Discussions between Armenia and the EU: Visa Liberalization
The dialogue on visa liberalization between Armenia and the European Union began in September 2023, when European Commission Vice President Margaritis Schinas visited Yerevan. This step contributes to strengthening relations between Armenia and the EU by simplifying entry into the Schengen area for Armenian passport holders.
If the dialogue results in a decision by the EU to liberalize the visa regime, Armenian citizens will be able to visit the Schengen area for up to 90 days without a visa for short-term visits for tourism, family, or business purposes.
The visas will apply only to tourism, with short-term visas provided. Other types of visas will still follow the old procedures.
The main stages of the visa liberalization process include initiating dialogue, setting an action plan, assessing performance, and making a final decision.
The main requirements include border management, document security, combating corruption and organized crime, and protecting human rights. To improve these areas, an Armenia-EU working group has been established, led by Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan.
The visa liberalization process can take several years. For instance, the process took around 5 years for Georgia and 9 years for Ukraine.
Robert Ghevondyan, an expert and political scientist at the Center for Security Policy Studies, noted that the visa liberalization process will encourage more people in Armenia to engage with European culture, civilization, and values. It will also open the way for Europeans to visit Armenia.
According to the political scientist, Armenia will have a strong passport. Among the economic benefits is the closer integration of Armenian products into the European market. There are also challenges. The main concern, according to the expert, is that this will lead to an outflow of people. Many may take advantage of the opportunity and move to Europe to live.
The stronger and more presentable the passport, the more desirable the country’s citizenship is considered. Visa liberalization is a one-time process, and its outcome must be fully utilized as a complete package. Future actions should be built on the achieved results, – emphasized Ghevondyan.