Interior Minister: Number of asylum applications to  EU by Armenian  citizens dropped by 54.6% over last 10 years

ArmInfo.In 2016, 7,795 Armenian citizens applied for asylum in the EU, while in 2025, this figure stood at 3,535, a decline of 54.6%, as stated by Arpine Sargsyan, Minister of Internal Affairs, at a press conference in Yerevan on visa liberalization between Armenia and the EU.

The Minister presented several indicators, which, according to her,  demonstrate that claims regarding rising emigration rates are  debatable. According to her,  while 7,795 individuals applied for  asylum in the EU in 2016, that number was 5,130 in 2024, and dropped  further to 3,535 Armenian citizens in 2025.  "Comparing these  numbers, we can see that Armenia has become an attractive place to  live, and our goal is to maintain this perception among the country's  citizens. It turns out that today, our citizens pin their hopes on  their country in terms of security, which is very important,"  Sargsyan believes.

According to her, these numbers also demonstrate that Armenian  citizens are traveling to the European Union for various purposes:  tourism, business visits, and so on. That is, as the head of the  Armenian Ministry of Internal Affairs clarified, there is no tangible  risk that they are traveling to EU countries to stay there. "On the  contrary, compared to 2016, asylum applications to the EU have  significantly decreased.  These figures are the result of the  government's policies, established peace, and effective cooperation  with EU colleagues," Sargsyan assured, without specifying the number  of Armenian citizens deported from the EU under readmission  agreements.

The Minister also presented figures on the number of visas granted to  Armenian citizens by the embassies of EU member states. According to  her, both the overall number of visas issued and the instances of  long- term visas being granted have increased. At the same time, she  acknowledged that at this stage, challenges remain pressing regarding  documentation processing, queues, and other related issues.

Presenting specific data, the Minister noted that 51,000 Schengen  visas were issued to Armenian citizens in 2019, 34.8% of which were  multiple-entry visas. "In 2024, this number reached 86,300, of which  43.5% were multiple-entry visas. So, if we compare, we'll see an  increase in visa applications," the minister noted.  At the same  time, according to Sargsyan, the visa refusal rate has remained  stable: approximately 13.2% in 2019 and 12.4% in 2024. "Issues  related to a lack of public awareness remain relevant here. However,  measures are being taken to improve this figure. If we continue  working at the same pace, I assure you that in a short period of  time, our citizens will simply forget about all these inconveniences  associated with inquiries at embassies, collecting documents, and so  on," the Armenian Interior Minister concluded.

Recall, the visa liberalization dialogue between Armenia and the EU  officially launched in September 2024, subsequently entering an  active phase. In May 2026, Yerevan received a positive progress  report from the EU confirming the fulfillment of key requirements  under the VLAP Action Plan, which aims to grant Armenian citizens the  right to a 90-day visa-free entry to the Schengen Area. Armenia  expects a final decision that will eliminate the need for visas for  short-term visits to the EU.