Armenia has quietly inserted India into the list of 113 nationalities that can travel to the Caucasus republic without a visa for a limited six-month window in 2026.
Under an order published by the Armenian foreign ministry, Indian passport-holders who also possess a valid residence permit for the United States, any EU or Schengen member, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait or Oman may enter Armenia between 1 January and 1 July 2026 and stay for up to 180 days in a twelve-month period. Travellers must present their residence card (or the sticker in their passport) on arrival; the permit must have at least six months’ validity remaining.
The measure is part of Yerevan’s wider push to diversify tourist arrivals, fill hotels during the post-ski but pre-summer shoulder season and court GCC investment. Indian tour operators have already begun advertising short ‘Caucasus discovery’ packages that combine Yerevan with neighbouring Georgia, citing the new waiver as a cost saver that eliminates embassy appointments and USD 80 in fees.
![Armenia grants 180-day visa-free entry to eligible Indian residents of GCC, US and Europe]()
If you need personalised help confirming eligibility for this waiver—or obtaining an Armenian e-visa should you fall outside it—VisaHQ can streamline the entire process. Their India portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/) offers document checklists, real-time application tracking and expert support not just for Armenia but for hundreds of other destinations, making international travel planning simpler and faster.
For Indian corporates the change is also significant: Armenia has positioned itself as a regional IT outsourcing and fintech hub with preferential access to both the Russian and EU markets. Business travellers who hold a UAE employment visa—or an American Green Card—can now fly in at short notice to scope partnership opportunities without first securing an Armenian e-visa.
Indian travellers who do not hold qualifying third-country residence permits must still obtain an e-visa in advance. The foreign ministry has warned that the waiver is strictly time-bound; overstays beyond 180 days or entries after 1 July will attract fines and future entry bans. Indian companies sending staff for long-term assignments should therefore consider Armenia’s separate one-year multiple-entry work visa route.
Under an order published by the Armenian foreign ministry, Indian passport-holders who also possess a valid residence permit for the United States, any EU or Schengen member, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait or Oman may enter Armenia between 1 January and 1 July 2026 and stay for up to 180 days in a twelve-month period. Travellers must present their residence card (or the sticker in their passport) on arrival; the permit must have at least six months’ validity remaining.
The measure is part of Yerevan’s wider push to diversify tourist arrivals, fill hotels during the post-ski but pre-summer shoulder season and court GCC investment. Indian tour operators have already begun advertising short ‘Caucasus discovery’ packages that combine Yerevan with neighbouring Georgia, citing the new waiver as a cost saver that eliminates embassy appointments and USD 80 in fees.
If you need personalised help confirming eligibility for this waiver—or obtaining an Armenian e-visa should you fall outside it—VisaHQ can streamline the entire process. Their India portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/) offers document checklists, real-time application tracking and expert support not just for Armenia but for hundreds of other destinations, making international travel planning simpler and faster.
For Indian corporates the change is also significant: Armenia has positioned itself as a regional IT outsourcing and fintech hub with preferential access to both the Russian and EU markets. Business travellers who hold a UAE employment visa—or an American Green Card—can now fly in at short notice to scope partnership opportunities without first securing an Armenian e-visa.
Indian travellers who do not hold qualifying third-country residence permits must still obtain an e-visa in advance. The foreign ministry has warned that the waiver is strictly time-bound; overstays beyond 180 days or entries after 1 July will attract fines and future entry bans. Indian companies sending staff for long-term assignments should therefore consider Armenia’s separate one-year multiple-entry work visa route.
