Rules for entry into Armenia for Russians in 2024

Over the past few years, more than one thousand Russians have come to Armenia, and it would seem — everyone already knows what they need to pay attention to when moving. However, repeating the rules is never superfluous, especially since they tend to change from time to time. For example, starting in the spring of 2022, coronavirus restrictions on entry into the country have been lifted. There is no longer a need to provide a negative PCR test result or vaccination certificate.

In this article, we have collected answers to key questions that arise when moving, reviewed visa requirements and terms of stay, and listed the documents required for entry. 

Go.

Contents

1. Do you need a visa?
2. How long can a Russian citizen stay in Armenia?
3. What documents are needed for entry?
4. What do you need to enter Armenia with a child?
5. Is it possible to transit through Armenia?
6. Road to Armenia
7. What else is important to know?

Do you need a visa?

There is a visa-free regime between Russia and Armenia, so you can enter Armenia both with a Russian passport and with a foreign one. But if you are not entering Armenia from Russia, you need to have a foreign passport. Russia has an agreement on the free movement of citizens with Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Belarus. Russia has a similar but separate agreement with Armenia. In some cases, the isolation of this agreement can be interpreted as a ban on entry into Armenia from third countries on an internal Russian passport. So it's better not to risk it.

The visa-free regime for Russians implies that no additional documents other than a passport are required to enter and stay in Armenia for a certain period of time. 

How long can a Russian citizen stay in Armenia?

According to the rules of the visa-free regime between Russia and Armenia, citizens of the Russian Federation can stay in Armenia without a visa for 180 days during the year. If you plan to stay in the country longer, you can register : migration police department at your place of residence. To do this you will need a passport and rental agreement. It is best to ask the property owner to be present during registration to confirm that you actually live at the address you provided. The registration process may take several days.

If your landlord does not agree to come with you to the passport office, this can lengthen the process by a couple of weeks (or even 3-4 weeks). You also need to be prepared for the fact that the local district police officer can check whether you really live at the specified address. 

The registration mark is placed in the foreign passport or on a separate sheet if you arrived using an internal passport. It is important not to put any extraneous marks on your internal Russian passport, as this may invalidate it.

Many foreigners living in Armenia practice this method of extending the legal period of stay in the country as a visa run. To do this, it is enough to cross the border of another country —, for example, go to Georgia for the weekend. Upon returning to Armenia, the period of stay begins anew. We talked about visaran in detail in another article.

What documents are needed for entry?

To enter Armenia you will need a foreign or internal Russian passport.

What do you need to enter Armenia with a child?

Children, including infants, need their own passport to travel to Armenia. Children under 14 years of age who have not yet received a Russian passport can enter the country only with their own international passport. It will not be possible to enter the child into your document and cross the border (this was possible with an old-style passport); a birth certificate will not work either, although it is better to take it with you.

If a minor child is traveling alone or is accompanied by an adult who is not their parent, adoptive parent, guardian or custodian, consent to travel abroad will be required. For example, such consent is required when traveling with a grandmother or brother. The consent document must be notarized.

We wrote more about traveling to Armenia with a child in a separate article.

Is it possible to transit through Armenia?

For transit through Armenia, as well as for entry, Russian citizens do not require a visa and coronavirus documents, however, this list may be required to be presented upon arrival in the country of destination. There is no common border between Russia and Armenia, but you can enter Yerevan through Georgia - in this case you will need a passport. In any case, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the rules and requirements of the country that will be the end point of your trip before traveling.

Road to Armenia

You can get to Armenia from Russia in at least three different ways:

• by car: although there is no common border between Russia and Armenia, you can enter Yerevan through Georgia. According to Yandex.Maps, the journey from Moscow to Yerevan will take about 31-34 hours (excluding the time spent going through border control). Entry rules described here;
• by bus: travel from Moscow to Yerevan will take approximately two days;
• by plane: from Russia you can fly direct flights to Yerevan from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg and other cities. There are also direct flights from Moscow to Gyumri.
  

What else is important to know?

Visa, Mastercard, American Express and JCB cards issued in Russia are not accepted in Armenia due to sanctions. However, cards of the MIR payment system are accepted at VTB Armenia bank. You won't be able to pay with them in cafes and restaurants. TYandex services work, they understand Russian, and you can also open a bank card, which will operate worldwide.