Armenia tightens residency rules, ending easy stay for Russian migrants

For years, Russian citizens could enter Armenia visa-free, stay up to 180 days per visit and extend their stay through informal “visa runs” or by registering a sole-proprietorship, which also granted a residence permit. Beginning November 1, the government will enforce clear quotas, require online filing and set financial criteria such as a one-million-dram turnover for entrepreneurs or a two-million-dram charter capital for LLCs.

Applicants will first receive a one-year permit, with a five-year permit only after three years of continuous residence, and family reunification will be limited to those holding longer permits. The reforms coincide with Armenia’s negotiations on EU visa liberalisation and pressure from the Eurasian Economic Union, prompting a shift from the previously discretionary “by eye” approvals. Experts warn that the new rules could complicate banking, tax compliance and long-term citizenship plans for Russian migrants.