90 Days Instead of 6 Months: The Deadline for Discussing Armenian Citizenship Applications to Be Reduced

During a meeting of the Permanent Commission on State and Legal Issues of the National Assembly, Ara Fidanyan, the Deputy Chief of Police of Armenia, presented a draft law on amendments and changes to the Law on Armenian Citizenship.

The adoption of the draft law will ensure the full realization of the right to obtain Armenian citizenship in a simplified manner for individuals of Armenian descent, as enshrined in the Constitution of Armenia. The deadline for discussing citizenship applications will be reduced from 6 months to 90 working days.

Individuals who obtain Armenian citizenship will have the right to apply for an Armenian passport through authorized bodies in Armenia, as well as at embassies and consulates operating in foreign countries.

The provisions of the Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness will be adequately ensured. This will eliminate the possibility of a former Armenian citizen being in a stateless status after losing Armenian citizenship and before acquiring citizenship of another country, thereby preventing the risk of remaining without identification documents to exercise their rights.

The process of administrative procedures regarding the acquisition and termination of citizenship will be regulated, addressing issues arising in the application of these legal practices. During the discussions, lawmakers also referred to the procedures for acquiring citizenship of a foreign country, simplifying administrative procedures related to citizenship matters, and implementing documentation flows through electronic platforms, which will ease the lives of citizens.