Ukrainian Citizens Seek Asylum in Armenia: Their Numbers Revealed

Due to the Russian-Ukrainian situation, the number of citizens coming to Armenia from both Russia and Ukraine has significantly increased. Over 200 citizens of Ukraine, more than half of whom are ethnically Armenian, have already applied for asylum in Armenia.

Nelli Davtyan, the head of public relations for Armenia's migration service, emphasized in a conversation with Armenpress that citizens coming from Russia are exempt from the requirement for work permits and residence status as they are citizens of an EAEU member state. They have the right to stay in Armenia for up to 180 days without any restrictions.

“If their employment lasts longer, the migration service issues them a document confirming their legal residency and work in Armenia. This is provided in the form of a plastic card and is issued free of charge within a relatively short period of 1 week to 10 days,” explained Davtyan.

The application must be submitted online via the workpermit.am website. The card is issued based on the length of the employment contract; for instance, if a Russian citizen signs a five-year contract with a company in Armenia, they receive a five-year certificate. If the contract is indefinite, the certificate is issued for one year with the possibility of extension.

In the first quarter of this year, 142,117 Russian citizens arrived in Armenia, compared to 43,045 Russians who came in the same period last year. Notably, in January of this year, 47,381 Russian citizens entered Armenia, followed by 40,036 in February and 54,700 in March. In the first quarter of 2022, 138,111 Russian citizens left Armenia. The difference, indicating the balance of border crossings, is around 4,000.

However, Davtyan highlighted that this does not mean there were only 4,000 Russian citizens in Armenia over the quarter. “That figure is small because the outflow of Russian citizens was very high in January and February. It is possible that the outflow reflects Armenian migrant workers who hold Russian citizenship and go to work in Russia during the spring and winter,” she noted.

In January, 55,125 Russian citizens left Armenia; in February, 38,548; and in March, 44,438. The difference between the entries and exits of Russian citizens was negative in January, but a significant influx was observed in February and March, resulting in a positive net difference of approximately 4,000. For example, according to the state registry of legal entities, the quarterly number exceeded 1,500. Davtyan pointed out, “It is unlikely that 1,500 out of 4,000 would be registered as legal entities. In reality, that number is much higher.”

Regarding Ukrainian citizens, 5,938 arrived in Armenia in the first quarter of this year, compared to 2,531 during the same period last year. The distribution for this year is as follows: 2,079 Ukrainians entered in January, 1,597 in February, and 2,262 in March. However, data for the quarter reveals that 5,631 Ukrainians left Armenia. The balance of border crossings stands at 307, while in the first quarter of 2021, the balance was only 68. Importantly, the difference was negative again in both January and February this year but turned positive in March. Among the approximately 300 Ukrainian citizens remaining in Armenia, around 200 have sought asylum.

Among those seeking asylum in Armenia are ethnic Armenians. “Currently, we have over 200 such applications, with 60% being ethnically Armenians and 40% ethnic Ukrainians,” Davtyan stated. Once granted refugee status, these individuals will have the legal right to reside in Armenia and will be provided with a convention travel document, valid in about 160 countries that follow similar asylum procedures. No decisions have been made yet regarding the Ukrainian citizens who have applied for asylum in Armenia, and the process is similar to that of other asylum seekers. A decision is expected within three months. Once a precedent decision is made, subsequent cases will be processed more quickly.