Over 10,000 Karabakh refugees have received Armenian citizenship

The number of applications from refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh wishing to obtain Armenian citizenship has increased several times in recent months, the Migration and Citizenship Service of Armenia reported. The resettlers said they have to change their passports not only for the housing program, but also for employment.

As "Caucasian Knot" wrote, by July 2025, 9,346 refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh had received Armenian citizenship. The internally displaced persons were reluctant to submit applications for citizenship, believing that they were already citizens of Armenia and hoping to return to Nagorno-Karabakh. The Armenian authorities made citizenship a mandatory condition for participation in the housing program. By the end of July, the number of applications from refugees for Armenian citizenship had doubled, and the resettlers themselves called the change of passport a forced measure.

As of July 31, more than 10,000 Karabakh refugees have received Armenian citizenship, and 12,400 applications for citizenship have been submitted, the Migration and Citizenship Service of Armenia told the “Caucasian Knot” correspondent.

Human rights activist Artak Beglaryan noted that “passports received in Artsakh (the self-name of Nagorno-Karabakh), issued to residents of Artsakh by Armenia and confirming Armenian citizenship, are not recognized by the Armenian authorities.” He added that previously, a Karabakh passport with the code 070 limited people only in the right to vote in elections in Armenia, and “they could exercise all other rights.”

"Unfortunately, the Armenian authorities have put forward their own rules of the game, now the people of Artsakh are forced to go to passport offices. Obtaining citizenship is a mandatory condition set by the Armenian government for refugees: without it, forcibly displaced persons cannot work in the state system, law enforcement agencies or take advantage of the housing program. Also, Armenian citizenship is accepted by people who see their future in Armenia. But, unfortunately, social problems push them to leave Armenia, and there are more than 10 thousand such families," Beglaryan said.

The family of Gavrush Hayrapetyan from the Martuni region of Nagorno-Karabakh decided to accept Armenian citizenship in order to become beneficiaries of the state program for purchasing housing using certificates.

"We did not want to change our Karabakh passports with the code 070, since we believed that we were already citizens of Armenia. But the authorities put forward such conditions refugees, who had to go to the passport office with their whole family. We cannot buy housing on our own, even if we receive a certificate: I have a small family, and it is simply impossible to buy housing in those settlements of Armenia where there is life and work. We are also unable to rent housing without social support - there is no longer a “40+10” program, the entire family income goes to renting housing. Therefore, we decided to take citizenship for now. They said it will take two months. And then we will see, maybe we will be able to find something, at least some tiny housing," said the man, whose family consists of three people.

Karine Tsatryan from Nagorno-Karabakh said that in almost two years, all adult members of her family have found work. There are also students in her family. "We decided to change our passports, because without this we cannot use the certificates to purchase housing. We are not considering Yerevan, because real estate in the capital is becoming more expensive every day. But after the government announced that it is ready to provide 4 million drams to each refugee in some settlements, housing in these places has also become more expensive. We hope that we will be able to find something not so far from Yerevan, so as not to lose the job that I found with difficulty, and so that the children can continue their studies," the woman said.

Lusine Mnatsakanyan from Stepanakert said that she "changed her passport with the code 070 in order to get a job." "I don't even think about the housing program, because even with a certificate, it is impossible to buy housing in the cities of Armenia. I changed my passport to find a job in a government agency. My husband also changed his passport so that he could be hired by the authorities. Many of our friends don't even think about buying housing with certificates, since it is impossible, and we don't consider it acceptable to go to remote villages where there is no work and minimal infrastructure," the woman said.

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