The Armenian Police today issued a statement that in light of the large number of Armenians from Lebanon travelling to Armenia, the process for filing for citizenship has been streamlined and that applicants no longer need to prove that they have been living in Armenia legally for the past three years or pass a constitution and Armenian language proficiency exam.

According to the statement, applicants must submit the following to Republic of Armenia diplomatic missions or consular posts located abroad: an application form filled out in Armenian, their passport and a notarized translation, six color photos, their birth certificate and its notarized translation, and if the certificate is in a foreign language, documents certifying they are Armenian. These documents are specified elsewhere. There is also a 1,000 AMD processing fee.

“Citizenship applications are submitted in person, except for citizens recognized as incapacitated, in which case the application is submitted through a guardian. The applications are reviewed within six months and it is the President of the Republic of Armenia who grants the citizenship decree,” writes Irina Mkrtchyan, Head of the Legal Department of the Passport, Visa Department of the Police.

Deputy Head of Armenian Traffic Police Samvel Nersisyan points out that those holding a Lebanese driver’s license cannot legally drive in Armenia and must take a driving test in Armenia.

A written test, now only given in Russian and Armenian, must first be passed, followed by a road test.

Nersisyan writes that the written test will soon be offered in Arabic, Persian and English.