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Refugee Status and Asylum

ArmeniaHumanitarian protection

Explore the five recorded questions, answers and sources for this pathway.

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Explore pathways in Armenia Read the five questions ↓

What exactly is this: asylum, temporary protection, humanitarian admission, resettlement or another protection mechanism?

This is asylum/refugee-status determination: a person requests protection in Armenia, and if recognised as a refugee, is granted refugee status and asylum.

See recorded sources
  • Applying for Asylum (Refugee Status)
    An asylum request is any oral, written, sign language or otherwise communicated statement made in person, expressing an individual’s desire to seek protection in the Republic of Armenia.

Which population, circumstances or geographic group does the mechanism cover?

It covers a foreign national who has left their country of origin or permanent residence owing to a well-founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion and cannot or will not return; it also covers a foreign national forced to leave their country owing to external aggression, internal conflicts, massive human-rights violations, widespread violence, or other serious events disrupting public order.

See recorded sources
  • Applying for Asylum (Refugee Status)
    A refugee is considered to be a foreign national who has left their country of origin or permanent residence due to a well-founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion, and, because of that fear, is unable or unwilling to return to that country.

Where can protection be requested, and is this a direct application, border/in-country request, referral or other process?

This is a direct request process: it may be submitted orally, in writing, in sign language, or through a face-to-face statement by other means, either at Armenia's official border crossing points and airports (to the Border Guard Troops of the National Security Service) or within Armenia (to the Migration and Citizenship Service or the Police of the Ministry of Internal Affairs), or, for a person in detention, to the administration of the detention facility within the legal time limits.

See recorded sources
  • Applying for Asylum (Refugee Status)
    An asylum request may be submitted either at border crossing points of the Republic of Armenia—to the Border Guard Troops under the National Security Service of the Republic of Armenia—or within the territory of Armenia, to the Migration and Citizenship Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Police of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, or, if the person is in a place of detention, to the administration of the detention facility, within the time limits defined by law.

What happens after the request: registration, family handling, major support and rights where officially stated?

After registration at the Migration and Citizenship Service, an interview is conducted to verify identity and the reasons for leaving the country of origin. The application is reviewed within 3 months (extendable by a further 3 months by MCS decision). The applicant is then informed of a decision granting or rejecting refugee status/asylum, obtainable directly from the MCS or by email. If a rejection is not appealed within two months, the person becomes an irregular migrant and must leave; if appealed, the person is an asylum seeker until the courts decide, may reside legally, access available services, and live in a Special Accommodation Center, with a right to free legal aid for the appeal via the Public Defender's Office of the Chamber of Advocates. The official source does not state family handling during the procedure.

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  • Requirements
    To acquire refugee status or asylum, it is necessary to submit an application in the prescribed form. After registration at the Migration and Citizenship Service (based on individual circumstances), an interview will be conducted with the applicant in order to verify their identity and gather information about the reasons for leaving their country.

Which competent authority, UN body or official assistance channel should the person use?

The competent authorities are the Migration and Citizenship Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Border Guard Troops under the National Security Service (at named crossing points: Bavra, Bagratashen, Meghri, Ayrum and Gogavan land/rail checkpoints, and Zvartnots and Shirak airports), and, for free legal aid on appeal, the Public Defender's Office of the Chamber of Advocates of the Republic of Armenia.

See recorded sources
  • Applying for Asylum (Refugee Status)
    To apply for asylum in Armenia, one may apply to the Border Guard Troops under the National Security Service of the Republic of Armenia at the following official border crossing points and airports:

These are the answers currently recorded in the catalogue. A missing or partial answer is not an eligibility decision.

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