Pashinyan’s government is proposing to make it significantly harder for ethnic Armenians abroad to obtain Armenian citizenship, introducing residency requirements and sharply higher fees.

Under the proposed changes, ethnic Armenians would need two years of lawful residence, including at least 366 days physically in Armenia. Those applying through an Armenian-citizen parent or child would need three years of lawful residence, including at least 549 days in the country.

The application fee would also rise fivefold, from AMD 50,000 to AMD 250,000.

The change directly affects a simplified citizenship route established in Armenia’s Constitution. Article 47 provides for simplified citizenship for Armenians by national origin, while Article 19 commits the state to strengthening ties with the diaspora, preserving Armenian identity and promoting repatriation.

It also comes amid a broader change in Armenia’s relationship with the diaspora under Pashinyan. In 2019, the standalone Ministry of Diaspora was abolished and replaced by the Office of the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs. Pashinyan has since promoted what he calls a more “state-centered” approach to Armenia-diaspora relations.

For Armenians abroad, citizenship is not simply a travel document. It provides a permanent legal connection to Armenia and can make future repatriation possible without requiring people to relocate first.

Other countries with large historic diasporas continue to recognize that principle. Serbia, Croatia and Hungary provide preferential citizenship routes based on national origin or descent without requiring ordinary long-term residence.

The proposed Armenian changes move in the opposite direction. Requiring ethnic Armenians to first establish residence in Armenia would bring a constitutionally simplified diaspora citizenship route closer to ordinary residency-based naturalization.

Coming after the abolition of the Diaspora Ministry, the proposal would further weaken one of the most direct institutional and legal ties between Armenia and millions of Armenians living abroad.

The amendments remain proposals, with an intended start date of January 1, 2028.