Alexander Pracht
Armenia will have completed about 40% of the work required for visa-free travel to the European Union by the time it begins issuing biometric passports on November 1, Interior Minister Arpine Sargsyan told CivilNet in an interview on Monday.
The EU presented its visa liberalization action plan for Armenia last November, essentially a list of extensive requirements that Armenia must fulfill before its citizens can be granted visa-free entry for short, non-immigrant trips.
Also read: EXPLAINER: Can Armenia achieve visa-free travel to EU?
Sargsyan said the most challenging and time-consuming requirement is the creation of an integrated border management system, as it involves extensive cooperation among multiple state institutions, including security and tax agencies and the police.
“Our European partners would like to be sure that Armenia manages its borders efficiently and knows who enters and leaves the country, traveling between Armenia and the European Union,” Sargsyan explained.
The minister also said that both the action plan and the government’s program recognize that Armenia will need to gradually take full control of its borders in the coming years.
This is a reference to Russian border guards, who have been stationed along most of Armenia’s borders with Iran and Turkey since the early 1990s. They were removed from Yerevan’s Zvartnots Airport in 2024 and from Armenia’s only border checkpoint with Iran last year. Russian border guards now patrol border areas but are no longer involved in identity checks or customs procedures.
Sargsyan also argued that visa liberalization negotiations are a step toward eventual EU membership, although Armenia is not actively seeking membership at this time.
Also read: Armenia to apply for EU membership ‘soon,’ says Pashinyan
“Visa liberalization is a step in that direction, however, because membership requires introducing different standards that align with EU policy,” the interior minister said.
Sargsyan said the requirements also include measures to combat organized crime.
“In that regard, [the action plan] focuses on drug enforcement, money laundering and cybercrime,” Sargsyan explained.
She added that human rights are another important aspect of the process.
“When European nationals visit Armenia, our law enforcement should treat them appropriately, considering cultural differences,” Sargsyan said.
Also read: HRW flags mixed progress on human rights in Armenia
The European Union is a common travel area, meaning visa-free travel would allow Armenian nationals to travel freely across all 27 member states. However, this would only apply to short-term visits. Most Eastern European countries, including Serbia, Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia have already been granted visa-free regime.
Currently, citizens of EU member states can enter Armenia visa-free and stay for up to six months, meaning that visa-free travel to the EU would be a unilateral change in the current arrangements.
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