The special resident status is granted to foreigners of Armenian origin and other foreigners engaged in economic or cultural activities in the Republic of Armenia. The special resident status is valid for ten years. It can be granted more than once.

If the applicant is in Armenia, the application for a special residence status is submitted to the Passport and Visa Service of Armenia, while in a foreign country the application is submitted to the diplomatic mission of Armenia or the consular office of the country where the applicant is staying.

Persons who are granted a special residence status are issued a special passport of the Republic of Armenia, which allows them to freely enter the territory of the Republic of Armenia and reside without an entry visa. Foreigners with a special status of residence in the Republic of Armenia have the same rights and obligations as citizens of the Republic of Armenia, except for the right to vote and the right to own land. They are not subject to the obligation to serve in the armed forces of the Republic of Armenia.

The following documents must be submitted to a diplomatic mission or consular post of the Republic of Armenia in person or by registered mail:

• Application form addressed to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia
• A letter addressed to the head of the diplomatic mission or consular post of the Republic of Armenia, which must contain the following information

a) current and former (if any) citizenship,

b) reasons for applying for a special residence status

c) occupation and work,

d) previous visits to the RA,

e) previous residence statuses in the RA (if any),

f) any criminal record.

• a copy of the national passport with the pages of photo, personal data and validity.
• a copy of the birth certificate or a document substituting it.
• 6 color photos on a light background (35 x 45 mm).
• a receipt of payment of the state fee for a special passport of AMD 150,000.

Any person who has reached the age of 18 may apply for the citizenship of the Republic of Armenia. The conditions for obtaining or terminating the citizenship of the Republic of Armenia are set forth in the Law of the Republic of Armenia "On Citizenship of the Republic of Armenia" and the Decision of the Government of the Republic of Armenia No. 1390-N (dated November 23, 2007).

Acquisition of the citizenship of the Republic of Armenia

Any person who has reached the age of 18 may apply for the citizenship of the Republic of Armenia if he/she has been permanently residing in the Republic of Armenia for the last three years in accordance with the procedure established by law, can speak Armenian and is familiar with the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia.

Without observing the residence requirement, the citizenship of the Republic of Armenia is granted to a person who does not have the citizenship of the Republic of Armenia:

• who has married a citizen of the Republic of Armenia or has a child who is a citizen of the Republic of Armenia;
• whose parents or one of them previously had the citizenship of the Republic of Armenia or were born in the Republic of Armenia, and who, within 3 years after reaching the age of 18, applied for the citizenship of the Republic of Armenia;
• is of Armenian descent, i.e. has Armenian ancestors;
• who, after January 1, 1995, renounced the citizenship of the Republic of Armenia in accordance with his/her application.
• Armenian citizenship may be granted without any requirements to persons who have rendered exceptional services to the Republic of Armenia.
• Armenian citizenship is granted by a decree of the President of the Republic of Armenia.

1. Citizenship by nationality (Armenian origin)

Ethnic Armenians have the right to citizenship without having to meet any language or residence requirements. However, it should be noted that certain formal requirements must be met to establish Armenian descent. Having an Armenian name or speaking Armenian fluently is not enough. You will need to provide a document confirming that you (or your parents or grandparents were) ethnic Armenian. The most common way to do this is to show a baptismal certificate issued by a church organization confirming Armenian nationality. In some countries, Armenian nationality may also be mentioned in public documents (e.g., birth certificates, family records, etc.). 

The law does not contain a complete list of documents that can be submitted to prove Armenian descent. For example, it may be a statement from a local Armenian community or other organization. However, it is important that the document is certified (legalized) by the Armenian embassy/consulate in the country where the document was issued. For example, the Armenian embassy must certify a baptismal certificate before it can be used to apply for citizenship. 

An Armenian translation of a birth certificate must also be provided to the passport office. Thus, you will most likely have to legalize two documents: a birth certificate and a baptismal certificate.

Please note that according to Article 47 of the 2015 Constitution, ethnic Armenians are eligible for citizenship after moving to Armenia. This restriction is not yet applicable, as the Law on Citizenship has not been harmonized with the Constitution. However, it is advisable to submit a petition earlier to take advantage of the current, more liberal rules.

2. Citizenship by marriage

If you are the husband or wife of an Armenian citizen, you have the right to apply for Armenian citizenship, provided that you meet the following criteria:

• The marriage has been officially registered for the last two years, and
• You have resided in Armenia for at least 365 days during this two-year period,
• or you have a joint child who is an Armenian citizen.

In practice, the 365-day residence requirement is considered fulfilled if the applicant has maintained a residence permit in Armenia (temporary, permanent or special) during this period, regardless of the number of days he/she has actually spent in Armenia.

In addition, you will need to pass a test on the Armenian Constitution before your application is accepted. This is a simple multiple-choice test consisting of 33 questions and you only need to answer 17 of them correctly to pass the test. Since you are exempt from the language requirement, you can take the test in a foreign language. A licensed translator will usually be present to translate the questions.

3. Citizenship at the place of residence

You are eligible to apply for Armenian citizenship if you have resided in the country for the last three years. 

Since the Law on Citizenship does not define the term "permanent resident" and does not provide for a minimum period of residence, in practice the three-year requirement is considered to be met if the applicant has retained a residence permit (temporary, permanent or special) in Armenia during this period, regardless of how many days he/she actually spent in Armenia. 

You can become a legal resident by investing in Armenia, starting a business, working or studying in the country. For more information, please check the residency page.

In addition to the three-year residency requirement, you will need to pass a test on the Armenian Constitution. It is a simple multiple-choice test consisting of 33 questions and you only need to answer 17 of them correctly to pass the test. The test is conducted in Armenian, so you may need to spend some time (perhaps 1-2 months) to learn basic Armenian.

4. Citizenship as an exception (investment)

In some cases, significant donations or investments may be considered as "exceptional services" to Armenia, for which the President may grant citizenship without any other requirements. Citizenship as an exception is granted on an expedited basis (usually within 2-3 months), as the Prime Minister's Office can directly present candidates to the President without the need to go through the interdepartmental citizenship committee. 

Each case is reviewed based on its individual merits and factors that may influence the decision, such as the amount of investment and/or charitable contributions, job creation, tax payment, the applicant's nationality, his/her ties to the country, etc. 

5. Passports, identity documents, social security number

After the President of the Republic signs your citizenship decree, you can apply for an Armenian passport and identity card. Currently, you have the option of applying for a regular or biometric passport. If you were issued a regular passport, you can later apply for a biometric passport and thus have two valid passports. Please note that a biometric passport also shows your "place of residence". If you don't want your country of residence to appear on your passport, it is better to use a regular passport. 

You can also get an identity document (ID card), which is issued in the form of a plastic card. This document also contains your social security number (civil service number).

6. Family members

If you have Armenian citizenship, your minor children can obtain citizenship immediately upon your request. However, if you do not reside in Armenia, you may need the certified consent of the child's other parent. The child's consent is also required if he/she is 14 years old or older. Passports for children can be issued without your presence to your lawyer or other representative in Armenia to whom you have issued a

a power of attorney. Starting from 2018, an ethnic Armenian child can obtain Armenian citizenship even if neither parent is an Armenian citizen.

Adult sons and daughters usually need to undergo a separate naturalization procedure. 

Your spouse can apply for Armenian citizenship if he/she meets the criteria mentioned above in the section "Citizenship by marriage".

After being granted citizenship, your spouse, parent, son, daughter, brother, sister, grandparent or grandchild may be granted a temporary (one-year) residence permit. A permanent (five-year) residence permit may also be available after three years of residence in Armenia. In some cases, a special (10-year) residence status may be granted (see above under "Special Residence").

7. Address registration

All Armenian citizens are required to have a registered address․ Registered addresses are mainly used for the delivery of official notices. 

If a foreign address was indicated in your citizenship application, it will be automatically registered as your official address. If you want to register a local address (for example, because you want your passport or identity card to show "Armenia" as your country of residence), you will need to show proof that you reside in Armenia. This can be a certificate of ownership or lease of residential premises or the owner's consent to registration. If none of these documents are available, you can ask the local police to conduct a fact-check (usually takes up to two weeks) and confirm that you do indeed live at the address you provide. If you are a man under the age of 55, registering at a different address may require you to register with a different military department located in the new area of your residence.  

Consular registration is required if you have become a resident of a foreign country, i.e. you will stay there for more than 183 days.

1. While English is spoken in many places, learning some basic Armenian phrases can improve communication and help you navigate daily life more easily.
2. Buses and minibuses (minibuses) are common and can be a cost-effective way to get around within the country.
3. Because Armenia is so small, it feels almost like a big family, and people look out for each other, which means it is safe.
4. It's an affordable region of the world where the cost of living is about 60% lower than in Europe. You can easily live on less than $1,000 a month.