Interest in Armenian Citizenship Rising Among Ethnic Armenians Who Are Russian Citizens

YEREVAN  — Interest in obtaining Armenian citizenship has increased significantly among Russian citizens of Armenian descent, according to Armenia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs.

“Armenia has transformed from a country of emigration into one that is also both a transit country and a destination for migrants. This trend is continuing and even gaining momentum,” Acting Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Armen Ghazaryan said during a press conference.

According to Ghazaryan, the number of applications for Armenian citizenship has risen sharply in recent years.

“In 2025, the number of citizenship applications exceeded 32,000. This is the highest figure recorded in Armenia’s history. During each of the previous two years, the number exceeded 20,000, while in earlier years the average was between 7,000 and 8,000,” Ghazaryan said.

He noted that the majority of Russian citizens applying for Armenian citizenship are ethnic Armenians.

“In other words, this trend is primarily related to our Diaspora,” he said.

Ghazaryan added that, in some cases, Armenian citizenship is obtained primarily for the purpose of acquiring an additional travel document.

“If we look at the requirements for ethnic Armenians to obtain citizenship of the Republic of Armenia, those requirements are essentially nonexistent. In other words, there are no additional requirements,” he said.