«If you want to obtain Armenian citizenship, come live here» – Pashinyan to Armenians abroad

The Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, announced that the practice of granting Armenian citizenship to Armenians residing abroad should be discontinued. While presenting the government's plans for 2026-2031 in the National Assembly, Pashinyan noted that according to the Constitution, Armenians have the right to obtain citizenship under simplified procedures from the moment they relocate to Armenia.

He pointed out that currently, there are cases where Armenians permanently living abroad are receiving Armenian citizenship without moving to Armenia, and their passports are sent to their country of residence.

“We are distributing citizenship left and right, excuse my expression. Perhaps this was done in the past because the citizenship of our country did not have a high rating, but today it is rising. Furthermore, we need to align our legal practices with the Constitution,” Pashinyan declared.

The Prime Minister emphasized that if Armenians living abroad wish to obtain Armenian citizenship, they need to come and reside in Armenia.