WHO NEEDS A VISA TO TRAVEL TO ARMENIA? (click to see the list of countries with non-visa regime on certain categories of passports)

List of countries nationals of which could apply for visitor visa only with invitation. (the list of documents (arm) required for the invitation )

Types of Visa

There are the following types of visas:

Visitor visa (V);

Official visa (O);

Diplomatic visa (D);

Transit visa (Tr).

Visitor visa (V) entitles a foreigner to enter the Republic of Armenia and stay in the country for up to 120 days. A visitor visa may be issued for single or multiple entries (within up to a year period). A single entry visitor visa may be issued to a foreigner for a single visit to the Republic of Armenia during the period of validity of the visa. A multiple entry visitor visa may be issued to a foreigner for the period of one year. A visitor visa is issued when a foreigner intends to enter the Republic of Armenia for the purposes of tourism, visiting relatives or other persons, business, transportation and other professional interest, medical treatment or other short-term stay. Click here for the list of countries nationals of which could apply for visitor visa only with invitation (the list of documents required for the invitation). Please make sure that your inviting party has verified the invitation for business travelers at the Consular Department of the Armenian Foreign Ministry; for private travelers - at the Passport and Visa Department of the Police of the Republic of Armenia). Confirmations for business travelers are received at the Armenian diplomatic mission or consular post via internet. Private traveler must submit the original invitation form. This provision does not apply to national of listed countries with proof of Armenian ethnic origin, members of families of the citizens of the Republic of Armenia and those with proof of Armenian ethnic origin.

Official (O) and Diplomatic visas (D) are issued for official purposes at the Service or Official passports, Diplomatic passports and UN Laissez-Passers upon the official request from Foreign Ministries, foreign diplomatic missions and consular posts, International Organizations. Official and Diplomatic visas may be issued for a single or a multiple entry. General international practices are used.

Transit visa (Tr) visa is required if Armenia is a stopping point to travel on to other countries and it may be a single or multiple. A single entry transit visa entitles a foreigner to travel across the territory of the Republic of Armenia once.  A multiple entry transit visa permits a foreigner to travel across the territory of the Republic of Armenia for several times during the period of visa’s validity. A foreigner with a transit visa may stay in the Republic of Armenia for no more than 3 days during each stay. This type of visa can be obtained only in case of having basic visa for the third country, if needed.

Place of Issue

Visas are issued in diplomatic missions and consular posts of the Republic of Armenia (Canadian Embassy in Canada),

at the border crossing points of the Republic of Armenia (conventional visas) or

electronically (e-Visa, to apply click here ).

Please note that prior arrangement with Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia is needed for those holders of Diplomatic and Official (Service, Special) passports as well as UNLP who due to the trip short notice have to obtain their visas upon arrival in Armenia.

A foreign national applying for conventional visa must submit the following:

• a completed visa application form (Adobe Acrobat PDF format)
• a valid travel document (its validity must exceed the validity of the requested visa by at least one month);
• one passport sized colour photograph;
• invitation, if required;
• other documents, if requested (see “Important notes”);
• visa application guidelines (payment method may vary. Please contact the respective Embassy or Consulate).

Processing time

Usually visa is processed at the diplomatic missions and consular posts of the Republic of Armenia upon the completion of 3 working days. In some cases additional checking can be required and processing time can be extended.

Grounds for refusal to issue a visa
A foreigner is refused the issue of a visa according to the provisions of the article 8 Par. 1 of the Law on Aliens of the Republic of Armenia if:

• he/she provides a false information for obtaining visa;
• there are reasons to believe that he/she may be engaged in an illegal activity in the Republic of Armenia, which is punishable under the laws of the Republic of Armenia;
• he/she is included in the list of foreigners who are forbidden to enter the Republic of Armenia;
• his/her presence in the Republic of Armenia poses a threat to state security, public order or people’s health;
• he/she has been deported from the territory of the Republic of Armenia or his/her residency status in the Republic of Armenia was terminated within past 3 years;
• he/she was subject to administrative proceedings for violation of the provisions of the Law on Aliens of the Republic of Armenia within past year.

Visa extension
Entry visas to the Republic of Armenia are extended prior to the expiration at the territory of the Republic of Armenia. Official and diplomatic visas are extended at the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Government House 2, Republic Sq., Yerevan, tel. +37410-526950, e-mail). Visitor and transit visas are extended at the Passport and Visa Department of the Police of the Republic of Armenia (13A Mashtots Ave., Yerevan, tel. +37410-530182). Please note that failure to extend visa on time is considered as an administrative violation and will result in administrative proceedings and fines (50,000-100,000 Armenian Drams). Visitor and transit visas are extended at 500 Armenian Drams per extra day.

Important notes

• If traveling with any travel document other than the national passport or a UNLP (i.e. stateless person or refugee travel document), please be sure to submit the photocopy of birth certificate and detailed address of stay in the Republic of Armenia. The holders of the above-mentioned travel documents, who are originally from the Republic of Armenia, will not be granted entry visas. According to the Law on Citizenship of the Republic of Armenia they are considered as citizens of the Republic of Armenia and must possess a valid Armenian passport;

• For residents of the US, Canada and Europe:
  If applying by mail, applicants are responsible for the cost of the return shipment. It can be either a prepaid return envelope of any registered mail with a tracking number or a separate money order in the corresponding amount to cover the cost of FedEx, DHL or other postal services. The Embassy or the Consulate of the Republic of Armenia is not responsible for documents lost in the mail;

• Visa services at the border crossing points of the Republic of Armenia will not issue visas to nationals of countries included in the list of countries, nationals of which can apply for visitor and transit visa with invitation only;

• Currently visa services at the border crossing points of the Republic of Armenia issue single-entry 3 day transit visa and 120 day visitor visa only. E-visa is valid for entry at Yerevan International Airport only;

• Conditions and visa fees may change without prior notice.