1 / 3

The NA Standing Committee on Defense and Security debated in the first reading the package of draft laws providing for amendments and addenda to the Law on Foreigners and related laws at the sitting held on November 24. The RA Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Armen Ghazaryan noted that the main purpose of the legislative package is the digitalization of the entire process of granting residence status to foreigners.

The rapporteur noted that it is proposed to establish two types of resident status: temporary and permanent. The next proposed regulation relates to the regulation of labor and migration flows: it is proposed to introduce a quota system. The Government will annually determine the number of residence statuses by type and basis. The amounts of current state fees were also revised in accordance with the draft law. In particular, it is proposed to set a state fee of 150 thousand drams for considering an application to grant temporary residence status in the Republic of Armenia, as well as for issuing a resident card, instead of the current 105 thousand drams, and a state fee of 250 thousand drams for considering an application to grant permanent residence status and for issuing a resident card, instead of 140 thousand drams.

“In practice, these changes will significantly simplify the administration of foreigners in our country, completely moving it to digital domain. This will also significantly contribute to the rapid implementation of administration by administrative bodies,” Armen Ghazaryan noted.

The Deputy Minister answered the questions of the committee members. He also informed that the number of citizens who got all types of residence status in Armenia amounted to 12.491 people in 2024. Most of them are citizens of Russia, India, Iran, Georgia, Syria, Ukraine and other countries.

The co-rapporteur, Deputy Chair of the Standing Committee on Defense and Security Armen Khachatryan proposed his colleagues to vote in favor of the legislative package.

The Committee endorsed the legislative draft of the Government. The package of draft laws was proposed to be included in the draft agenda of the NA upcoming sittings.