Citizenship of Armenia: why clients are increasingly choosing to relocate

16.01.2026

• 1. Client demand
• 2. Why Armenia
• 3. Naturalisation: key requirements
• 4. Citizenship by marriage
• 5. Tax aspect: the 1% regime for spouses who are sole traders and the naturalisation strategy
• Contact a lawyer for further information

1. Client demand

An increasing number of Russian citizens residing in Georgia are considering Armenia as a country for long-term residence. The possibility of subsequent naturalisation is currently becoming the key factor in choosing a country, rather than tax regimes or everyday convenience.

2. Why Armenia

Initially, Georgia was viewed by Russian citizens as an attractive relocation destination due to its long visa-free regime, allowing them to remain in the country for up to 12 months per year. By contrast, Armenia’s visa-free regime for Russian citizens is limited to 180 days per year and is not reset by crossing the border.
Russian citizens are increasingly considering long-term residence in their host country and are increasingly choosing Armenia over Georgia. The reasons for this choice are primarily linked to the conditions for legalisation and obtaining citizenship.

3. Naturalisation: key requirements

The key naturalisation requirements vary by country:

In Georgia:

• Lawful residence in the country for at least 10 years;
• Knowledge of the language, history, and the fundamentals of law;
• Employment, a business, real estate, or an interest in a Georgian company.

In Armenia, the requirements are:

• Lawful residence in Armenia for at least 3 years;
• Basic knowledge of the language and the Constitution.

An additional advantage of Armenia is its recognition of multiple citizenship, meaning it does not require renunciation of prior citizenship when acquiring a new one. Georgia also theoretically permits the retention of another citizenship, but only on the basis of a special decree of the President and in exceptional cases.

In addition, Georgia is characterised by greater unpredictability in the outcomes of applications for residence permits and naturalisation. Formally, an applicant may meet all the requirements for naturalisation, but there is still a high likelihood of refusal.

4. Citizenship by marriage

Marriage to a citizen of Georgia or Armenia provides concessions for naturalisation in both cases.

Thus, for naturalisation in Georgia, a spouse must:

• Have been married for at least 5 years;
• Have lawfully resided in the country for at least 5 years;
• Demonstrate knowledge of the language, history, and the fundamentals of law.

In the case of Armenia, a spouse must:

• Have been in a registered marriage for at least 2 years;
• Of which at least 365 days must be spent lawfully in Armenia.

Both countries consider the applicant’s immigration history and carry out due diligence checks. At the same time, due diligence checks in Georgia are more stringent, and the applicant is additionally screened for participation in political activities and ties to “radical political groups”.

5. Tax aspect: the 1% regime for spouses who are sole traders and the naturalisation strategy

Alongside the above, both Georgia and Armenia offer very attractive conditions for running a private business. Georgia has a 1% tax regime on turnover for sole traders, provided turnover does not exceed 500,000 lari (approximately $180,000) per year. Armenia provides a 1% turnover tax (up to $57,000 per year) not for all types of activity; however, among the activities eligible for this concession is IT.

Otherwise, the requirements for sole traders are the same: the preferential regimes apply individually to each spouse (they do not extend to both spouses) — that is, each of them registers as a sole trader and submits an application for the preferential tax regime separately.

In addition, the tax authority verifies the genuineness of the activity.
Accordingly, it is the naturalisation requirements that largely determine the choice of Armenia over Georgia.

 

Choosing a country for relocation and subsequent naturalisation requires a comprehensive legal assessment — from immigration status and family circumstances to tax and compliance risks. We advise on relocation, residence permits and citizenship in Armenia and Georgia, including assessing naturalisation prospects, supporting procedures, and developing an individual strategy tailored to the client’s objectives.

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Authors: Yaroslavna Zadesenskaya, Aleksei Molchanov.