Moving & Living - Armenia - Complete Guide

01Choose a city around the journeys you will make

Begin with the address you must reach most often. AUA students have a different daily journey from someone working remotely or travelling to a regional workplace. Yerevan’s municipal city overview identifies its twelve administrative districts and continental climate. Inspect homes for both summer cooling and winter heating.

1. Mark work, school and a likely medical provider on a map.
2. Compare five homes in each candidate area using the full rent and charges, not the advertised headline alone.
3. Ask for recent utility bills and a video showing the entrance, staircase, windows and heating equipment.
4. Reserve initial accommodation, then repeat the commute in person before signing a longer lease.

Record the street and building number in Armenian as well as the spelling you use in English. Save an offline map and ask your host which entrance serves the apartment. This small preparation makes deliveries and the first taxi ride much simpler.

02Match your nationality and purpose to entry and residence

Use the MFA nationality lists and visa instructions first. Visitor admission, a residence document and permission for Armenian employment answer different questions. The general visa-free limit is up to 180 days within one year unless an agreement provides otherwise; it is not a universal allowance for every passport.

1. Find your citizenship on the applicable visa-free, visa or invitation-required list.
2. If using the temporary exemption running from 1 July 2026 to 1 July 2027, read its current 111-country list. A qualifying foreign residence permit must satisfy the specified issuing-country, validity and physical-document conditions.
3. Where eligible, apply through the official eVisa service. An invitation-required case follows the MFA’s designated process instead.
4. Choose the residence ground that reflects your activity: study, qualifying family circumstances, employment, actual business or Armenian-descent provisions. Gather its evidence before the visitor period expires.

Under the MFA residence categories, temporary status is granted for up to one year, permanent status for five and special status for ten. These are different categories with different eligibility tests, rather than successive entitlements for everyone.

Put the latest lawful-stay date and the planned application date in your calendar. Ask the Migration and Citizenship Service how your status is maintained while the application is processed; retain its response with the application receipt. A booked appointment or a business registration should not be treated as an automatic extension of visitor admission.

03Arrange the right employment or business process

For Armenian employment, give the prospective employer your nationality and proposed start date early. Workpermit.am combines the employer-led work-permission process with employment-based residence. EAEU workers have a specific exemption; it does not apply to every foreign employee.

1. Ask the employer who will handle its online registration and vacancy submission.
2. Agree the job, salary, hours and which party pays the application costs in writing.
3. After the relevant labour-market stage, supply your identity and supporting details through the employer’s application.
4. Follow the approval and collection instructions before relying on the employment arrangement.

The official employment-residence service allows up to fifteen working days for the labour consent stage. Its timings should not be read as a promise that the whole recruitment and residence process finishes in thirty days. Approved cards are collected at the Unified Office of Public Services, 3 Vazgen Sargsyan Street, following the notification.

If your income comes from abroad

The government remote-work guide describes remote work for foreign employers during lawful visitor or resident stays. Armenia has no dedicated digital-nomad visa. Decide with your employer how payroll, data access and tax responsibilities will work; a foreign contract does not remove the need for a lawful longer stay.

For an actual business, foreigners can register an individual entrepreneur in person with a passport, notarised Armenian translation and fee receipt. The paper-registration fee is AMD 3,000, reviewed 13 October 2026. Select the real activity and keep the registration extract. Agree the tax regime and filing arrangements before invoicing; business registration and residence approval remain separate tasks.

04Build two budgets and establish your tax position

Keep the move’s cash requirement separate from a normal month. A refundable deposit still ties up money, while a residence fee or translation charge is an expense. Obtain quotations in their original currency and record the date, quantity and what is included. No single national monthly estimate can describe a furnished Kentron apartment and a regional family home.

Residence fees straddle a November change

The 9 October fee announcement says the fee becomes non-refundable on rejection from 1 November. It does not explain the effect on every special or reciprocal category. US citizens have separate rates on the MFA page; confirm the applicable payment category before paying.

The State Revenue Committee’s tax-residence guidance uses 183 days in the calendar year or the centre of vital interests. Count arrival and departure days as full days. Do not substitute the visitor limit for this tax test or assume every short stay is tax-free. Ask how your salary, freelance invoices, pension or rental income is classified and whether a treaty applies.

The SRC’s published annual-declaration FAQ addresses a particular citizen declaration programme. Its scope is not an exemption from every foreigner’s tax obligations. Keep travel dates, income statements and foreign-tax records, and arrange the TIN and filings appropriate to your activity.

05Arrange education before committing to a neighbourhood

For children, start with the language of instruction, age, previous grade and the school journey. Bring school reports and ask the receiving school which translations and equivalence documents it needs. A convenient address is only useful if the education arrangement fits the child.

1. For first grade or high school, use the government school-enrolment service. Foreign-citizen parents can apply; first-graders must turn six by 31 December of the year, and the listed high-school age range is fourteen to seventeen.
2. Follow the ministry’s annual enrolment schedule. The service permits email registration without YesEm, but asks for PSN and personal information.
3. Complete the relevant subsystem and obtain the signed school contract. For a transfer into another grade or a mid-year arrival, contact the receiving school about that specific process.
4. For younger children, start with Yerevan’s municipal preschool registration information and the linked kindergarten portal. Registration should not be interpreted as a promised place.

The American University of Armenia, at 40 Marshal Baghramyan, is a practical university starting point. Its 2026 undergraduate admissions material identifies graduation records, transcripts, English proficiency and programme-dependent mathematics requirements. Apply through AUA’s own admissions service, rather than a residence application.

Ask which intake is accepting applications now; the Fall 2026 dates are already past at this guide’s review. Use the 2026–2027 tuition schedule to identify your category and contract terms. Budget student-service and insurance charges separately. AUA requires insurance for non-Armenian-citizen students; admission, funding and residence are separate decisions. Once accepted, obtain the enrolment evidence for your immigration file.

06Resolve the residence and care plan for retirement

Do not build a retirement move around a visa category that has not been established. The published residence categories do not provide a general pension-income retirement route. If you qualify through family, Armenian descent or another actual ground, prepare that case; owning savings or drawing an overseas pension should not be presented as an approval guarantee.

1. Compare your circumstances with the immigration grounds in step two. Ask the responsible service about the evidence for the category you would use.
2. Ask the pension administrator whether moving changes payment, reporting, proof-of-life or bank-account requirements.
3. Get an insurer’s written response about your age, existing conditions, prescriptions and any evacuation cover.
4. Visit the proposed home and test access to the building, pharmacy and the specialist care you require.

For a regional move, make a practical plan for appointments that might require travel to Yerevan. Include that transport and any overnight accommodation in the budget. An apartment with attractive views can be inconvenient if it depends on stairs you cannot comfortably manage.

State insurance is being introduced in stages. Being over sixty-five should not be treated as immediate coverage on the first day of a foreign retirement move. Establish your actual eligibility and the interval before cover begins with the Health Insurance Fund, then arrange private protection for that interval.

07Prepare the residence file, shipment and pet journey

Build the file around the Migration and Citizenship Service’s residence checklist. For a standard temporary application it lists three 35 × 45 mm photographs, the passport and copy, notarised Armenian translation, medical certificate, lawful-stay evidence and documents establishing the residence ground. The special-residence checklist is different; do not use its photograph count for every application.

1. Collect the family, education or business evidence your category actually needs.
2. Ask about authentication and translation for each issuing country and document type before paying for an apostille.
3. Keep originals in hand luggage and an encrypted scan set; carry the identity papers needed for children and their representatives.
4. Book separate appointments where required for each family member, including children. The current service says to prepare documents and the fee payment before booking.

Send belongings after resolving customs treatment

The repatriation customs-relief guide concerns specified citizens and special or permanent residents, not every temporary newcomer. Prepare an inventory with descriptions, quantities, weights and values, plus shipping records. The page gives conflicting absence tests—915 days in five years and 1,280 in seven—so ask MCS and SRC which test governs your application before sending a container. Obtain the applicable confirmation rather than choosing the more convenient number.

For pets departing the United States, USDA APHIS’s Armenia instructions cover up to five dogs or cats without additional special permission. The veterinarian’s certificate and APHIS endorsement must be completed within five days of travel. Read the linked health requirements with the accredited veterinarian and reserve the airline’s pet space. Other origins use their own competent veterinary authority; do not apply the US endorsement procedure to every country.

08Set up a usable address, phone and first-week schedule

At the border, use the entry documents appropriate to your nationality and route. Retain the evidence of admission and record the date. Keep your initial accommodation address, host contact and immigration file available without depending on an internet connection.

1. Confirm the airport pickup or accommodation transfer, including the meeting point and total charge.
2. Buy only the AMD cash you need initially from an identified bank or exchange service; keep the transaction receipt.
3. Set up a local phone connection and test calls, mobile data and one-time codes before leaving the service centre.
4. Review the next week’s appointments against travel time and the documents each appointment needs.

Use a service-centre visit to choose the appropriate phone plan rather than activating a random package. Viva, Ucom and Team are useful operators to compare. Ordinary connectivity and a digitally identified Mobile ID are separate arrangements; the latter needs the resident records explained in step nine.

Allow time to view homes and test journeys before filling every day with administration. Ask your host to show the apartment’s meter numbers, heating controls and emergency access arrangements. Save the landlord or manager’s number and a photo of the building entrance. If an application requires your current address, use the real accommodation details and ask how to update them after moving. Keep a dated list of every submission so a later address change does not leave you looking for an approval at the wrong place.

09Obtain the identifiers your next tasks require

Start with the Public Services Number

The PSN appointment service issues the free ten-digit identifier certificate. Book using email verification and select the office and time. Take your passport and copies, plus residence proof if held; the listed lawful-stay foreigner route requires a notarised passport translation. Use the appointment channel if you do not already have YesEm digital identification.

Keep the PSN separate from your residence document. Copy its digits carefully into employment or service forms and retain the certificate. It identifies you across services but does not by itself grant residence permission.

Register for tax when your activity requires it

The TIN service directs foreign residents to an SRC taxpayer service centre with their passport and PSN, or the official certificate of its absence. The application can be completed in English or Russian; this service is free. Ask the officer which tax and filing records accompany your income arrangement. Keep the issued TIN with the business extract or payroll documents.

Add Mobile ID if you need online transactions

The foreign-resident Mobile ID procedure uses PSN and accepted residence proof. It normally starts with registration at the Unified Office, 3 Vazgen Sargsyan Street, then a participating Team, Ucom or Viva service centre. Certain people who personally collected workpermit.am documents after 23 August 2024 and received the specified notification can skip that office visit.

The listed setup costs are AMD 500 for SIM reissue and AMD 3,000 for an annual electronic signature, reviewed 13 October 2026. A new phone plan is extra. Confirm the prerequisites before making the journey; an ordinary SIM is not automatically an electronic signature.

10Open an account suited to your passport and income

Contact a bank about its foreign-customer process before visiting. Ameriabank is one named starting point. Its public account-opening document list, effective May 2022, includes identity and address evidence for non-citizens, with additional income or banking records depending on circumstances. Because this list is dated, request the current checklist and tariff for your nationality and residence status.

1. Describe your occupation, source of funds, expected transfers and whether the account is personal or for a registered business.
2. Prepare identity, residence and address records, and any contracts, statements or tax documents the bank requests.
3. Ask for the account-opening charge, recurring fee, card charge and international-transfer costs in writing.
4. Confirm the currencies offered and obtain the exact beneficiary and correspondent-bank instructions for your first transfer.
5. Test a small payment, a cash withdrawal and mobile-banking access before moving your main balance.

Do not assume a promotional online account intended for Armenian identity documents also accepts your foreign passport. A branch review may be necessary, and an account is not guaranteed simply because another foreign customer opened one.

For business receipts, ask whether the personal account may be used or whether a separate business account is required. Keep invoices and contracts attached to transfer records. Compare conversion and recipient fees using the amount that actually arrives, not just the sender’s advertised fee. Maintain a second payment method during setup, and confirm card acceptance with the particular landlord, shop or provider rather than assuming every payment can be cashless.

11Sign a lease that also supports address registration

Inspect the building as well as the apartment. Test hot water, heating, windows and the lift; photograph existing damage and the inventory. Ask about winter energy use, building charges, maintenance and who answers if equipment fails. A furnished listing should become a written list of items handed over.

1. Identify the owner or authorised representative and the exact apartment. Review ownership or authority documents before transferring money.
2. Record the rent currency, payment date, deposit, refund conditions, notice period and any agreed agency commission. Ask for a receipt identifying what each payment covers.
3. Agree who pays utility balances from before your tenancy, current bills and repairs.
4. Discuss your address-registration route and obtain the necessary cooperation before signing.

The official address-registration service charges AMD 1,000 and uses the territorial MCS office. Its lease route asks for the Cadaster record of the right of use, not simply any privately signed rental paper. The owner-consent route needs the ownership record, identities and consent of all co-owners; absent owners’ consent must be notarised. Russian citizens have a specific passport-and-translation provision; other foreign applicants present lawful-residence evidence.

Request the checklist for your circumstances before the visit, especially for children or a first entry in the population register. The page also describes additional family records in certain cases. Keep the registration confirmation and update banks or services after changing address. If you cannot explain the lease language confidently, have an independent Armenian-speaking reviewer explain the obligations before payment.

12Establish coverage and a route to routine treatment

Armenia began a phased mandatory health-insurance system in January 2026. The official insurance guide describes citizenship or residence, presence of at least 183 days in the previous year and covered groups. Paid categories include employees earning at least AMD 200,001 monthly and individual entrepreneurs above the stated annual threshold. A new arrival should confirm personal eligibility with the Health Insurance Fund, rather than assume immediate coverage.

1. Arrange private cover for travel and any interval before local coverage begins. Declare existing conditions and ask about your actual medicines.
2. Confirm insurance status through ARMED or with a polyclinic; the fund’s hotline is 8866.
3. When covered, register with a polyclinic and book the family doctor. Obtain the required referral for specialist treatment.
4. Confirm that the chosen facility and service are included, and whether you owe a co-payment.

The published standard premium is AMD 10,800 monthly or AMD 129,600 annually, reviewed 13 October 2026. Actual payroll deductions vary by category and subsidy; this is not necessarily the extra amount removed from every salary.

For a private starting point, Nairi Medical Center accepts foreign patients and provides appointment contacts. It lists +374 10 537500; its address is 21 Paronyan Street, Yerevan. Ask about language, the specific consultation price and your insurer’s billing arrangement before booking. Take medical summaries and medicine names rather than relying only on a brand used abroad. Request the records and receipts needed to claim reimbursement.

13Connect the home and choose a transport ticket

At handover, photograph every meter and record each customer account number. Agree whether you pay existing accounts or need a formal change with the provider. A brand-new connection is a different task from taking responsibility for bills in an already connected apartment.

1. Use Electric Networks of Armenia’s application service when an electricity connection or the appropriate subscriber procedure is needed.
2. For water, use Veolia Jur’s official online services and its linked consumer system. Its website also provides offices and interruption notices. Match the account to the actual property before paying.
3. Ask the owner for the gas supplier’s account and the contract covering the heating equipment. Arrange any provider visit through the established account.
4. For home internet, obtain an address-specific installation quotation and test the service where you will work, not just beside the router.

As one dated mobile comparison, Viva’s current X prepaid plan displays AMD 5,500 per thirty days with 30 GB, reviewed 13 October 2026. Thirty days is not a calendar month; compare renewal timing and the calls you need before selecting it.

The official Yerevan transport site currently displays AMD 150 for one journey and AMD 9,000 for a thirty-day unlimited ticket. Its displayed schedule originates in 2025 and was reviewed here on 13 October 2026. The airport journey is listed separately at AMD 500; do not assume it is included in your pass.

Use the city ticket calculator and read the activation conditions. As a calculation, sixty single journeys at AMD 150 total AMD 9,000, matching the pass price before considering additional rides. Test your actual bus, trolleybus or metro connection and the accepted payment method before choosing the pass.

14Complete the first month and build a local routine

Give the first month a practical finish line: you can reach work or school, pay household bills, obtain care and explain where your applications stand. Keep a small record of unresolved tasks with the person or institution responsible and the next action. This makes follow-up more useful than repeatedly starting the same enquiry.

Choose one regular activity near your home: a language class, a campus event if you are a student, a professional gathering or a local walking routine. Attend consistently and learn the Armenian terms needed for your building, shopping and appointments. A familiar route and a few dependable contacts are more useful than a long list of groups you never visit.

Keep visa dates, residence-card validity, school deadlines and insurance renewals in one calendar, with reminders early enough to gather documents. Revisit the plan if you change employer, business activity or address. Finally, replace the estimated budget with receipts from your first month, separating one-off purchases from normal bills. That gives you a household plan based on your own life in Armenia.