The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia has announced a temporary visa exemption for nationals of 111 specified countries who hold valid residence permits from select jurisdictions, effective from 1 July 2026 to 1 July 2027.1
WHY THIS MATTERS
This development significantly eases entry requirements for eligible globally mobile employees and business travelers from specific listed countries. Organizations with internationally mobile talent may experience reduced administrative burden and lower costs related to Armenian business travel and short-term assignments.
Key Highlights
Eligibility criteria
- The individual is required to be a national of one of the 111 specified countries (please check the endnotes for more details).
- The individual is required to hold a valid residence permit (physical card or passport sticker) from the United States of America, European Union Member States, Schengen Area States, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, or Oman.
- The residence permit is required to be valid for at least six months from the date of entry into Armenia.
Documentation requirements
- The residence permit is required to be presented as a physical card or as a sticker in the passport.
- The document should include, in Latin script: document title, given name, surname, nationality, date of birth, and validity period (in Gregorian calendar format, e.g., 18.06.2027 or 18 JUN 2027).
- Armenian border authorities retain discretion to recognize the document based on these criteria.
Permitted duration of stay
Eligible travelers may stay in Armenia for up to 180 days within a one-year period.
Countries included
Algeria | Angola | Antigua and Barbuda | Bahamas | Belize |
Benin | Bhutan | Bolivia | Bosnia and Herzegovina | Botswana |
Brunei Darussalam | Burkina Faso | Burundi | Cabo Verde | Cambodia |
Cameroon | Canada | Central African Republic | Chad | Chile |
Colombia | Comoros | Congo | Costa Rica | Côte d'Ivoire |
Cuba | Democratic People's Republic of Korea | Democratic Republic of the Congo | Djibouti | Dominica |
Dominican Republic | Egypt | El Salvador | Equatorial Guinea | Eritrea |
Eswatini | Ethiopia | Fiji | Gabon | Gambia |
Ghana | Grenada | Guatemala | Guinea | Guinea-Bissau |
Guyana | Haiti | Honduras | India | Indonesia |
Iraq | Israel | Jamaica | Jordan | Kenya |
Kiribati | Lao People's Democratic Republic | Lebanon | Liberia | Libya |
Madagascar | Malawi | Malaysia | Maldives | Mali |
Mauritania | Mauritius | Mexico | Micronesia | Mongolia |
Morocco | Mozambique | Namibia | Nauru | Nepal |
Nicaragua | Niger | North Macedonia | Pakistan | Palau |
Paraguay | Peru | Philippines | Rwanda | Saint Kitts and Nevis |
Saint Lucia | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Senegal | Seychelles | Sierra Leone |
Solomon Islands | Somalia | South Africa | Sri Lanka | Suriname |
Syrian Arab Republic | Thailand | Timor-Leste | Togo | Trinidad and Tobago |
Tunisia | Turkmenistan | Tuvalu | Uganda | United Republic of Tanzania |
Vanuatu | Venezuela | Viet Nam | Zambia | Zimbabwe |
State of Palestine |
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KPMG INSIGHTS
In light of this development, employers and mobile employees might wish to consider:
- Employers could identify employees and business travelers who may now qualify for visa-free entry to Armenia under the temporary exemption.
- Employers may review traveler tracking processes and internal mobility communications so that eligible individuals are informed of the new documentation and validity requirements before travel.
- Travelers should consider verifying that their residence permit is available in the required format and contains the required Latin-script information before departure.
If assignees and/or their programme managers have any questions or concerns about the scope of the update, its application and potential impacts, and appropriate next steps, they should consult with their qualified professional or a member of the GMS team with KPMG in Armenia (see the Contacts section).
ENDNOTE:
1 Consular Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia, “List of 111 countries for temporary visa exemption,” published on 30 June 2026.
Contacts
Disclaimer
* Please note the KPMG International member firm in the United States does not provide immigration or labour law services. However, KPMG Law LLP in Canada can assist clients with U.S. immigration matters.
The information contained in this newsletter was submitted by the KPMG International member firm in Armenia.
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