Armenia: Information on whether an ethnic Russian born in Armenia in 1963 and who left Armenia in 1979 has the right to apply for Armenian citizenship
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 May 1994 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | AMN17364.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Armenia: Information on whether an ethnic Russian born in Armenia in 1963 and who left Armenia in 1979 has the right to apply for Armenian citizenship, 1 May 1994, AMN17364.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6abb54c.html [accessed 1 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
The following information was provided by a representative of the Armenian Embassy in Washington, DC on 9 May 1994.
An ethnic Russian who was born in Armenia in 1963 and who left the country in 1979 can apply for Armenian citizenship. However, since Armenia does not have a law on citizenship, it is difficult to predict whether his or her application would be accepted.
Until a citizenship law is enacted, the 1990 Declaration of Armenian Independence provides the only legal basis for citizenship in Armenia. Under the 1990 declaration, all persons currently residing in Armenia are recognized as citizens of Armenia. The declaration does not contain any provisions on the status of individuals born in Armenia but residing outside the country.
According to a guideline issued by the clemency section of Citizenship and Awards, a special division within the president's office, individuals born in Armenia but currently residing outside the country can apply for Armenian citizenship at their nearest Armenian diplomatic mission.
To obtain Armenian citizenship, an applicant is required to complete an application form and submit the following documents: a letter describing his or her reasons for applying, a copy of all of the pages of his or her passport if he or she holds a passport from one of the former Soviet republics, an autobiography providing personal information of the applicant such as date and place of birth, place of schooling, etc and 2 passport-sized photographs. The current processing fee is US$100.
Once the requirements are fulfilled, the application will be forwarded to the clemency section of Citizenship and Awards in Armenia to be processed. It will then be submitted to the Armenian parliament for decision.
The representative was unable to provide details on the amount of time required for an application to be processed. The source stated that applicants for Armenian citizenship will likely have to wait until the nationality law is adopted before they receive a reply.
For information on the draft law on nationality, please refer to the attached excerpt from the UNHCR's Nationality Laws in Former USSR Republics.
This response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.
Reference
Embasssy of the Republic of Armenia, Washington, DC. 9 May 1994. Telephone interview with representative.
Attachment
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Regional Bureau for Europe. July 1993. Nationality Laws in Former USSR Republics, pp. 12-14.
