New Immigration Rules in Armenia from 1 November 2026: Residence, Work Visas and Business Immigration

Armenia has adopted a major reform of its immigration framework that will change how foreign nationals apply for residence, obtain authorization to work, establish businesses, study, join family members and maintain their legal status in the country.

Most of the amendments will enter into force on 1 November 2026. The reform introduces a unified electronic immigration platform, a new work visa framework, clearer residence categories, residence routes for entrepreneurs and investors, annual quotas and expanded digital verification of applicants' information.

Some practical requirements, forms and procedures will still need to be established through government regulations before the law becomes operational. Foreign nationals, employers, educational institutions and businesses should therefore review both the new law and the implementing regulations expected before November 2026.

Key Points

Under the new Armenian immigration rules:

• residence applications will generally be submitted through a unified electronic platform;
• Armenia will introduce a separate work entry visa;
• temporary residence permits will be issued for up to one year;
• permanent residence permits will generally be issued for five years;
• entrepreneurs will need to meet statutory capital, securities, bank balance or turnover thresholds;
• investors will be able to apply for permanent residence under conditions to be established by the Government;
• educational institutions will participate directly in student residence applications;
• residence applications may be subject to annual quotas;
• employers will have additional responsibilities when hiring foreign nationals;
• immigration authorities will verify information through interconnected state databases;
• a foreign national will generally be permitted to hold only one status confirming legal residence in Armenia at a time.

This guide explains the changes and their practical implications.

1. When Do the New Armenian Immigration Rules Take Effect?

The amendments are scheduled to enter into force on 1 November 2026. Armenia's unified electronic immigration platform is also expected to begin operating on that date. The Government must adopt the necessary implementing regulations before the law enters into force.

Applications for Armenian residence status submitted before 1 November 2026 will continue to be reviewed under the rules that were in force when the application was filed.

Foreign nationals who already hold more than one document confirming lawful residence before the new law takes effect may continue using those documents until they expire.

Foreign nationals who received Armenia's special residence status before the reform takes effect will retain the rights and obligations associated with that status until its existing validity period expires.

2. Armenia's Unified Electronic Immigration Platform

One of the central elements of the reform is the introduction of a unified electronic platform for immigration procedures. The platform is intended to be used for:

• applications for temporary residence;
• applications for permanent residence;
• decisions granting or refusing residence;
• cancellation or invalidation of residence status;
• replacement of residence documents;
• authorization to stay or reside in Armenia for employment purposes;
• communication between applicants and government authorities;
• exchange of documents and information between employers, educational institutions, state bodies, Armenian citizens and foreign nationals.

Applications for temporary and permanent residence will generally be submitted through this platform. Government regulations will establish the technical procedure, required forms, supporting documents, notification rules and methods of information exchange. State fees will continue to apply and may be payable online under procedures established by the Government.

Digital review of applications

If the authorities identify an error, missing information or insufficient documentation, the applicant will receive a notification through the platform. The applicant will generally have five days after receiving the notification to correct the issue or provide the requested information. Failure to respond within that period will cause the system to suspend the application automatically.

If the applicant does not take the steps required to resume the suspended procedure within one month, the system will automatically terminate the proceeding. Applicants will therefore need to monitor their platform account carefully throughout the process.

3. New Work Visa for Armenia

The reform introduces a new category of Armenian entry visa: the work entry visa. The work visa will be intended for foreign nationals entering Armenia to:

• perform short-term work in Armenia;
• apply from within Armenia for temporary residence based on employment;
• collect a residence document issued on the basis of employment.

The visa may be issued for single or multiple entry and will permit a stay of up to 120 days. It will not be extendable and may be issued only once during the same calendar year. Detailed rules governing the application process, eligibility, documentation and change of visa purpose must still be adopted by the Government.

Can a visitor apply for employment-based residence from Armenia?

The new refusal rules indicate that a foreign national who entered Armenia using certain non-work visa categories may be refused employment-based temporary residence if the person applies without first changing the purpose or category of the entry visa.

A visa-exempt foreign national may also face refusal if the person applies for employment-based temporary residence without first obtaining the required authorization to stay or reside in Armenia for employment purposes.

4. Authorization to Work in Armenia

The amended law distinguishes between:

• a work entry visa;
• authorization to stay or reside in Armenia for employment purposes;
• temporary residence based on employment;
• categories of foreign nationals who may work without obtaining a separate employment authorization.

Employment authorization will be recorded electronically through platforms operated by the competent migration authority. Depending on the circumstances, the authorization may allow a foreign national to obtain a work visa, obtain temporary residence based on employment, or work during an otherwise lawful period of stay in Armenia. The exact procedure will be determined by government regulations.

5. Foreign Nationals Who May Work Without Separate Employment Authorization

The law identifies several categories of foreign nationals who may enter into employment or service agreements without obtaining the standard authorization to stay or reside in Armenia for employment purposes. These include, subject to the conditions applicable to each category:

• holders of permanent residence;
• holders of temporary residence based on education, family circumstances, entrepreneurship or certain other grounds;
• qualifying family members of employees of diplomatic missions, consular offices and international organizations;
• performers, artists and related technical or administrative personnel entering for film, theatre or concert activities;
• specialists arriving under international treaties;
• accredited representatives of foreign media organizations;
• asylum seekers, refugees and persons granted asylum;
• persons involved in disaster response and other emergency work;
• certain specialists assisting with joint criminal investigations;
• recognized victims or special-category victims of trafficking;
• foreign nationals entitled to work under an applicable international treaty, provided they have a public services number;
• foreign detainees, prisoners or probation beneficiaries holding the required documentation;
• students performing work through qualifying holiday work-exchange programmes;
• certain ethnic Armenians whose country of permanent residence is affected by an emergency threatening their life or health.

Employers hiring individuals falling within these categories will generally be required to execute employment agreements through Armenia's digital employment-contract system in accordance with procedures to be established by the Government.

6. Employer Obligations When Hiring Foreign Nationals

Employment and service agreements with foreign nationals must comply with Armenian law and generally cannot extend beyond the validity of the foreign national's employment-based residence status, work visa, employment authorization, or other applicable right to work.

The agreement must also address matters concerning the foreign worker and, where applicable, the worker's family, including:

• transportation to Armenia;
• social security and insurance;
• reception arrangements;
• accommodation;
• registration at the place of residence;
• return arrangements.

An employer may be prevented from hiring a foreign national where:

• Armenian citizenship is legally required for the relevant position;
• submitted information or documentation is inaccurate or falsified;
• the employer has previously violated the legal requirements applicable to hiring foreign nationals.

The same circumstances may also result in refusal of the foreign national's work visa or employment-based temporary residence application.

Termination of employment

When employment-based temporary residence has been issued and the underlying employment or service agreement is terminated before the residence permit expires, the foreign national will generally have 15 working days to enter into a new qualifying agreement. If no new agreement is concluded during that period, the residence status may cease to be valid.

Employers and foreign employees should therefore coordinate termination dates, immigration notifications and any transition to a new employer.

7. Temporary Residence Permit in Armenia

Under the revised law, temporary residence may be granted for a period of up to one year. Temporary residence may be available on grounds including:

• formal or non-formal education;
• professional training;
• educational exchange;
• scientific, technological or innovative activity;
• employment;
• family relationship;
• entrepreneurial activity;
• other grounds expressly provided by Armenian law.

The relevant category should be selected carefully because different eligibility requirements and cancellation rules apply to each basis of residence.

8. Permanent Residence Permit in Armenia

Permanent residence will generally be issued for five years under a procedure established by the Government. A foreign national may qualify for permanent residence if the person:

1. 01

   Family and residence history

   Has a qualifying Armenian citizen family member, has housing and sufficient means in Armenia and, during the five years preceding the application, held temporary residence in Armenia for at least three years.

2. 02

   Ethnic Armenian

   Is of Armenian ethnicity.

3. 03

   Entrepreneurial activity

   Conducts entrepreneurial activity in Armenia and, during the preceding five years, held temporary residence for at least three years.

4. 04

   Investment

   Has made an investment in Armenia.

5. 05

   Exceptional services

   Has rendered exceptional services to Armenia.

Permanent residence based on exceptional services will be granted by decision of the Prime Minister.

Residence while an application is pending

The competent authority will generally decide a temporary or permanent residence application within 30 days from submission. If the applicant's lawful stay or existing residence expires while the application is being reviewed, the applicant's presence in Armenia will be considered lawful until the procedure is completed and a decision is issued. This protection applies while a properly initiated residence proceeding remains pending.

9. Residence in Armenia Through Business Activities

The reform introduces express financial criteria for temporary or permanent residence based on entrepreneurial activity. A foreign national may qualify where the person satisfies one of the statutory alternatives, including being:

Where the application relates to a legal entity, it must be submitted through the electronic platform by the head of the company's executive body. An individual entrepreneur may register and submit the application personally.

Maintaining business-based residence

A holder applying for a new residence status on the same ground must demonstrate the continuity of the entrepreneurial activity. The platform may verify this through state databases, although supporting documents may be required where electronic information is unavailable.

Business-based residence may cease to be valid where:

• the capital contribution is withdrawn and falls below the statutory level;
• the value of the shares or securities falls below the relevant statutory level;
• no information concerning taxes calculated from the entrepreneurial activity appears in the tax authority's database within 180 days after residence is granted.

The law provides limited protection where capital is moved from one Armenian commercial company to another in accordance with the prescribed conditions and time limits.

Practical implication for founders

Registering a company in Armenia will not necessarily be enough to obtain or preserve residence. Applicants should be prepared to demonstrate:

• the required investment or financial threshold;
• genuine and continuing business activity;
• appropriate tax reporting;
• consistency between the corporate registry, banking records and tax data.

10. Permanent Residence Through Investment

The new law establishes investment as an independent basis for permanent residence in Armenia. The application will be submitted personally by the foreign investor through the unified electronic platform.

However, the law does not itself establish the:

• minimum investment amount;
• permitted asset classes;
• required holding period;
• other substantive eligibility conditions.

11. Student Residence in Armenia

Foreign nationals may obtain temporary residence based on:

• formal education;
• non-formal education;
• vocational or professional training;
• scientific and technological activity;
• innovative activity.

A qualifying agreement must exist between the foreign national and an Armenian educational institution, scientific organization or other authorized service provider. The relevant institution or organization will generally submit the application and supporting documents through the electronic immigration platform.

Organizations whose principal activity is not education may first need authorization to submit residence applications for foreign nationals participating in their non-formal educational programmes.

The duration of student residence will be based on the term of the relevant educational or activity agreement, but it cannot exceed the maximum duration permitted for temporary residence.

When can student residence be cancelled?

Student residence may cease to be valid where:

• the educational agreement is terminated;
• the course or programme is discontinued;
• the foreign national is sentenced to imprisonment by a final judgment;
• the foreign national is expelled from Armenia;
• the entity that submitted the application is liquidated, reorganized or ceases the relevant educational or scientific activity.

The institution must notify the migration authority through the platform within ten days of terminating the educational agreement or interrupting the programme.

12. Residence Based on Family Relationship

Temporary residence may be available to the spouse, parent, or child of an Armenian citizen or a foreign national holding Armenian residence or refugee status.

The application must generally be submitted through the electronic platform by the Armenian citizen or qualifying resident family member.

Children under 16 may receive residence based on one parent being an Armenian citizen, or one parent holding Armenian residence.

The duration will generally be connected to the period requested or the validity of the parent's residence, subject to the statutory maximum. For permanent residence based on family relationship, additional conditions apply, including housing, sufficient means and a qualifying history of temporary residence in Armenia.

13. Residence for Ethnic Armenians

Foreign nationals of Armenian ethnicity remain eligible for permanent residence. The applicant must register on the electronic platform and upload the required documents. If the preliminary review confirms that the application is complete and compliant, the applicant will be permitted to schedule an appointment to submit the application personally.

Where information or documentation is incomplete, the applicant will be notified through the platform and asked to supplement the application. The implementing regulations will be important for determining the acceptable evidence of Armenian ethnicity and the exact application procedure.

14. Annual Residence Quotas

The reform introduces the concept of an annual residence quota. A quota is defined as a limit established by the Armenian Government for each year according to:

• the type of residence status;
• the number of residence statuses available;
• the legal ground on which residence is requested.

The competent authority may consider the applicable annual quota when deciding temporary and permanent residence applications. An application may be refused where the annual quota established for the relevant category has been reached.

The law itself does not specify:

• which residence categories will be subject to quotas;
• how many permits will be available;
• whether certain family, ethnic Armenian or investment categories will be exempt;
• how applications will be prioritized.

These matters will require government decisions. Applicants in quota-controlled categories may need to file earlier in the relevant calendar year.

15. One Legal Residence Status at a Time

The amended law states that a foreign national may generally hold only one status confirming legal residence in Armenia at the same time. This may affect applicants who qualify under several grounds, for example:

• employment and family relationship;
• employment and business ownership;
• study and entrepreneurship;
• Armenian ethnicity and family relationship.

Applicants will need to determine which category offers the most appropriate combination of validity, work rights, renewal requirements and long-term residence prospects. Existing holders of multiple residence documents before the reform enters into force may continue using them until they expire.

16. Absence from Armenia for 183 Days or More

Most holders of temporary or permanent residence who remain outside Armenia for 183 days or more will be required to notify the competent migration authority through the electronic platform. The notification must generally be made no later than ten days after the 183-day period has been reached.

The statutory notification requirement does not apply to permanent residence granted on the basis of investment or exceptional services to Armenia. Failure to comply may result in the residence status ceasing to be valid.

17. Biometric Data and Collection of Residence Documents

Foreign nationals will generally be required to collect their temporary or permanent residence card personally. At collection, the applicant must provide biometric data consisting of fingerprints and an electronic sample of the applicant's signature.

For children under 16, the document confirming legal residence may be collected by a parent or legal representative. The residence process will therefore not be entirely remote even after the unified electronic platform becomes operational.

18. Grounds for Refusal of Armenian Residence

A temporary or permanent residence application may be refused for reasons including:

• a recent expulsion from Armenia or loss of residence status;
• certain unspent criminal convictions in Armenia;
• national security or public-order concerns;
• participation in terrorism, trafficking, illegal migration or other prohibited activities;
• specified public-health grounds;
• false or misleading information;
• evidence that the applicant's real purpose differs from the declared purpose;
• an unresolved obligation arising from an administrative violation;
• disappearance of the legal basis for residence;
• failure to conclude a qualifying employment agreement within the required period;
• applying under the wrong visa or immigration route;
• a final court order for expulsion;
• exhaustion of the applicable annual quota.

The precise consequences and possibility of reapplying depend on the refusal ground. In many cases, a refused applicant may reapply after one year. For certain grounds, the person may apply again once the circumstance causing the refusal has been removed.

19. Cancellation and Invalidation of Residence Status

Residence status may cease to be valid where:

• the legal ground on which it was issued no longer exists;
• the holder voluntarily applies to terminate it;
• the holder acquires Armenian citizenship;
• the holder obtains refugee status;
• an employment agreement is terminated and no new agreement is signed within the statutory period;
• a qualifying voluntary-work agreement is terminated without timely replacement;
• the holder fails to comply with the notification requirement following an absence of 183 days or more;
• another ground provided by law applies.

Residence may be declared invalid where the holder obtained it using false information or where the person's presence threatens national security or public order. The decision may also establish the period for voluntary departure, restrictions concerning the person's place of residence before departure and related consequences.

20. Government Access to Applicant Information

The unified platform will permit immigration authorities to verify information through multiple government and institutional databases. These may include databases containing information on:

• identity, citizenship and registered address;
• Armenian companies, shareholders, executives and charter capital;
• employment registration and calculated taxes;
• marriages, births and deaths;
• ownership of real estate;
• ownership and use of movable property;
• entries into and exits from Armenia;
• visas and previous residence statuses;
• criminal convictions and administrative violations;
• shares and securities;
• payment of state fees;
• enrolment in educational programmes;
• employment contracts and their termination.

The platform may continue checking whether the legal basis for an issued residence status remains in place. The frequency and procedure for these checks will be established by the Government.

21. What Should Foreign Nationals Do Before 1 November 2026?

Foreign nationals who plan to live, work, study or establish a business in Armenia should consider the following steps.

Applicants already eligible under the current rules

Where timing permits, applicants may consider filing before 1 November 2026, because applications submitted before the effective date will be reviewed under the existing legal framework. Whether early filing is preferable will depend on the applicant's circumstances and the advantages or disadvantages of the relevant current and future residence categories.

Employers

Employers should review:

• whether their foreign employees will require a work visa or employment authorization;
• how employment agreements must be registered digitally;
• mandatory provisions concerning accommodation, insurance and return arrangements;
• procedures for notifying termination;
• the employer's compliance history.

Founders and entrepreneurs

Business applicants should review:

• charter-capital contributions;
• shareholder and securities records;
• individual entrepreneur bank balances;
• recent business turnover;
• tax reporting;
• whether the planned business activity will satisfy the continuity requirements.

Students and educational institutions

Educational institutions should determine:

• whether they are eligible to submit student residence applications;
• whether additional authorization is required for non-formal programmes;
• how educational agreements will be structured;
• how termination or interruption of study will be reported.

Investors

Investors should avoid committing capital solely for immigration purposes until the Government publishes the eligibility conditions for investment-based permanent residence.

How MOSTAR Can Help

MOSTAR advises foreign nationals, founders, investors, employers and families on immigration and residence matters in Armenia. We can assist with:

• selecting the appropriate residence category;
• assessing eligibility before an application is filed;
• coordinating employment and work authorization procedures;
• structuring business activity for entrepreneurial residence;
• reviewing shareholder, capital, banking and tax records;
• preparing family and ethnic Armenian residence applications;
• advising educational institutions and international students;
• monitoring the implementing regulations expected before November 2026;
• responding to requests for additional documents;
• challenging residence refusals or cancellation decisions.