Armenia unveils a no-stay, five-year investor fast track, retires “special passports,” and, as
Astghik Pepanyan says, enters “uncharted territory.” Armenia will overhaul its residency system
with a digital-first reform that introduces an investor fast track to permanent residence, aiming to
attract capital and modernize migration management. The changes take effect on August 1, 2026,
and will impact nearly all foreign residents, from investors and entrepreneurs to diaspora
Armenians returning home.
At the center of the reform is a new investment-based pathway that grants immediate permanent
residence, which will be issued as a five-year card with renewal options and no requirement for
physical presence to maintain the residence.