Armenia Residence Permit Rules from November 1, 2026
By WSE.AM editorial team, edited by Mark Muzyka · Updated 12 October 2026
Armenian residence permits from November 1, 2026: online filing, a AMD 155,950 fee, quotas, a threshold for sole proprietors and the 183-day absence rule.
On November 1, 2026, a new version of Armenia's Law "On Foreigners" comes into force. Almost everything about residence permits changes: how you apply, the fees, new quotas and new grounds for losing your status. Here is what exactly changes, who is affected and whether it is worth rushing to apply before that date.
The reform in brief
The law was passed by parliament on January 20, 2026, and published on February 13. It takes effect on November 1, 2026 (the date was earlier given as August 1, but the start was postponed, so if you see the old date, the text is out of date).
| Before November 1 | From November 1, 2026 |
|---|
| How to apply | migration.e-gov.am and an in-person visit | online only, through a new single platform |
| Temporary residence permit fee | AMD 105,000 | AMD 150,000 for review + AMD 5,950 for the card |
| Permanent residence permit fee | AMD 140,000 | AMD 250,000 for review + AMD 5,950 for the card |
| Quotas | none | annual, by type and grounds |
| Residence permit as a sole proprietor | no money threshold | from AMD 1 million in the sole proprietor's accounts, or the same turnover over 60 days |
| Special status | issued | abolished, statuses already issued stay valid until they expire |
| Long absence | permanent permit: more than 6 months, notify | any status: 183 days, notify within 10 days |
You will still have to collect the card in person: you give your fingerprints and signature yourself. For a child under 16, a parent collects the document.
What changes for citizens of Russia and other EAEU countries
Less than the headlines suggest. Russia is a member of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), and its citizens get some of their rights from the Treaty on the Union rather than from Armenian law. So the following stays the same:
- working without a work permit, for you and your family members;
- visa-free entry and the limit of 180 days a year;
- registration at an address (it still does not extend your permitted stay).
There is one new thing: if you work under an employment contract, after signing it you need to get a certificate of lawful residence, and it will now be paid: AMD 30,000 for review plus AMD 5,950 for the certificate itself, for each family member. The migration service has confirmed that for working EAEU citizens this is the only significant change.
If you are applying for a temporary or permanent residence permit on general grounds, the new rules apply to you in full.
The new work visa introduced by the reform is not needed by Russian citizens, since they have visa-free entry. Besides, these provisions will only take effect once the new electronic visa system is launched.
Apply before November 1 or wait?
What matters is the filing date. Applications filed before November 1 are reviewed under the old rules and at the old fee. Those filed on November 1 or later fall under the new ones.
It makes sense to file in time if:
- you already have grounds for a residence permit and your documents are ready;
- you are applying as a sole proprietor and do not yet hold a million dram in your accounts;
- your whole family is applying: for three people, the difference in fees is around AMD 150,000.
There is no point racing the date if you do not have grounds yet: without them you cannot apply anyway.
Since the summer, relocant communities have been reporting that there are almost no free slots left for filing. There has been no official announcement that booking is closed, but either way, check your appointment right now.
If your appointment is after November 1
The migration service has said that the migration.e-gov.am platform and the Early One app will stop working from November 1, and people booked for later dates will file through the new system. So your appointment does not disappear, but the rules and the fee will already be the new ones.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs named the new platform permit.am, but as of early October 2026 the site is not working yet. Nobody has step-by-step instructions for its interface yet, so if someone shows you "how to apply through permit.am", it is guesswork. How many visits will be needed is also not officially clear yet.
How much will it cost?
| What for | Now (AMD) | From November 1 (AMD) |
|---|
| Temporary residence permit | 105,000 | 150,000 + 5,950 for the card |
| Permanent residence permit | 140,000 | 250,000 + 5,950 for the card |
| Certificate of lawful residence for EAEU citizens | free | 30,000 + 5,950 |
An important detail: the fee is now charged for reviewing the application, not for granting the status. If you are refused, the money is not returned. If you come across a claim that the new rates will apply "from 2027", that comes from the first draft of the amendments, which was withdrawn.
Sole proprietors and business owners
A residence permit based on business activity now comes with a money threshold:
- sole proprietor: at least AMD 1 million in the sole proprietor's accounts on the day of filing, or the same turnover over the 60 days before it;
- company shareholder: invest at least AMD 2 million in the authorized capital or buy shares for that amount.
The conditions after you get the status matter even more. It is revoked if the capital is withdrawn or falls below one million, and also if for 180 days the State Revenue Committee database shows no taxes accrued from the business. The "open a sole proprietorship just for the residence permit" scheme no longer works.
There is a similar deadline for status based on employment: if an employment contract is not signed within 15 working days, the status is revoked.
The 183-day rule
A new obligation for all holders of temporary and permanent residence permits (except permanent permits based on investment and for exceptional merit): if you are away from Armenia for 183 days or more, you must notify the migration service through the platform no later than 10 days after reaching that period. If you do not notify, your status is declared void, and this is not left to the authority's discretion.
The law does not say directly whether the 183 days are counted consecutively or in total over a year, and as of fall 2026 there is no clarification in secondary legislation. For now, assume the worst case.
If you often travel abroad, for example to Russia, because of an apartment, relatives or deals, some of those trips can be replaced with a power of attorney.
A card you already have
Nothing changes: the card is valid until the date shown on it. A special status issued earlier also runs until it expires. There is no need to replace the document early. A renewal after November 1 will be a new application in the new system, and if the card is lost after that date, a new-style document will be issued.
The rumor that the ID card, the social card and the residence permit will be merged into one card is not supported by the text of the new law.
Quotas
The government will set a ceiling every year, for each type of status and each ground. An exhausted quota becomes a new reason for refusal. The decision is made within 30 days, taking the current year's quota into account. There are no specific figures as of fall 2026, and the government decisions have not been published yet. Applying early in the year will probably be calmer than applying at the end.
Permanent residence after three years
The requirement of three years of temporary status existed before. What is new: it is now three years within the last five, and the rule has been extended to the business route and to family members of Armenian citizens. The permanent permit itself is issued for five years. The three-year condition does not apply to ethnic Armenians and investors.
What to do before November 1
1. Check your grounds. Before November 1 the list is broader: study, work, marriage to or kinship with an Armenian citizen, business, Armenian descent. After that date, the family ground narrows to a spouse, parent and child. Buying an apartment is not a ground for a residence permit, either before or after the reform. 2. Check your appointment date. 3. Prepare the package: passport with a notarized translation, medical certificate, documents for your grounds, documents for your family with translations. Russian documents do not need an apostille: a notarized translation into Armenian is enough. 4. Budget for the fee, and if you are a sole proprietor, check your balances and turnover. 5. If you are a Russian citizen, remember the Russian side: you need to notify the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD) that you have received an Armenian residence permit.
Secondary legislation for the reform is still being adopted and the quota figures have not been published, so double-check dates and amounts before you apply. The general relocation process is covered in our guide to moving to Yerevan.
If you need an apartment with a contract the landlord is willing to sign officially, for your grounds or for registration, mention it in your request in our bot.
_Photo: Hansi91, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons. Image resized._
Frequently asked questions
How much does an Armenian residence permit cost after November 1, 2026? AMD 150,000 for reviewing the application plus AMD 5,950 for the card, while before November 1 the fee is AMD 105,000. The fee is charged for the review, so if you are refused, the money is not returned.
What changes for Russian citizens under the new Armenian residence rules? Less than reported: working without a permit, visa-free entry and the limit of 180 days a year stay in place thanks to the EAEU. There is one new thing: people working under an employment contract need a paid certificate of lawful residence costing AMD 30,000 plus AMD 5,950.
Can I get an Armenian residence permit as a sole proprietor after the reform? Yes, but with a threshold: at least AMD 1 million in the sole proprietor's accounts on the day of filing, or the same turnover over 60 days. The status is revoked if the capital falls below one million or if no taxes are accrued for 180 days.
What happens to an Armenian residence permit if I live abroad for a long time? If you are away from Armenia for 183 days or more, you must notify the migration service no later than 10 days after that, otherwise your status is declared void. The law does not say directly whether the days are counted consecutively or in total.
Does buying an apartment give you the right to a residence permit in Armenia? No, buying an apartment is not a ground for a residence permit, either before or after the reform. The grounds before November 1 are study, work, marriage to or kinship with an Armenian citizen, business and Armenian descent.
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