Armenia temporarily waives visas for citizens of 113 countries
Armenia introduces visa-free regime with 113 countries
Armenia has decided to open its borders to a large number of tourists. From 1 January to 1 July 2026, citizens of 113 countries will be able to visit the country without a visa, giving them an opportunity to discover a new destination and get acquainted with Armenia without spending time obtaining a visa.
The measure applies in particular to citizens of the United States, EU and Schengen Area member states, as well as the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Oman. The full list of countries is available here.
Tourists who make use of the measure will be allowed to stay in Armenia for up to 180 days.
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“Information must be accessible outside the country”
Artyom Sirekanyan constantly receives guests from abroad. He is a linguist, but after a long and unsuccessful search for a suitable job, he began introducing European tourists to Armenia as a tour guide.
Sirekanyan offers his services on various online platforms and also cooperates with local travel agencies. He says Armenia greatly impresses tourists, but it is difficult to find interesting programmes for them lasting more than five to seven days.
“As a rule, guests stay in Armenia for about a week. In addition to traditional tourist spots and attractions such as Garni, Geghard and Lake Sevan, they prefer Dilijan, Vayk and Tatev – the monastery along with all its infrastructure. They also spend a day or two in Yerevan, visiting interesting restaurants, shopping and then leaving. Sometimes, by the way, they travel from Armenia to Georgia,” Artyom says.
According to him, the visa-free regime could become an additional incentive for tourism development, especially as the quality of service and the range of available services improve every year.
“Many people can simply take a backpack and travel to Armenia on budget flights. The visa process is a real headache for tourists. As far as I know, Armenia has already simplified the visa procedure, but a visa-free regime is even more attractive – particularly at this time of year.”
The guide notes that from January to July flights, hotels and other services are cheaper, while Armenia’s peak tourist season runs from July to September.
At the same time, he believes that allowing stays of 120–180 days is too long. Foreign visitors are unlikely to want to remain in the country for such a period.
“Armenia is an expensive country. Tourists I have worked with say it is more expensive than many European countries. This applies to food, clothing and services. After about five days, I notice they begin counting their money and looking for cheaper options. So I don’t think tourists will want to stay here for weeks or months.”
Artyom says that a few days ago he noticed discussions online about the possibility of travelling to Armenia without a visa.
“Participants in the discussion – tourists who had already been here – wrote that people should keep in mind they are travelling to an expensive country. They warned that it is better to check prices in advance. That is how I myself learned that Armenia had temporarily opened its borders. After that, I called the Tourism Committee to confirm it. It would be good if the committee carried out marketing campaigns on various social media platforms so that more people learn about this. If even we here do not know about the initiative, how will people abroad find out?”
“Armenia has much to offer tourists”
In response to a request from JAMnews, the Tourism Committee said the aim of the initiative is to boost tourism and encourage spontaneous travel. This includes short visits to different cities and family reunions, as well as business trips and longer exploratory journeys.
The government body believes that “Armenia, with its ancient monasteries, impressive mountain landscapes, developed gastronomic culture and rich traditions,” has much to offer travellers.
“From exploring Yerevan’s museums and urban cafés to hiking and visiting UNESCO World Heritage sites, the country offers diverse opportunities for leisure at any time of the year.”
“Visa waiver is more of an image move than an economic one”
Economist Arshavir Matevosyan believes Armenia is an attractive destination for foreign tourists.
“The diversity of landscapes, biodiversity, mountains and lakes, as well as remarkable hospitality. A tourist needs only a few overnight stays to visit different parts of Armenia. But hotel prices are high, unjustifiably inflated. Against this background, the guesthouse business has been developing in recent years. However, it is not yet fully formed and cannot meet the expected demand.”
In his view, state institutions should first have done their homework before introducing the visa waiver.
“They should have first addressed specific issues – from regulating taxi prices and service quality to monitoring the standards of hotels and restaurants. Many hotels and restaurants charging high prices, especially outside Yerevan, still cannot provide the level of quality that would satisfy visitors. Guesthouses offer better value for money, but unfortunately they still do not have wide enough geographical coverage.”
According to him, although the visa waiver has not been advertised as actively as it should have been, it will not go unnoticed.
“I even think that in the coming years this step will lead to new flows of tourists. This, in turn, will contribute to greater economic activity. Of course, there will be no economic boom. But it will have a positive impact on services, retail trade, tourism and related sectors. Their economic growth will continue, maintaining the pace of previous years. I see this decision more as an image move. It creates the impression that we are saying: long-awaited peace has arrived and we are opening the doors to foreigners.”
Armenia introduces visa-free regime with 113 countries
