Partial reopening of Armenia–Turkey border expected, no date announced yet
Armenia–Turkey border reopening expected
Amid media reports about the imminent reopening of the Armenia–Turkey border, a group of Armenian officials visited the Margara border checkpoint. They again said the checkpoint on the Armenian side stands fully ready for operation. Official Yerevan has repeated this position since December 2023.
According to local media, the border may open on 1 February for third-country nationals and holders of diplomatic passports. Armenia’s and Turkey’s special envoys for normalisation reached this agreement back in July 2022. The sides have yet to implement it.
Official Yerevan neither confirms nor denies reports of a partial reopening in the coming days.
“I can only repeat what has been officially announced: Turkey is restoring the Alican border checkpoint [on the Turkish side of the border],” Armenia’s special envoy for normalisation, Ruben Rubinyan, told reporters.
Turkologist Nelli Minasyan does not rule out that Ankara may take concrete steps in response to progress in Armenian–Azerbaijani relations. She points in particular to agreements on unblocking a route linking Azerbaijan with its exclave of Nakhchivan under the TRIPP project.
“Turkey advances its strategic interests. If Azerbaijan seeks tactical gains at any given moment, Turkey focuses on strategic issues. Above all, Ankara wants to expand its influence,” she said.
Turkey officially recognised the Republic of Armenia in 1991, but the two countries have yet to establish diplomatic relations. In 1993, Turkey unilaterally closed its air and land borders with Armenia. Turkey reopened the air border in 1995, and Armenia’s foreign ministry says this happened “under pressure from the international community”.
Talks on normalising Armenian–Turkish relations intensified after the second Karabakh war. The sides conduct the normalisation process in a bilateral format. At the same time, the Turkish side openly says it coordinates the negotiating agenda with Azerbaijan.
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Armenia’s foreign ministry has so far reported only an easing of visa procedures
At the end of 2025, Armenia’s foreign ministry announced that Armenia and Turkey had decided to simplify visa procedures for holders of diplomatic, special and service passports. From 1 January 2026, they will be able to obtain electronic visas (e-visas) free of charge.
“In this context, Armenia and Turkey once again reaffirm their commitment to continuing the process of normalising relations between the two countries, with the aim of achieving full normalisation without any preconditions,” the ministry said. Armenia–Turkey border reopening expected
‘I do not want to harm the ongoing process’
Armenia’s deputy parliamentary speaker and special envoy for normalisation with Turkey, Ruben Rubinyan, declined to comment on possible developments.
“My experience with the normalisation process with Turkey suggests it is better to wait until something actually happens and only then make announcements. I do not want to harm the ongoing process in any way,” Rubinyan said.
He reiterated Yerevan’s position. Armenia, he said, stands ready “to open the borders and establish diplomatic relations as soon as tomorrow”. Armenia–Turkey border reopening expected
‘The checkpoint is ready to carry out customs procedures‘
During an inspection of the Margara border checkpoint, Rafael Gevorgyan, deputy chair of Armenia’s State Revenue Committee, said:
“The border checkpoint is fully equipped from a technical standpoint and has everything needed to control passengers and cargo. The checkpoint is ready to carry out customs procedures.”
He added that the State Revenue Committee has already decided which staff members will handle customs procedures at the checkpoint.
Inspection of the Margara border checkpoint – Armenpress photos
Aram Petrosyan, head of the department for customs service and state border control, also confirmed that the checkpoint is ready for operation, as a partial reopening of the Armenia–Turkey border is expected. Armenia–Turkey border reopening expected
“The checkpoint has X-ray equipment required for physical inspection of passengers’ luggage, as well as electronic scales. It is also equipped with systems to inspect cargo transported by vehicles,” he said.
Robert Garsoyan, head of a border control unit at Armenia’s National Security Service, noted that staff already maintain a round-the-clock presence at the checkpoint. He said that as soon as the border opens, officers will begin carrying out their assigned tasks immediately.
‘Opening the border with Turkey will help access new markets’
Armenia’s deputy economy minister Anushik Avetyan also took part in the inspection of the Margara checkpoint. She said the reopening of the border would have a positive impact on the economy. She added that the fastest effect would come from an increase in tourist flows.
Avetyan noted that Armenia has no access to the sea. At the same time, two of its four borders — with Turkey and Azerbaijan — remain closed. She said closed borders raise logistics costs, limit competition and create serious obstacles for Armenian businesses, especially when they try to reach global markets.
“With the opening of the border with Turkey, transport costs will fall, supply chains will become simpler, and businesses will gain broader access to markets,” Anushik Avetyan said.
She believes the reopening will allow Armenia to reach new markets and diversify its exports.
“Some expert studies forecast a 20% increase in investment flows not only into Armenia, but into the region as a whole,” she said.
Avetyan also expects expanded export opportunities to the European Union, particularly for industrial goods.
“More active transit flows and shorter supply chains benefit all stakeholders. This will increase the region’s competitiveness and attractiveness within international trade routes,” she said. Armenia–Turkey border reopening expected
Context: what Armenia’s and Turkey’s special envoys have agreed
In December 2021, Yerevan and Ankara announced their readiness to take steps towards normalising relations. They appointed special envoys to coordinate the process — Ruben Rubinyan for Armenia and Serdar Kilic for Turkey. Since 2022, the two have met six times. Four meetings took place abroad, one on the Armenia–Turkey border, and the most recent in Yerevan. After each meeting, both sides said they would continue dialogue without preconditions and reported progress on specific agreements.
At a meeting in Yerevan in September 2025, the sides agreed to speed up the implementation of a deal first reached in July 2022. That agreement focused on opening the Armenia–Turkey border to third-country nationals and holders of diplomatic passports.
During their latest rounds of talks, Rubinyan and Kilic also agreed to:
- carry out the necessary technical studies to restore and launch the Gyumri–Kars railway and a power transmission line;
- assess technical needs and ensure the operation of the Akhurik/Akyaka railway border crossing;
- mutually simplify visa procedures for holders of diplomatic and service passports.
So far, the sides have implemented only the agreement on easing visa procedures.
Armenia–Turkey border reopening expected
