What documents do I need to move to Armenia as a Russia citizen?

Typical pathway: Visa Free

Last verified: August 5, 2026

Valid Russian internal passport (общегражданский паспорт РФ) (before) — Source: Migration and Citizenship Service of Armenia (migration.mia.gov.am)
Russian citizens may cross into Armenia on the internal Russian passport under the CIS/bilateral regime; note it is accepted for air arrivals in practice, so an international passport is safer for land/mixed routes and for onward travel. If you enter on the internal passport, a notarized Armenian translation of it will later be demanded by almost every Armenian authority.
Valid Russian international passport (загранпаспорт) (before) — Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia (mfa.am)
Preferred travel document: no visa is needed for Russian citizens, and entry is granted on presentation of the passport alone. Recommended validity of at least 6 months remaining; it is also the document banks, notaries and the Migration Service work with most easily. Verify current validity expectations with the border service, as practice may differ by crossing point.
Proof of accommodation for the first stay (before) — Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia (mfa.am)
Hotel booking or landlord/host details covering the initial days. Border officers may ask where you will stay; the same address is later reused for address registration, so obtain the host's or owner's contact data in writing.
Proof of sufficient funds / onward travel evidence (before) — Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia (mfa.am)
Bank statement, card, cash or a return/onward ticket. Not a formal visa-free condition, but border officials may request it at their discretion — verify with the Armenian border service as practice varies by crossing point.
Russian birth certificates of accompanying children (before) — Source: Migration and Citizenship Service of Armenia (migration.mia.gov.am)
Originals for each minor travelling with you. Needed later for the child's Public Services Number and for school enrolment; if you entered on internal passports, the birth certificate must also be translated into Armenian and notarized.
Russian marriage certificate (original, with apostille) (before) — Source: Migration and Citizenship Service of Armenia (migration.mia.gov.am)
Required only if you will apply for family-based residence status or register a spouse/family member on a residence application. Armenian authorities require civil-status documents to be apostilled and translated into Armenian, so obtain the apostille in Russia before departure.
Russian criminal record certificate (справка о несудимости) with apostille (before) — Source: Migration and Citizenship Service of Armenia (migration.mia.gov.am)
A home-country police clearance is commonly requested in residence-status files and for some regulated employment; it cannot be obtained conveniently from abroad, so request it with apostille before leaving. Note: it is not on the core statutory list for every residence ground — verify against the Migration and Citizenship Service checklist for your specific ground.
Passport entry stamp / border crossing record (during) — Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia (mfa.am)
The stamp placed in your document at the border is your proof of legal entry and start date of the visa-free period; Russian citizens may generally stay up to 180 days within one year. Check the date and duration on the stamp immediately, as overstay leads to fines and possible entry bans, and the stamp is required when applying for a Public Services Number.
Notarized Armenian translation of your Russian passport (during) — Source: https://english.hartak.am/guides/address-registration/
A translation of the exact document you entered on, certified by an Armenian notary. Explicitly required from Russian citizens for address registration, and required for the Public Services Number if you crossed the border on the internal passport.
Notarized residential lease agreement (during) — Source: https://english.hartak.am/guides/address-registration/
A lease for your Armenian home, notarized (and ideally cadastre-registered), naming you as tenant. It is the standard proof of housing for address registration and is distinct from the owner's consent document.
Property owner's consent plus copy of the owner's passport (during) — Source: https://english.hartak.am/services/326540e7-8e18-4671-8bb1-8d3a32a13330/offline_book_visit/
Written consent from the landlord (notarized if the owner cannot attend in person, and from all co-owners if the property is jointly owned), naming the persons to be registered, together with a copy of the owner's identity document.
Address registration (grantsoum) application and state fee receipt (during) — Source: https://english.hartak.am/guides/address-registration/
Filed at the territorial Passport and Visa Department / Migration and Citizenship Service, usually via appointment through the Hartak or migration.e-gov.am portal; state fee around 1,000 AMD. For Russian citizens staying under 180 days in a calendar year, address registration alone can legalise presence for work purposes without a residence card.
Police certificate confirming actual residence at the address (during) — Source: https://english.hartak.am/guides/address-registration/
Where housing documents are incomplete or occupancy is doubted, the police verify actual residence at the declared address within about 5 working days and issue a confirmation that closes the registration file.
Public Services Number (PSN/SSN) certificate (during) — Source: https://migration.mia.gov.am/en/certificates-and-documents-from-the-state-population-register
A 10-digit identifier issued to foreigners legally present in Armenia, obtained in person at a Migration and Citizenship Service subdivision or online with strong authentication; for foreigners it is issued as a stamped paper certificate rather than a card. Needed for employment, banking, taxes and public services, and a certificate of lawful residence cannot be printed without it.
Armenian bank account opening file (during) — Source: Central Bank of Armenia (cba.am)
Bank onboarding typically requires the passport, the Public Services Number and proof of your Armenian address; banks generally ask for the PSN as part of identification, so obtain it first. Exact document lists differ by bank — confirm directly with the chosen bank.
Employment contract with an Armenian employer (after) — Source: https://workpermit.am/en/home
As an EAEU national you are exempt from a work permit, but a signed employment agreement is the substantive basis for the certificate of lawful residence and for payroll/tax registration by the employer.
Certificate confirming the legality of stay (EAEU certificate) (after) — Source: https://workpermit.am/en/home
The EAEU alternative to a work permit for Russian citizens working in Armenia beyond the short-stay period: the employee applies through the EAEU section of workpermit.am (the employer must first be registered on the platform). Application items include the PSN, passport copy, employment agreement, Armenian residence address and a 35x45 mm photo; it is normally issued for the contract term or one year.
Temporary residence status application file (1-year residence card) (after) — Source: https://migration.mia.gov.am/en/residency-status-and-visa
Filed in person by appointment at the Migration and Citizenship Service, 14 Tairov Street, Yerevan, for grounds such as study, business, family or Armenian descent; the card is issued for up to one year and is renewable. Core file: application form, passport with notarized Armenian translation, photos, health certificate, proof of legal stay and evidence of the chosen ground; state fee reported at AMD 105,000 — confirm the current fee and checklist with the Service, and note that procedures move to the digital permits.am system under the reform effective 1 November 2026.
Biometric photographs, 35x45 mm (after) — Source: https://migration.mia.gov.am/en/residency-status-and-visa
Recent colour passport-style photos (three copies are typically requested for a temporary residence file, one for the EAEU certificate application). These are separate from passport photocopies and must meet the size specification.
Medical/health certificate for the residence file (after) — Source: https://migration.mia.gov.am/en/residency-status-and-visa
A health certificate on the form accepted by the Migration and Citizenship Service, normally issued by an Armenian clinic after arrival. A missing or wrongly formatted medical form is a frequent cause of delay — confirm the accepted issuing institutions with the Service.
Residence status renewal or replacement application (after) — Source: https://migration.mia.gov.am/en/residency-status-and-visa
Renewal must be filed roughly 30 days before the card expires; a lost card can be restored and a card must be replaced if it becomes unusable or if you change your passport, by applying in person or via a representative at 14 Tairov Street.

Not legal advice. Based on cached research — verify with official sources before making decisions.

Want a personalized plan? Start free →