YEREVAN. – From now on Armenians from Syria will be exempt from paying state fees for extending their entry permits to Armenia. The Government on Thursday approved the draft proposal on making amendments in the Law on State Duty.     

According to the Diaspora Ministry’s report, Syrian Armenians who do not hold a citizenship of Armenia are issued visas primarily for a 21-day period. But many of them continue to live in Armenia, and therefore it is necessary to extend their visas and to grant them a residency status.  

Pursuant to Armenia’s law, a state duty as much as 50 percent of the base fee is paid per day to extend visas, and as much as 105-150 times of the base fee is paid to submit documents for being granted residency status in Armenia.      

Consequently, paying the state fees specified to extend their visas, or to be granted a residency status, is problematic for the Syrian Armenians who are under a dire financial situation.