic steps involve registering as a sole proprietor (a process that typically takes just 2-3 days), operating your business, paying taxes for a short period (usually 3-6 weeks to gather sufficient documentation like invoices and tax reports) and then submitting your residency application. 

Approval generally takes around 30 to 50 days.

Key Requirements:

• Passport (legalised copy or original)
• Medical certificate
• Power of attorney.

Notably, you won’t need police clearance, proof of address, bank statements or several other documents that are often required by other countries. The official fee is a reasonable US$270. 

Where to Apply for Residence Permits

For temporary and permanent residence permits, the applications must be filed at the Passport and Visa Department of the Armenian Police (OVIR) by you, your lawyer or another representative with power of attorney.

You cannot apply for residence permits in an Armenian embassy abroad unless the application is for a ten-year special permit.

How to Get Armenian Citizenship and Residence: FAQs

Should You Choose Armenia?

Armenia is a good bet for foreigners who want to acquire and maintain residency without living in the country. 

It’s also an option for people who wish to receive an affordable second citizenship in three years.

Armenian citizenship could also open doors to blacklisted countries for investors and entrepreneurs. 

Most Westerners wouldn’t want to be anywhere near Iran, but the world is fascinating and what works for one may not work for another.

Armenia may not be an obvious residence or second citizenship choice, but it is interesting. 

Still, if the country isn’t to your liking, you don’t need to look far for significantly better options.

Armenia’s neighbour, Turkey, boasts one of the most popular citizenship by investment programs. 

Georgia, on the other hand, is a Nomad Capitalist favourite for all things banking and business.

There are plenty of residence and citizenship programs worldwide. Let us help you choose the best option – become a client today.