Armenia’s Internal Ministry has announced that from 1 November, the process of obtaining Armenian residence status will be digitalised and state fees for residence status will change. The ministry will also begin issuing new biometric identity documents in November amid visa liberalisation talks with the EU. On Tuesday, EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos said that Armenia is moving towards Europe. She highlighted the ongoing collaboration with the country and stated that Armenia is the only country with which they are discussing visa liberalisation. The latest moves are connected to the push for EU integration and are part of a number of significant administrative changes introduced by the government — which include an increase in fees to obtain a passport or citizenship. The state fee for temporary residence status will increase from ֏105,000 ($300) to ֏150,000 ($420). The fee for permanent residence status will increase from ֏140,000 ($390) to ֏250,000 ($700). The ministry says the changes are due to the introduction of a new biometric system and the need to modernise services for foreigners as well as to increase administrative efficiency. The ministry has also set a fee of ֏30,000 ($80) for issuing a certificate certifying the legality of residence. The work visa application fee will be ֏15,000 ($40). Previously, both services were free. The fee is non-refundable if your residency application is rejected. In recent years, Armenia has been at the recipient of several waves of immigration: including Russians and Ukrainians following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine; Iranians in the wake of the Iran-US war; and Indian migrant workers, attracted by a relatively easy residency process with no set financial requirements. According to the new regulations, applicants submitting their documents digitally must provide proof of financial means. It will no longer be possible to obtain a five-year residence permit immediately. Instead, applicants will first be issued a one-year permit, after which they will be able to apply for a five-year permit following three years of continuous residence. From November, Armenia will begin issuing new biometric identity documents, including passports and ID cards. The new biometric passports, which meet EU standards, will cost ֏28,650 ($80) instead of ֏25,000 ($70) and will be valid for 10 years. According to authorities, the new passports will improve document security, facilitate border crossings, and contribute to the free movement of Armenian citizens. The change is part of Armenia’s visa liberalisation process with the EU, which has been underway since September 2024. The EU requires countries to meet certain benchmarks before providing visa-free access to the Schengen area. Before its citizens received visa-free access to the EU, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine were tasked with meeting four blocks of requirements which tackled issues such as border management, migration and asylum, public order and security, and external relations and fundamental rights. The Interior Ministry is also discussing adding new requirements in the new regulations of citizenship for ethnic Armenians. During the press briefing on August, acting Deputy Interior Minister Armen Ghazaryan talked about the necessity of introducing additional requirements because the country ‘has zero requirements for diaspora Armenians to acquire citizenship’, while the current migration flow and citizenship applications show that the Armenian passport is used mostly as a travel document by diaspora Armenians whenever their country of residence is in trouble.