Armenia has removed the visa requirement for the citizens of the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the Sultanate of Oman, and for those with residence permits in a number of countries.
This decision was made during a cabinet meeting on May 22 with the aim to the boost tourism and investments into the country.
Nationals of the three Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries will no longer need to apply for visas to travel to Armenia and will be allowed to stay for up to 180 days within a year.
Moreover, individuals who have a residency permit in the United States, European Union (EU) countries, Schengen countries, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, or Oman will also be exempt from obtaining a visa to enter the country for 180 days during the year until December 31, 2025, for monitoring purposes.
Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said, “This change is justified by economic considerations. It is clear that through this change we will facilitate visits to our country and communication with our compatriots, and we will also increase investment attractiveness.”
He added that Armenia had waived the visa requirement for nationals of the UAE last year.
Economy Minister Kevork Baboyan also highlighted that the Armenian government is expecting a dramatic rise in tourist arrivals with this latest visa policy change. He said that the business environment welcomes this and expressed his hope that there will be more direct flights into the country in the near future.
Minister Baboyan added, “Our tourism strategy is almost ready. We have targeted the above-mentioned countries as our main markets. In particular, we expect the Middle East to become one of the main and leading markets. In recent years, tourist flows have been increasing, and the entry of potential investors has also become easier.”
