Armenian Passport Requirements, Fees, and Visa-Free Access

An Armenian passport is a biometric travel document valid for 10 years, issued to citizens of the Republic of Armenia through birth, descent, marriage, naturalization, or exceptional service. Armenia has recognized dual citizenship since 2007, so you can hold one alongside another nationality, but on Armenian soil the country treats you as Armenian first. That has real consequences, particularly around military service for men and how your documents are processed.

Who Can Get an Armenian Passport

The passport follows citizenship, so the first question is which pathway applies to you.

A child born to two Armenian citizens acquires citizenship automatically, wherever the birth takes place.¹

Ethnic Armenians abroad can apply based on descent without meeting a residency requirement. Proof of heritage can include a baptismal certificate from a recognized Armenian church, an official foreign government document recording Armenian ethnicity, or the birth certificate of a parent or grandparent showing Armenian origin. If you rely on a relative’s document, you also need paperwork establishing the family relationship.²

A foreign national married to an Armenian citizen can apply after at least two years of marriage, and during that window must have resided lawfully in Armenia for at least 365 days.² Applicants sometimes miss the residency piece.

General naturalization requires three years of permanent, lawful residence in Armenia, Armenian language ability, and familiarity with the Armenian Constitution. The government can also grant citizenship for exceptional services, bypassing the standard requirements.³

Documents You Need

The paperwork differs depending on whether you are applying for citizenship first, or applying for the passport once citizenship is confirmed.

For the Citizenship Application

Application form, from the Passport and Visa Department of the RA Police website or an Armenian diplomatic mission
Valid foreign passport and a copy
Birth certificate and a copy
Marriage certificate and a copy, if applying through marriage
Proof of Armenian descent, if applying by descent: a baptismal certificate, foreign government document recording ethnicity, or a relative’s identification showing Armenian origin
Six color photographs, 35mm × 45mm⁴

Birth and marriage certificates must carry an apostille stamp from the issuing country.⁴ Any document not in Armenian must be translated into Armenian and validated with an apostille or consular legalization. If translated abroad, the translation itself also needs apostille validation.⁵

For the Passport Application

Application form
Four color photographs, 35mm × 45mm, taken within the last six months
Expired passport and copies of pages 2 through 5, for renewals
Military service document or conscription reference, for males aged 18 to 55
Payment receipt for the state fee⁶

Watch the photo counts: six for citizenship, four for the passport. Mixing them up delays the file.

Fees and Processing Times

As of January 1, 2026, passport fees within Armenia and at consulates are set in Armenian Drams:

Adult biometric passport (over 16): ֏65,000
Minor passport (under 16): ֏30,000
Passport via video identification, available at select consular posts: ֏90,000

Armenian consulates abroad list equivalent fees in local currency. At U.S.-based consulates, adult passport fees run approximately $166 and minor fees approximately $76.⁷

Standard passport processing inside Armenia takes 5 working days for new issuance or renewal. Replacing a lost passport takes 10 working days.⁸ Consular processing usually takes longer and varies by location. Citizenship applications are a separate track and can take up to 90 days.

Where and How to Apply

Inside Armenia, applications go to the Migration and Citizenship Service (formerly the Passport and Visa Department, or OVIR). Outside Armenia, applications go through the nearest Armenian embassy or consulate. In both cases you must appear in person so officials can collect the biometric data written to the passport chip.

Some consular posts now offer video identification for passport services at the higher fee shown above. The finished passport must be collected in person, or by a representative holding a notarized power of attorney.⁵

Validity and Renewal

Adult passports are valid for 10 years from the date of issue.⁶ There is no option to extend; at the 10-year mark you go through the full renewal process with new biometric data and new photographs.

Children under 6 receive passports valid for 3 years. Those aged 6 to 16 get passports valid for 5 years or until they turn 18.⁹

Renew early if the passport is physically damaged or the entry-stamp pages are full. If it is lost or stolen, report it to the police right away so you have the documentation you will need for a replacement. Replacement inside Armenia takes 10 working days.⁸

Losing Your Passport Abroad

If your passport is lost, stolen, or unusable while you are outside Armenia, an Armenian embassy or consulate can issue a Certificate of Return. It is a temporary one-way travel document good for getting back to Armenia and cannot be used for onward travel to other countries.¹⁰

The certificate requires an application form, two photographs (35mm × 45mm), a police report if the passport was stolen, and any available copy of the lost passport. Processing takes up to 15 working days, and the certificate is valid for one month. If you cannot reach an Armenian diplomatic mission, a family member or authorized representative in Armenia can apply on your behalf through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It is issued free of charge to several categories, including citizens who never held an Armenian passport before, children under 16, adults over 63, and people whose passport was lost due to circumstances beyond their control.¹⁰

Military Service and Dual Citizenship

This is the issue diaspora men most often underestimate. Armenian military service is mandatory for male citizens, and a second passport does not create an exemption. Starting January 1, 2026, the mandatory service term is 18 months.¹¹

If you served at least 12 months in another country’s armed forces (or 18 months in foreign alternative service) before becoming an Armenian citizen, that service counts and you are exempt. The catch: if you already held Armenian citizenship when you served in a foreign military, Armenia does not recognize that service and you remain subject to the draft.¹¹

Men aged 27 to 37 can pay a state fee to reduce or waive their service obligation:

Full exemption: 15,000,000 AMD
1 month of service: 10,000,000 AMD
6 months of service: 5,000,000 AMD
12 months of service: 2,500,000 AMD

At current exchange rates, a full exemption runs roughly $38,000 USD.¹¹ Failing to report for mandatory service is a criminal offense that can result in imprisonment and a prohibition on leaving Armenia until it is resolved. Male passport applicants aged 18 to 55 must provide military service documentation or a conscription reference when applying for or renewing a passport.⁶

There is also a notification requirement tied to dual status: if you acquire citizenship in another country, you must report it to the designated government body within one month. The law states that violations lead to “consequences prescribed by law,” which is vague by design but creates real risk at border crossings and with government agencies.¹²

Tax Residency

Holding an Armenian passport does not by itself trigger Armenian tax obligations. Armenia taxes on residency, not citizenship. You become a tax resident if you spend at least 183 days in Armenia during the tax year, or if your center of vital interests (family, home, primary place of work) is in Armenia.¹³ Dual citizens who live and work entirely outside Armenia and spend fewer than 183 days there generally do not need to file an Armenian tax return. That is a meaningful difference from countries like the United States, which tax citizens on worldwide income regardless of where they live.

Visa-Free Travel

The Armenian passport provides visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 76 destinations as of 2026, placing it around 60th in global passport rankings.¹⁴ That covers most countries in the former Soviet space, parts of the Middle East, and several destinations in Southeast Asia and Latin America. It does not include the European Union’s Schengen Area, the United Kingdom, the United States, or Canada, each of which requires a visa for Armenian passport holders.

1
Refworld. Law of the Republic of Armenia on the Citizenship of the Republic of Armenia
2
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia. Citizenship
3
Armenian Parliament. Citizenship of the Republic of Armenia
4
Office of the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs. Diaspora – 1. Prepare the Documents
5
Embassy of Armenia to the United States of America. Passport
6
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia. Passport
7
Embassy of Armenia to the United States of America. Consular Fees
8
Migration and Citizenship Service. Issuing Passport of a Citizen of the RA Over 16 Years Old
9
U.S. Department of State. Armenia – Visa Reciprocity and Civil Documents
10
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia. Return Certificate to RA
11
National Services Gateway. Military Service in Armenia
12
Refworld. Law of the Republic of Armenia on the Citizenship of the Republic of Armenia
13
State Revenue Committee of the Republic of Armenia. Frequently Asked Questions on Filing Income Tax Return
14
Passport Index. Armenia Passport Dashboard