Why do Russians choose Armenia for living and doing business?

Moving to Armenia

Recently, my wife worked as a psychologist and was involved in a social institution in Russia, focusing particularly on body-oriented therapy. We ran our own business in St. Petersburg, but in 2022 we decided to move. We chose Armenia because we had heard about the positive attitude towards Russian emigrants and the stable political situation in the country.

To better understand the new realities, we started gathering information online. Moreover, a close friend of my wife has family in Armenia, which also helped us obtain a lot of valuable firsthand information.

Interesting facts about Yerevan

Want to know more? Here are seven interesting facts about Yerevan for those looking for housing in this city.

Tax benefits for IT professionals

Last year, one of the significant factors that influenced our decision was that Armenia quickly responded to changes and introduced a special tax regime for information technology specialists, known as the IT license. Obtaining such a license is of great importance, as it allows for a zero tax rate for legal entities and offers preferences for payroll tax payments.

The process of obtaining a license is clearly outlined, and any foreign citizen, including Russians, can easily start their own business in Armenia.

Business registration

To register a legal entity and obtain an IT license, you can:

• to contact a law firm,
• or gather the necessary documents yourself and submit them to the Ministry of Economy, which is located on Komitas Avenue in Yerevan.

Documents can be translated into Armenian at any notary office located in the country. Next, it is necessary to open an account at one of the local banks, which can be quite a challenge as banking regulations are constantly changing.

Money transfers between Russia and Armenia

The conditions for money transfers between Russia and Armenia are becoming increasingly complicated: high fees, time restrictions, and direct bans on certain operations are emerging. However, there is a positive aspect: Russian citizens do not need to obtain a residence permit in Armenia.

Of course, having a residence permit can significantly simplify the process and open additional doors, such as the ability to open accounts in more stable Armenian banks. At the same time, even with temporary registration, you can stay in the country without any time restrictions.

You won't have to worry about "visarans" when you leave the country and return to extend your legal status. Even in this case, you won't need to update your registration, unless the landlord decides to remove you from the registry.

Conclusion

Thus, life in Armenia for Russians is transforming and becoming increasingly convenient and accessible.

Visa regime and obtaining a residence permit

When it comes to visa regulations and obtaining residency in Armenia, it's very important to know that you have the option to open a bank account on your own and take advantage of relocation services by reaching out to local specialists. We found the right experts through online resources, without resorting to intermediaries.

The process of registering at the place of residence

The procedure for registering at your place of residence here is quite convenient and won't take much time. To get registered, both the tenant and the property owner need to visit the passport office. The owner must provide documents for the property and confirm their consent for the tenant's registration. The tenant, on the other hand, needs to present their passport or residence permit. You will need to wait three to five days, after which the document with the registration stamp will be in your hands.

Obtaining a social card

As soon as you arrive in Yerevan, I recommend considering getting a social card. To obtain it, you will need a rental agreement valid for at least one month and a foreign passport. With these documents, you should visit the nearest passport office, where you will be issued a simple paper without a photo, similar to our SNILS. This card will help you pay various fees, utility services, and fines.

A trip to Dilijan

At the initial stage, it's worth planning a trip to Dilijan. We spent a few days at a hotel in Yerevan, sorting out banking issues, and then headed to this wonderful resort town. Dilijan is known not only in Armenia but also beyond its borders. It is located on the highway connecting Yerevan with Tbilisi and Vladikavkaz, just an hour and a half drive from the capital. The town is situated at an altitude of 1500 meters above sea level, which gives it a more moderate climate compared to other parts of Armenia. We visited Dilijan in early May, and there was still snow in some gardens, while rain was frequent.

The popularity of Dilijan as a resort

As mentioned earlier, Dilijan is a popular vacation spot, especially during the summer months. Locals from Yerevan often seek to escape here to enjoy the clean air, as the capital accumulates a lot of dust and smog due to traffic. Many people prefer to spend their weekends away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

The districts of Dilijan

Dilijan is conditionally divided into several districts, which are relatively isolated from each other. In the city, you can find:

• historical center
• two former Molokan villages — Papanyno (Kalinin and Getapnya streets) and Golovino (Kamo street and the composers' house)
• the new Moldovakian district
• abandoned state farm named after Shamakhan
• the area of the former "Impulse" factory (Shaumyan Street and above)
• prestigious cottage community on Andranik Street

These areas are separated from each other by mountains, rivers, and canyons, which makes access to large stores and infrastructure more difficult.

Infrastructure and education in Dilijan

However, in Dilijan, there are several educational institutions with Russian groups, kindergartens, a music school, a medical college, a comfortable hospital, a polyclinic, as well as an emergency service. The international college offers preparatory courses for admission to universities in Europe and the USA. The tourist infrastructure is also well-developed: there are various hotels, restaurants, guest houses, and equipped recreational areas along the rivers, as well as a children's rope park.

The hospitality of the local residents

The locals in Armenia are known for their warm and hospitable attitude towards tourists. Almost everyone here speaks Russian, and if you find yourself feeling lost on the street, someone passing by will immediately help you figure out what to do. If you need to call a taxi, most locals will readily reach out to friends or relatives without a second thought. This level of care and kindness is not only characteristic of all Armenians, but it is especially palpable in Dilijan.

Real estate news

In the mountainous regions of Armenia, news about foreignreal estate is very relevant, so if you want to stay updated on the latest events, we recommend subscribing to specialized Telegram channels. For example, we chose a small hotel for a short stay to more calmly sort out the issues of renting housing.

Appeals to agents

When we started reaching out to agents, we were surprised by their reactions. No one said, "I'll come to you, I have some attractive offers." Instead, we only received addresses, along with reminders that we would have to search for housing on our own, and each offer was accompanied by a mention of a service fee.

Clarification of details when searching for housing

It is important to note that when searching for housing, you need to clarify all the details carefully. If you simply say the word "house," you might be offered a regular apartment, and this is due to the nuances of the language. To avoid misunderstandings, it's better to specify and add the word "own," and then you will be understood correctly.

Experience in searching for housing

We were specifically looking for a separate house and had conversations with several owners. However, by the beginning of May, many attractive options had already been rented out until September, and what was left didn't inspire much enthusiasm.

Apartment review

For example, we looked at an apartment on the waterfront: the windows offered a stunning view, but inside we were greeted by a surprise in the form of 80s renovations, the floors were covered with worn-out linoleum, and the appliances were clearly outdated. In the next option, we came across a mini-house, which was essentially a temporary structure adapted for short-term rentals – this type of accommodation is quite common in Dilijan. But even that didn't suit us.

Unexpected meeting

Finding myself on the street and not knowing what to do next, a car suddenly stopped nearby.

Spring in Armenia began with us reaching an agreement regarding the rental of a place. We made the payment for the first month, leaving a previously agreed-upon deposit, and the landlords took us to the hotel to pick up our belongings. Upon returning, we realized that we hadn't signed any official agreement and hadn't reviewed the property documents. Nevertheless, we decided to stay here for a week, and if everything went well, we would continue our rental in this place. Otherwise, we would just take it as our risk. Our courage paid off, and there were no troubles or disagreements. Even when the exchange rate of the dram increased, the landlords did not charge us extra for the rent, which was a real relief for us. Thus, we spent all the summer months in this house.

The accommodation turned out to be quite spacious, and the area around it was almost 40 acres. This was a true blessing for the residents of our city. We only utilized a small part of this land — about five acres. There, we set up a driveway, a cozy gazebo, a hammock for relaxation, and a garden with a harvest of plums. Interestingly, the plums began to ripen in September. From June to October, we had to regularly mow the grass around the house, as it was unsafe to walk in other parts of the garden due to the large number of ticks and rare snakes. The cost of mowing the grass was 25,000 drams each time.

Our house was located on one of the most popular streets in the city, surrounded by numerous shops and cafes, which made it a sunny and pleasant place. However, living here permanently would be challenging: the neighbors threw parties, and the noise from them never stopped, while trucks kept driving under our windows.

Visits and attractions

In Ijevan, we visited the dendropark, admired the khachkars, and explored the mineral water springs in the Arzni resort park. In response to the question about rental prices, I can say that if your monthly income is around $1000, it will be quite difficult to find comfortable and spacious accommodation in a good area. You will have to consider options priced from $300 to $400, but there are not many such offers, and they often have their drawbacks. Currently, only a few apartments in this price range are available on the "list.am" website. However, if the budget is increased to $500 per month, the number of available one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments rises to dozens.

Rental prices

The best options, including:

• spacious layouts,
• quality renovation and
• convenient location

They start from $1000 to $1500 per month, not including utilities. It's also advisable to set aside about $500 for groceries and general food expenses. Although you can reduce food costs if you know where and what the locals buy with their average salary of $470. It wouldn't hurt to negotiate a bit with the landlord to lower the rent price.

Future plans

As for our plan to move my mom and her five cats to Armenia, it's important to consider that we need to create minimal conditions for a comfortable life. We could only take the pets with us to a less than ideal living situation. Therefore, we made a firm decision: we sold our apartment in St. Petersburg and decided to buy our own house in Armenia. We will share how this process went in the next article.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I want to share my thoughts on our journey that brought us from Russia to Armenia. Our family made this important decision based on numerous factors: fromfriendly attitude of the local populationtobusiness opportunities in a new countryThe move became not just a physical relocation for us, but also an important step towards self-expression and adaptation in a new cultural environment.

The relocation process we went through turned out to be more complicated than we expected.Opening a bank account,obtaining an IT licenseandthe preparation of all necessary documentsIt required not only time but also patience. However, thanks to the help of local specialists and a detailed study of the information, we managed to tackle the challenges and started a new life in Armenia.

New house - Dilijan

Dilijan has become our new home, and this resort town with beautiful landscapes and clean air has turned into the perfect place to live.Its atmosphereIt reminds me of the tranquility and solitude that are so necessary after the noisy life in big cities. Summer days here are filled with tourists, but we enjoy the seclusion just a bit away from the center, where we can appreciate nature and the local culture.

Important conclusions

• Moving is not just a change of residence,but also an opportunity for self-development.
• A new life in Armeniaopens up many opportunities for us.
• Experience of adapting to another cultureis valuable in life.

I feel that our decision to move is a bold step towards a new life, one that has room for growth, learning, and discovery. We hope that our new venture in Armenia will open up many opportunities for both professional activities and personal development. The move has become an opportunity for us not only to adapt to new conditions but also to immerse ourselves in a different culture, which I believe is a valuable life experience.