Why Russian Migration Services Refuse to Register Armenian Citizens Due to Absence of Round Stamp in Passport: Response from Armenian Ministry of Internal Affairs

The Armenian Ministry of Internal Affairs has informed diplomatic services of foreign states operating in Armenia that starting from January 1, 2024, regular (non-biometric) Armenian passports will be issued without a note of validity in foreign countries.

In response to a written inquiry by Sputnik Armenia, representatives from the Migration and Citizenship Department of the Ministry reiterated this information.

Sputnik Armenia had sent a written request to both the Migration and Citizenship Department and the Minister of Internal Affairs in an attempt to understand why staff members from several Russian migration service offices refuse to register Armenian citizens who have departed for work abroad, citing the absence or expiration of the round stamp indicating validity in foreign countries.

Have our agencies tried to figure out what the issue is and why their official notification has not been acknowledged?

In response to these inquiries, the Ministry's Migration and Citizenship Department stated that "in October-November 2023, foreign affairs agencies of accredited countries were officially informed of the changes made by the Armenian diplomatic missions abroad." Moreover, the inquiry directed to the Minister of Internal Affairs was redirected to the Migration and Citizenship Department.

"The requirement for a note of validity in foreign countries has also been removed from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Timatic system. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia has published a message to inform citizens, which has been disseminated by numerous media outlets. Relevant information has also been posted on the official website of the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs," the department added.

For more details, refer to the original source.