Armenian nationality law is regulated by the Constitution of Armenia, as amended; the Citizenship Law of Armenia and its revisions; and various international agreements to which the country is a signatory. These laws determine who is, or is eligible to be, an Armenian national. The legal means to acquire nationality, formal legal membership in a nation, differ from the domestic relationship of rights and obligations between a national and the nation, known as citizenship. Nationality describes the relationship of an individual to the state under international law, whereas citizenship is the domestic relationship of an individual within the nation. Some countries use the terms nationality and citizenship as synonyms, despite their legal distinction and the fact that they are regulated by different governmental administrative bodies. In Armenia, colloquially the term for citizenship, "քաղաքացիություն", refers to both belonging and rights within the nation and the term for nationality, "ազգություն", refers to ethnic identity. Armenian nationality is typically obtained under the principal of jus sanguinis, i.e. by birth to parents with Armenian nationality. It can be granted to persons with an affiliation to the country, or to a permanent resident who has lived in the country for a given period of time through naturalization.

Acquiring Armenian nationality
Nationality in Armemia is typically acquired by birth to an Armenian or later in life through naturalization.

By birth
Those who can acquire nationality by birth include:

 Children born anywhere when both parents are Armenian nationals;
 Children born to one parent who is Armenian, if the other parent is stateless or unknown;
 Children born to one parent who is Armenian, but whose other parent has a different nationality, by mutual written agreement of the parents;
 Children born in the territory of Armenia who would otherwise be stateless; or
 Foundlings or orphans discovered in Armenia whose parents are unknown.

By naturalization
Naturalization in Armenia may be granted to persons who are of the age of majority (18) and have legal capacity. Persons who have established a permanent residency for at least three years, not requiring a permanent residence permit. A test regarding the political system of Armenian, given in the Armenian language is required to confirm an understanding of the constitution and communication skill. To pass the examination half of the answers must be correct. Persons who are of Armenian origin or the spouses, children, or parents of Armenian nationals are not required to take the language test or meet residency requirements. Besides foreigners meeting the criteria, those who can naturalize include:

 Minor children upon request when their parents naturalize;
 Adult children of Armenian nationals;
 Adoptees of Armenian nationals upon completion of a legal adoption;
 The spouse of an Armenian national;
 The parent of an Armenian national;
 Persons who previously renounced Armenian nationality and who request repatriation; or
 Persons who have provided exemplary distinguished service to the nation may naturalize without meeting provisions.

Loss of nationality
Armenian nationals can renounce their nationality as long as the applicant has no active criminal prosecutions pending or legal judgments requiring enforcement, the request would not pose a risk to national security, or there are no outstanding obligations to the nation. Though the Citizenship Act does not require guarantees against statelessness, Decree No. 1552-N of 29 November 2012, required applicants to provide documentation from another nation to the government of Armenia that they have the potential to acquire other nationality. Persons may be denaturalized only in the event that their nationality was acquired fraudulently or under terms specified in international treaties of which Armenia is a signatory.

Dual nationality
Dual nationality has been allowed in Armenia since 2005, as long as the government is notified upon acquisition of additional nationality.

Residency permits
The Law on the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens was passed in 1994 and defined temporary, permanent, and special residency statuses for foreigners residing in Armenia. Its provisions were replaced by the Law on Aliens passed in 2006, which became effective on 16 January 2007. Under its terms foreign persons who have valid travel documents, whether those represent other nationality or indicate that the person is stateless, may apply for Armenian residency. Temporary residency status may be granted for one year, which can be extended annually, to persons who are married to or relatives of Armenians, who are studying, or who are working legally in the country. Permanent residency can be granted to foreign persons who have resided in Armenia for at least three years and who are close relatives of an Armenian and can confirm that they have sufficient means to be self-sufficient and house themselves, or to those are engaged in entrepreneurial pursuits. Permanent residency permits carry a term of five years and may be renewed for additional five-year terms.

Foreigners may also receive a 10-year Special Residency Status, if they are of Armenian ancestry or if they have provided significant services to the Armenian state and/or are engaged in economic and cultural activities in Armenia. Applications must be submitted to the police or the Passport and
Visa Department if one is residing in Armenia or to the consular services if one is residing abroad, and must be conferred by the President. The permit may be renewed for additional ten-year terms and allow holders to acquire a Special Armenian Passport. With these passports permit holders are no longer required to obtain entry visas for traveling to Armenia. While in Armenia, they enjoy the full protection of the Armenian law, as well as the rights and obligations of Armenian citizens, except for the right to vote and to run for office, enroll in political organizations. They are exempt from military service in the Armed Forces of Armenia and are not required to obtain work permits to engage in economic activities.

Visa requirements

As of January 2022, Armenian citizens had visa-free or visa on arrival access to 65 countries and territories, ranking the Armenian passport 78th in terms of travel freedom (tied with Beninese, Kyrgyz and Moroccan passports) according to the Henley visa restrictions index.

History
Prior to the rise of the Kingdom of Urartu, tribal people resided in the region known as Nairi, now Armenia. These tribal people had by the eleventh century BC organized governance in the Armenian Highlands in a confederation. By the ninth century BC, became Urartu had emerged as the central authority. With the uniting of the kingdom into a single administrative unit, the kingdom was able to protect the territory from incursion by Assyria and other rivals for two centuries. By the seventh century BC, the kingdom had begun to weaken and invasions by Persian Medes and Scythians allowed Armenian-speaking people to become the dominant group in the region. By 525 BC the highlands had become incorporated into the Achaemenid Empire as the Satrapy of Armenia. In ancient Persia the king had absolute authority as the administrator of his subjects and armies, the giver of law, and the supreme judge of the empire. The centralized government of the empire was divided into satrapies, or provinces, for ease of management and taxation. Local satraps (governors) had no control over the military forces in their region to prevent them diluting the power of the ruler, but they managed the civilian administration over the areas for which they governed. Ethnic groups had legal autonomy to regulate their own internal conflicts. Rulers were responsible for security in the realm and management of the economy. In exchange for protection, Persian subjects paid taxes and owed loyalty to the king and his leadership. Marriage in the period was cum manu meaning the wife was legally incapacitated and under the control of her husband.

The Achaemenid Empire collapsed in around 330 BC, giving rise to the Kingdom of Armenia. The territory it governed stretched from the Black Sea in the west to the Caspian Sea in the east and as far north as Turkey and the Caucasus Mountains to Lebanon in the south. The kingdom was ruled by custom and tradition linked through kinship groups. Allegiance was to the local authority, rather than a centralized administration. This would gradually change and by the first century BC, centralized rule created both efficiency and growth which allowed the kingdom to expand by subduing neighboring states. Their expansion was eventually curtailed by the might of the Roman Empire. Though both the Parthian and Roman Empires occupied the kingdom at various times, none were able to establish a stronghold in the territory until the until the third century AD. At that time the Kingdom of Armenia became a suzerainty of the Sasanian Empire with its rise to dominance. By 387 AD, Armenia was partitioned into a western area governed by Rome and an eastern area governed by Persia. In 395, the Byzantine Empire emerged as the successor to Rome in the east when the Roman Empire was divided upon the death of Theodosius I. The Kingdom of Armenia survived as a vassal state until 428 AD when the monarchy was abolished. In the absence of the monarchy, the Sasanian and Byzantine Empires, maintained control over Armenia by elevating nakharar, Armenian noble houses, to rule with autonomy in their territory.

From the fifth to the ninth century, Armenia remained under foreign control, with the Arab Rashidun Caliphate gaining superiority from the middle of the seventh century. The Rashidun Caliphate was followed by the Umayyad Caliphate in 661 and its successor, the Abbasid Caliphate in 750 AD. Under Arab rule, Ostikans replaced satraps as regional authorities and were responsible for its defense, economy, and administration. Though Arab direct rule was much more centralized and the nakharar had less autonomy, caliphates maintained the nobles, elevating the Bagratuni dynasty to a level akin to princes of Armenia. In 884, the Bagratid Kingdom was given sovereignty over the northern and eastern portions of the territory and the Arab caliphates relinquished their control. In the tenth century, the Artsruni dynasty, another nakharar established a kingdom in southern Armenia and the two kingdoms competed for supremacy. Though free of Muslim rule, various emirates and Byzantine leaders posed a constant threat to the kingdoms. By the middle of the eleventh Century, Byzantium had reabsorbed most of Armenia. In 1071, the Turko-Persian Seljuk Empire invaded Armenia, defeated the Byzantines and took control of the region. Uninterested in direct rule, the Seljuk Empire left control of the area to its vassals.

Allying themselves with the Kingdom of Georgia, Armeno-Georgian forces were able to restore northern and eastern Armenia to their control. Zakarid Armenia became a vassal state of the Georgian sovereigns, who allowed the Zakarids, also known as Mkhargrdzeli, to rule autonomously. Other Armenians became migrants, fleeing the invaders and moving west. They settled in the Byzantine region of Cilicia near Tarsus, joining prior Armenian migrants who had fled there during previous invasions. Over time, they became governors and eventually established a principality governed by the Rubenid dynasty as a vassal state to the Byzantine Empire. In 1198, having gained the support of Pope Celestine III, the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia was established and recognized by Byzantium. In around 1220, the Mongol Empire conquered Georgia and brought Armenia under their rule. The Mongols were subsequently attacked by the Egyptian Mamluk Sultanate and the kingdom in Cilicia fell in 1375. Thereafter, Armenians became a diasporic population settling in foreign lands.

Ottoman Armenia (1453–1918)
In 1453, the Ottoman Empire conquered Constantinople and in 1461 created an Armenian Patriarchate in the city to manage the Armenian population. Within the Ottoman Empire, the government was organized to maintain harmony with disparate groups assigning responsibility to persons in accord with their position within those social categories. For six centuries, there was an internal organization that defined government functions for subjects by balancing religious and communal ties, with aptitudes and occupations without a centralized national ideology. Ottoman subjecthood was strongly tied to religion and non-Muslims, if they were ahl al-Kitāb (People of the Book), meaning Jewish, Christian, or Zoroastrian, could benefit from being subjects by agreeing to pay a tax to the sultan. Under a pact known as zimma, in exchange for paying taxes, the sultan allowed these subjects freedom of religion and guaranteed their lives, property, and rights with an understanding that they were legally entitled to less status than Muslim subjects. The pact was agreed to by the leaders of the confessional community, who managed the adherents and their internal organization under the religious law of their community.

By the fifteenth century a political organization, known as the millet, managed the affairs of their respective religious communities and developed into the protégé system (, protected persons). Signing treaties with European powers, from the 1673 signing of the Ottoman Capitulation with France, the Ottoman Empire granted France control of certain Ottoman Christians, Austria control of some Ottoman Roman Catholics, most favored nation status to British and Dutch traders, as well as specific rights to the Republic of Venice and Russian Empire. Under the terms of these treaties, foreign powers could recruit Ottoman subjects to serve their needs as commercial agents, consuls, or interpreters, and extend to these protégés diplomatic immunity from prosecution and privileges of trade, including lowered customs tariffs. Over time, abuses of the system led to a virtual monopoly of foreign trade by protégés, clandestine sales of letters patent (), and demands from foreign powers for protection to extend from individuals to entire communities. The influence on Ottoman subjects by European powers changed the perception of these minority groups in the empire, meaning that they were increasingly seen not as Ottoman subjects, but as resident aliens.

To curb the disruptive effects of Europeans in the empire, from 1806, the Ottoman government began sending communiques to the foreign embassies demanding compliance with the terms of their agreements. Failing to achieve success diplomatically, Mahmud II began a series of reforms to reorganize the government and centralize its authority and administration. An 1822 statute prohibited marriage between Persian and Ottoman subjects. In 1826, Mahmud II abolished the Guild of Janissaries and established a modern army of conscripted subjects with the intent of creating a unified Ottoman identity. Once the army was reorganized, he began to abolish and transform the other guilds aiming to modernize the state. Mahmud II drafted the Edict of Gülhane, incorporating the observations of his foreign minister Mustafa Reşid Pasha. The Edict was designed to end bribery and corruption, and to create fair tax schemes and institutions to protect the basic rights of Ottoman subjects, but Mahmud II died in 1839 before it was promulgated. He was succeeded by his son Abdulmejid I, who continued the reforms of his father. In November, after Mahmud II's death, Reşid declared the Edict, first of the Tanzimat Edicts (Imperial Edicts of Reorganisation) in Istanbul's Gülhane Park to a gathering of ambassadors and dignitaries.

The Ottoman Reform Edict of 1856 () categorized subjects by whether they were Muslim or non-Muslim, granting different civil statuses to each. In 1863, new regulations upon protégés restricted the privileges they received in the empire and clarifying who were thereafter considered to be Ottoman subjects and who were foreigners. This change led to nationality legislation and the passage of the 1869 Ottoman nationality law (tâbiiyet-i osmaniye kanunnamesi). The law specified terms for the acquisition and loss of who was within the sovereignty of the empire, rather than the domestic obligations and rights of citizenship. It described who was a subject, owing allegiance, and made provisions for wives, children, emigrants and immigrants. Under its terms, children derived nationality from their fathers, foreigners born in the territory could acquire nationality at majority, and foreigners born elsewhere could obtain nationality after five years residency within the imperial realm. Specific provisions included that foundlings discovered within the territory; stateless persons living in the empire; Muslim women, who despite the ban on such marriages, had married Persian men and the children of such a union; unregistered persons who had not been counted in the Ottoman census, either because no census was taken or their births were unregistered, were all considered to be Ottoman. Foreign women acquired Ottoman nationality through marriage, but could return to their original nationality upon the death of their spouse. Nationality could also be granted based on special contribution or service to the nation. Dual nationality was permitted, but was discouraged, as the government could choose not to recognize naturalization of an Ottoman subject by another state.

In 1873, a property law was passed forbidding foreign husbands and children from inheriting from a Muslim woman. In 1874, a statute was passed which provided that Ottoman women who married Persian men, as well as their children, retained their status as Ottomans. Subsequently, a law passed in 1883 to prohibit Ottoman subjects from inheritance if they had taken other nationality. These changes were made to curtail the types of extraterritorial abuses which had occurred under the protégé system. Amendments made to the Nationality Law in 1909 included conveyance of nationality to adoptees and to children born on ships in Ottoman waters. It also introduced in Article 6 that foreign wives who acquired nationality by marriage could repatriate to their original nationality upon termination of the marriage; in Article 7 that foreign wives could only naturalize with their foreign husbands; and in Article 19 that women derived the nationality of their husband upon marriage. From 1909, Ottoman subjects were allowed to denaturalize with permission of the authorities, but doing so would result in banishment from the empire. During the first year of World War I, Russia armed some of the Armenian population, who hoped to achieve an independent state at the conclusion of the conflict. Fearing widespread revolt, the Ottoman government issued orders in 1915 to disarm Armenian soldiers in the Ottoman army, to deport Armenians to Iraq and Syria, and to expropriate assets belonging to Armenian deportees. Within a year their policies turned from deporting selected individuals to removing all Armenians from Ottoman territory, culminating in the Armenian genocide.

Persian and Russian Armenia (1501–1917)
In 1494, the Safavid Empire was founded and began expanding from Persia on a quest to conquer and convert territories to Shia Islam. In 1501, Azerbaijan and Armenia came under Safavid control. In 1514, battles began again between the Ottoman Empire and Safavid Persia for control of the South Caucasus. Lasting peace was not established until 1639, when the Treaty of Zuhab partitioned the territory, dividing Armenia by the course of the Arpachai River into Ottoman Armenia in the west and Persian Armenia in the east. In Persia, the word "tabeiat" (), meaning allegiance, described legal belonging to the state, whereas, "meliat" (), described ethnic identity and one's sociological context. Prior to drafting nationality laws, Persian nationality regulations were specified in treaties which defined the extraterritorial jurisdiction that other nations could exercise over their nationals within Persian territory. As early as 1600, capitulations, also known as ahidnâmes, were granted by Persia to Britain, France, and the Netherlands, which gave those nations not only trade monopolies and privileges, but rights for protecting their nationals. Similar to the Ottoman arrangements, for example, France was given the exclusive right over Catholic inhabitants in Persia. Until 1764, persons belonging to the Persian state were referred to as subjects. That year, a treaty was signed with the Ottoman Empire which restricted Persian or Ottoman nationals from fleeing to each other's territory to change their allegiance.

From 1722, when the Safavid Empire fell, Russian expansionist policies focused on the Caucasus. Between 1768 and 1774, conflict between Russia and the Ottoman Empire, caused the resettlement of Armenians to Rostov-on-Don, which was endorsed by the Tsarist government. Hoping to establish an autonomous state, Armenians began negotiations with Russia to extend a protectorate over the population settled in Russian territory. Though the Persian and Russian states adopted policies to expand their trade relationships in this period, in 1794, Persia launched a campaign to regain control over Eastern Armenia, which succeeded in 1796. Competition between the Ottoman, Persian, and Russian states over the Caucasus continued into the nineteenth century. In 1826, the Russo-Persian War began, and over the course of the following two years, Russia gained control of Erevan, Nakhichevan, Sardarabad, and Tabriz. At the conclusion of the war in 1828, by the terms of the Treaty of Turkmenchai, Russia was awarded control of Eastern Armenia and established Russian khanates in Erevan and Nakhichevan.

In Russia, persons residing in the territory of the empire were known as "poddanstvo" (subjects) and were under obligation of absolute subjection to the Tsar until 1917. Subjects were neither allowed to emigrate nor naturalize in a foreign state. The policy emphasized the collective nature of the community, which was jointly responsible to pay tax, provide labor, and share in the harvest to the landlord and state. Foreigners could not enter the country without the approval of the Tsar and were restricted to reside in specific areas and wear identifying clothing. Groups which were prohibited from becoming Russian subjects included Dervishes, Jesuits, Jews, and married women, unless their spouse was Russian. Treaties and trade agreements defined the extraterritorial jurisdiction of foreigners residing in the nation and gave foreigners special privileges, like exemptions from paying taxes, the right to practice their religion, and freedom of movement. From 1721, the only requirement for naturalization of foreigners in the Russian Empire changed from conversion to Russian Orthodoxy to swearing an oath of allegiance to the Tsar. The following year a decree was issued which confirmed that sons born in Russia to foreigners in service to the Tsar were automatically subjects of Russia. Russian policy on territorial annexation up to 1860 was that all persons living in such a territory automatically were conferred Russian nationality, but the rights of citizenship of these groups varied based upon ethnicity, religion, and social status. Throughout the eighteenth century, Armenians were allowed to naturalize and simultaneously allowed to retain their privileges as foreigners.

From 1864, naturalization required a five-year residency. Persons who were in service of the nation, who invested funds that benefited Russia, or who had unique ability or scientific knowledge could acquire nationality with a reduced residency period. Children born to foreigners in Russian territory could choose to acquire Russian nationality within one year of reaching majority, if they had been educated and grew up in Russia. Russian women who married foreigners were no longer Russian subjects and foreign women who married Russians automatically became Russian upon solemnization of a religious marriage. In 1879, Article 7 of the  which was signed at the end of the Russo-Turkish War, set a precedent for annexation thereafter, establishing that residents could choose which nationality they wished to have after annexation terms were agreed upon. Persons who failed to express a desire within the allotted time frame to retain their existing nationality would automatically become Russian. An update to the nationality statutes in 1899 provided that children born anywhere to Russian parents automatically became Russian.

War and independence (1914–1920)
In 1914, the Ottoman Empire declared war upon Russia, briefly occupied Russian territory, and were defeated in early 1915. In March 1915, negotiations among the Allied Powers focused on the issue of how Ottoman territory would be dealt with at the conclusion of World War I. By the spring of 1916, Russian troops were occupying Western Armenia and secret agreements began being made for Russia to acquire the four Armenian provinces of Bitlis, Erzerum, Trebizond, and Van. In exchange for recognition of other spheres of influence, Britain, France, Italy, and Japan carved out territories they wished to acquire, but prior to gaining Russia's acquiescence, the government was toppled by the Russian Revolution. Under the terms of Article 10 of the Supplement to the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk of 1918, former Russian nationals were to be allowed to choose their nationality in the territories ceded by Russia to the Central Powers. A decree was issued by the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic that such persons had until August 1918 to request denaturalization and leave Russian territory. That year, President of the United States Woodrow Wilson's Fourteen Points proposed that all provinces in the former Ottoman Empire which were not ethnically Turkish should be allowed to become autonomous under international supervision. At the Paris Peace Conference the system of League of Nations mandates was established, wherein once constituted, the League of Nations would oversee in a trustee relationship those territories not yet fully able to self-govern.

In the wake of the Russian Revolution, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia, joined briefly to form the Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic between April and May 1918. The federation refused to accept the territorial cessions of the Brest-Litovsk Treaty leading the Ottomans to launch an offensive against the states and capturing Batumi and Erzurum. The lack of cohesion between the federation states and the Ottoman attack, led to the disintegration of the federation within a month of its founding. Two days after the federation collapsed, the Republic of Armenia declared independence as the governing authority for the Russian Armenian provinces on 28 May 1918. Within days, on 4 June, Ottoman authorities executed the Treaties of Batum, three agreements with each of the now independent states. Under the terms of the Armenian agreement, officially the Treaty of Peace and Friendship between the Imperial Ottoman Government and the Republic of Armenia, significant Armenian territory was ceded to the Ottomans, as per the Brest-Litovsk Treaty, and the terms essentially would have made Armenia a vassal state of the Ottoman Empire.

The treaty was to be ratified within a month in Constantinople, but the Armenians refused to agree to the terms. While signing the treaty was recognition of Armenia as a state by Turkey, it was unrecognized as such by other international countries because its territory was not clarified nor was its administration clearly defined. In 1920, the signing of the Treaty of Sèvres established that Armenia was to be created as an independent state by the international community. However, despite the terms of the treaty, Turkey, the successor state to the Ottoman Empire, refused to vacate the territory. That same year, the Communist Party of Armenia notified the Federative Soviet Republic that Armenia wanted to join the communist federation. Though not representative of the majority of Armenians, the notification justified the entry of the Red Army into the territory and its official incorporation in 1921.

Soviet Armenia (1922–1991)
In 1922, the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic was created and joined with the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic and Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic to form the Transcaucasian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic, which lasted until 1936 and was then separated into its constituent states. Conflict during the Turkish War of Independence did not end until 1923. Under the terms of the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne nationality issues for persons in the successor states to the Ottoman Empire were finally resolved, and persons who resided in territories detached from Turkey ceased to be Turkish and became nationals of their new states effectively on 6 August 1924, unless within two years of that date they requested to retain Turkish nationality. The option did not apply to Armenians because the protracted War of Independence had thwarted provisions in the Treaty of Sèvres to establish an independent state from the Armeno-Ottoman provinces, meaning that Armenians thereafter became members of the successor state in which they were residing.

In 1924, the Soviet Union created a unitary nationality for all inhabitants of the various socialist republics. It presumed that anyone residing within the territory prior to enactment of the statute was automatically a Soviet national, unless they were able to prove otherwise. Under its terms, a child born to at least one parent who was a national of one of the Soviet republics was automatically a national of that republic, as well as the federation. If the parents were residing abroad at the birth of the child, the parents could choose to have Soviet nationality or other nationality. Neither marriage nor naturalization of one party automatically impacted a spouse or children; however, if both parents changed their nationality or renounced Soviet nationality children under the age of fourteen followed the parental nationality. Each Soviet republic was allowed to determine who was eligible for naturalization in their territory. Naturalization gave them Soviet nationality, but did not automatically grant the rights of citizenship other republics. Renunciation of nationality was allowed upon obtaining permission from the Central Executive Committee of the Soviet Union. Nationals could be denaturalized for obtaining dual nationality, leaving federation territory without permission, or by a court order as a punishment for crime. An amendment (Law 581) in 1925 provided that persons who had been granted amnesty for service in the White Army and prisoners of war who had served in the Tsarist or Red Army who were abroad and failed to register with the Soviet Federation were deprived of their nationality, but could apply to be reinstated through naturalization. The mass denaturalizations of Russian people living abroad resulted in approximately 1.5 million stateless persons who were unable to acquire nationality in their places of residence under restrictive policies implemented globally in the interwar years.

In 1930, a resolution was passed specifying that all people within Soviet territory who did not prove that they were nationals of a foreign state were to be recognized as Soviet. In 1938 a new Soviet Nationality Law was passed to conform with the provisions of the 1936 Constitution of the Soviet Union. Under its terms, the soviet republics no longer defined nationality within their borders. Instead, nationality was acquired under the specifications of the Soviet law. The 1938 nationality law did not specify that nationality was acquired at birth through a Soviet parent and made no provisions for foundlings, leaving the possibility open that a child could be born stateless. It affirmed that those who had previously acquired Soviet nationality by being subjects of the Russian Empire and those who acquired it under prior laws remained nationals unless they had previously been denaturalized. It specified that persons who were permanent residents in Soviet territory but were foreigners without proof of other nationality were considered to be stateless, a reversal of the previous policy that they were automatically assumed to be Soviet. As a consequence, their children would also be stateless, unless they were allowed to naturalize upon reaching majority. In 1939, a resolution was passed which confirmed that laws which had previously been enacted but which countered the 1938 provision for statelessness were no longer valid.

A 1944 change to the Family Code repealed the right of a woman to sue for the father's identity and nationality to be bestowed upon a child born out of wedlock. The 1944 decree effected all applicable codes, making acquisition of nationality for an illegitimate child derivative of its mother. The result of the statute was that if the mother was stateless or foreign, the child, even if its father was known was unable to be a Soviet national. A decree in 1945 modified the provision slightly, determining that if the parents married the child could be recognized by its father on an equal footing as children born within the marriage. The age of the child was immaterial and their nationality became automatic, as if from birth. After World War II, Soviet policy encouraged repatriation of the Armenian diaspora by offering them private home ownership of which the government would pay half the cost to build. Those who came to the Armenian SSR under the plan were immediately granted Soviet nationality and were not required to renounce any other nationality.

In 1977, the Soviet Union adopted a new constitution, which contained nationality provisions in Chapter 6, reaffirming that persons of any of the constituent states of the Union were Soviet nationals. A new nationality statute was created in 1978, which incorporated all previous legislation for acquiring nationality. It expressly prohibited both dual nationality and extradition of a Soviet national to a foreign state. On 23 August 1990 Armenia declared its independence from the Soviet Union, granting all persons living within the bounds of its territory Armenian nationality. The declaration also specifically mentioned a joint decision made on 1 December 1989 by the Supreme Soviet of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic and the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast's Artsakh National Council calling for the reunification of the Armenian SSR and the Mountainous Region of Karabakh. A referendum held on 21 September 1991, confirmed the desire a ninety-nine percent Armenian majority in favor of independence. By the end of that year, the Soviet Union collapsed and the international community recognized the fifteen former Soviet republics as independent nations.

Post-independence (1991–present)
After a lengthy consultation process, a constitution was passed for the Republic of Armenia in 1995. The constitution stated that nationality and citizenship in the Republic would be defined by statute and prohibited dual nationality. Subsequently, a Citizenship Act was passed in 1995. It provided a simplified process for persons of Armenian descent, or who married an Armenian to acquire nationality without meeting a residency requirement. Under its terms, those who were conferred nationality at independence were former nationals of the Soviet Union who had previously been citizens in the Armenian SSR, whether currently residing in the territory or abroad, and who had no other nationality, or stateless persons or those who had been citizens of other republics of the Soviet Union but were living in Armenia for three years prior to enactment of the Armenian Citizenship Law.

Those who did not automatically acquire nationality at independence were granted Armenian status if they were born in the territory to stateless parents; born to Armenian nationals; or if they naturalized after a three-year residency and they spoke Armenian and understood the constitution. The residency requirement could be waived for the parents of an Armenian child or for those who had previously been Armenian and who had established residency in the territory. The nationality of children under the age of fourteen changed if the nationality of their parent changed, but the law omitted mention of minors between the age of fourteen and eighteen years old. Nationality could be lost for acquiring other nationality, or for naturalized persons for establishing permanent residence abroad or failing to register with a consular office for seven years, or for committing fraud in a naturalization petition. Article 10(2) of the nationality law, which automatically granted nationality to former Soviet nationals with no other nationality who had at independence completed a three-year residency was modified seven times between 1997 and 2010. Substantial changes were not made until 2001, when an amendment deprived persons of their Armenian nationality, who had been citizens of the Armenian SSR, but were not of Armenian origin, who lived abroad, and who had no other nationality.

In 2005 the constitution was modified to allow dual nationality which prompted a change in 2007 to the nationality law. Specific changes allowed any Armenian to acquire another nationality as long as they notified the government that they had done so. It also removed the provision for loss of nationality upon gaining other nationality. An amendment in 2011 allowed children between the ages of fourteen and eighteen, who were born to Armenian parents to acquire nationality upon written request. It also removed the requirement for ethnic Armenians and those who married Armenians to meet language and residency requirements. In 2021, an amendment was made to the nationality law allowing persons who were of Armenian origin, spouses of Armenian nationals, parents of Armenian children, or children of Armenians to nationality without passing a language examination or residency. The amendment permitted minor children between the ages of fourteen and eighteen to acquire nationality upon their parent's naturalization and for adult children of Armenians to naturalize.

See also
Armenian diaspora
Armenians in Syria
Armenians in Iraq
Armenians in Iran
Armenians in Turkey
Armenians in the Middle East

Notes

References

Citations

Bibliography

External links
 Texts of the Armenian law on citizenship

Nationality law
Law of Armenia


Moldovan nationality law dates back to June 2, 2000 and has been amended several times, with the latest modifications being made in 2014. It is based on the Constitution of Moldova (articles 17, 18 and 19). It is mainly based on Jus sanguinis.

Dual nationality is allowed, under certain conditions.

Under the law, there are provisions for citizenship to be acquired by:
 Birth
 Recognition
 Adoption
 Recover
 Naturalisation

Citizenship by birth

You acquire citizenship by birth, if you fulfil any of the following requirements:
 Either of your parents is a citizen of Moldova at the time of your birth
 You are born on the territory of Moldova, and your parents are stateless persons
 You are born on the territory of Moldova, and cannot receive the citizenship of either of your parents
 Any foundling found on the territory of Moldova is considered a citizen unless proven otherwise, until the age of 18

Citizenship by recognition
You may gain Moldovan citizenship by:

 Being born in the territory of the Republic of Moldova or by having a parent, or grandparent who was born there
 Having resided in Bessarabia, in the North Bukovina, Hertsa Region, and the M.A.S.S.R. before 28 June 1940, or by being a descendant of such a prior resident and having lawful and habitual residence in the Republic of Moldova.
 Having been deported from or having fled the Republic of Moldova since 28 June 1940, or being a descendant of such a deportee or refugee.

Citizenship by naturalisation
Citizenship may be granted to anyone who has reached the age of 18, and who meets one of the following criteria:
 Has resided in Moldova lawfully and habitually for the last ten years
 has been married to a citizen of Moldova for at least three years
 has resided lawfully and habitually for three years with parents or children (including adoptive) who are citizens of Moldova
 Has resided lawfully and habitually for five years before reaching the age of 18
 Is a stateless person or recognised refugee, who has been lawfully and habitually for at least 8 years
In addition they must fulfil the following criteria:
 Knows and observes the provisions of the Moldovan constitution
 Passed an exam in the national language
 Possesses legal sources of income

Dual citizenship
Moldova allows its citizens to hold foreign citizenship in addition to their Moldovan citizenship. Acquiring a foreign citizenship, therefore, does not result in the loss of Moldovan citizenship. Some countries, however, do not permit multiple citizenship e.g. adults who acquired Moldovan and Japanese citizenship by birth must declare, to the latter's Ministry of Justice, before turning 22, which citizenship they want to keep.

Controversy
On 28 September 2017, a new law allowing individuals to buy their citizenship for a fixed sum took effect. Moldovan pro-Russian president Igor Dodon tried to bring in investments from Russia stating that "The Moldovan passport could allow them to travel in Europe freely." These provisions were repealed by a law that entered into force on September 1, 2020.

References

External links
 Texts of the Moldovan law on citizenship


Citizenship of Montenegro is the citizenship of Montenegro. It is regulated by a citizenship law, ratified by Parliament in 2008 and published by the Official Journal of Montenegro (No. 13/2008). It is mainly based on jus sanguinis. There are also provisions for citizenship-by-investment, though the government has suspended the relevant guidelines in the face of European Union concern.

History

Origin
The concept of citizenship in Montenegrin law can be traced back to the laws promulgated in 1803 by Petar I Petrović-Njegoš, which articulated the principle of jus sanguinis in reference to Crnogorac (Montenegrins) and Brdjanin (Highlanders), and then to the legal code of 1855, which reiterated the earlier principles and also granted foreigners the right to reside in Montenegro. In 1905, Nicholas I of Montenegro's "Statute of Montenegro" promulgated further guidelines, for the first time using the term "Montenegrin citizens" instead of "Montenegrins" and "Highlanders", and also establishing the right of renunciation of citizenship after completion of military service. However the law did not spell out the guidelines for acquisition of citizenship.

Kingdom of Yugoslavia and Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
When Montenegro was a part of Yugoslavia, it had citizenship policies in common with the rest of the country. The Kingdom of Yugoslavia passed a formal citizenship act in 1928, establishing that citizenship would be acquired by patrilineal descent. The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY) for its part passed a citizenship act in 1945, which stated that Yugoslav citizenship was held by people who were citizens under the 1928 act and people who had the ethnicity of one of the Yugoslav republics; it also deprived emigrants of their citizenship, and prohibited multiple citizenship. The constituent republics, including the Socialist Republic of Montenegro, passed their own citizenship acts, which mirrored the federal acts and provided for acquisition of citizenship of the constituent republic along with federal citizenship. Citizenship of a constituent republic came from descent rather than place of birth; in the case of two parents with citizenship of different republics, the citizenship of the child depended on agreement by the parents, or lacking such agreement, a legal determination based on the child's place of residence.

Until the breakup of Yugoslavia there were two further changes to nationality laws, each being passed soon after the adoption of a new Constitution of Yugoslavia. The Citizenship Act of 1964 removed the provisions for depriving emigrants of citizenship, as well as establishing procedures for naturalisation. It also clarified the relationship that if one lost federal citizenship, then republic citizenship would be lost as well. The 1976 Citizenship Act clarified the mechanism for acquisition of citizenship of a republic by citizens of other republics. By the time the federal legislation was passed, the constituent republics had already adopted new citizenship legislation in line with the new constitution. Montenegro was the first to pass such legislation, in May 1975; it would remain in force until 1999.

Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and State Union of Serbia and Montenegro
The constitution of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY, comprising Serbia and Montenegro) passed in 1992 continued the two-tier structure of federal citizenship and republic citizenship.   However, the actual citizenship act governing the details of acquisition of citizenship in the FRY was not passed until 1996.  It automatically gave citizenship in the FRY to everyone who had republic citizenship of Serbia or of Montenegro under the SFRY. It also provided that people who held SFRY citizenship, were permanently resident on the territory of the FRY at the time of the promulgation of the constitution, and had no other citizenships could apply for FRY citizenship. However it required that they renounce their former citizenship in the process. It also stated that a person acquiring FRY citizenship by naturalisation would also acquire the citizenship of the republic on whose territory the event of naturalisation occurred.

In 1999, as the NATO bombing intensified, Montenegro passed its own nationality law which changed the relationship between federal and republic citizenship, seen as a move to establish greater independence from the federal government. The law provided mechanisms for obtaining Montenegrin citizenship even in the absence of FRY citizenship; it also stated in Article 16 that a Montenegrin citizen who acquired citizenship of another republic or a foreign country would lose his citizenship.  It also established particularly stringent criteria for naturalisation, in an effort to prevent refugees from Bosnia and Herzegovina and from Croatia from gaining voting rights in Montenegro. However, there were significant changes to the federal citizenship laws in the aftermath of the overthrow of Slobodan Milošević; specifically, Articles 47 and 48 were modified to permit people who held SFRY citizenship to obtain FRY citizenship without giving up any other citizenship they held, thus effectively permitting multiple citizenship for the first time in the history of the nationality law. Under reformulation of the FRY as the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro in 2003, the Constitutional Charter of Serbia and Montenegro further clarified the relationship between citizenship and voting rights: it stated in Article 7 that citizens of Serbia and of Montenegro residing in the other would each have full rights, but with the specific exception of voting rights. Furthermore, under republic-level law, Montenegrins living in Serbia had no voting rights in Montenegro either. This distribution of voting rights effectively laid the ground for the passage of the Montenegrin independence referendum, 2006.

Post-independence
After Montenegro became an independent country in 2006, article 12 of the new Constitution of Montenegro passed in 2007 established Montenegrin citizenship. The Law on Implementation allowed people who had dual citizenship before independence to retain that dual citizenship. However, it did not permit people who obtained another citizenship afterwards to retain dual citizenship, instead requiring to give up one or the other citizenship within a year. However this clause was the subject of political tensions, and led to delays in the passage of a formal citizenship act. The Citizenship Act of 2008 clarified the exact mechanisms for gain and loss of citizenship. It also defined the character of citizenship in Montenegro as "civic" rather than "ethnic". It continued to impose strict requirements for naturalisation.

Under the new nationality law, Articles 8 and 9 provide that persons applying for naturalisation in Montenegro must provide proof of having given up their previous citizenship, while Article 24 provides that Montenegrins acquiring citizenship of another country lose their Montenegrin citizenship. However, Article 18 provides exceptions from this general prohibition against multiple nationality in the case of a bilateral treaty between Montenegro and the other country of citizenship. In 2012 it was reported that Montenegro and Serbia were negotiating such a treaty.

Dual citizenship
Montenegro overall does not allow its citizens to hold foreign citizenship in addition to their Montenegrin citizenship.

Economic citizenship
In addition to the rather strict mechanisms for naturalisation, Montenegro has a programme of citizenship-by-investment or economic citizenship (ekonomsko državljanstvo), allowing foreigners to be granted the citizenship of Montenegro at the discretion of the Ministry of Interior Affairs and Public Administration. Though the enabling legislation remains in place, the programme was suspended in November 2010.

Article 12 of the Citizenship Act of 2008 states that "An adult person may be granted Montenegrin citizenship if he or she does not fulfil the requirements referred to in Article 8 of this Law if it would be in the scientific, economic, cultural, sport, national, or other interest of Montenegro". In March 2010, former Prime Minister of Thailand Thaksin Shinawatra received citizenship under this article due to his investments in tourism in Montenegro which were reported to be in the range of millions of Euros, despite pending charges of corruption that had been laid against him in his home country. The move sparked public criticism, but government spokeswoman Olivera Đukanović dismissed the concerns by claiming that other countries had similar programs.

Formal guidelines for the programme were announced in mid-2010; they stated that candidates would require €500,000, of which one portion would be invested inside the country and the rest would have to be contributed to the state budget. In the light of German reports in August that Oleg Deripaska would be granted citizenship under the programme, more criticism emerged. Movement for Changes leader Nebojša Medojević as well as Vanja Ćalović of NGO MANS were quoted as warning that the programme would attract gangsters and increase corruption. Budimir Aleksić of the Poslanik Nove for his part complained that the government would "sell citizenship" while leaving 60,000 residents of Montenegro stateless. Stephan Meyer of Germany's Christian Social Union also spoke out against it, and said it might threaten the recent moves to grant Montenegrin passport-holders visa-free travel within the Schengen Area. However others offered public praise to the programme, including Canadian ambassador to Serbia, Montenegro, and Macedonia John Morrison, who compared it to Canada's own visa policy, which has provisions for granting visas to investors.

Later in August, when rumours surfaced that Serbian businessman Miroslav Mišković was in the process of applying for citizenship under the program, then Prime Minister Milo Đukanović denied the reports, and further stated that the process of receiving applications for economic citizenship under the new guidelines had not yet begun. Then in November 2010, the Montenegrin Ministry of Foreign Affairs formally announced the suspension of the previous guidelines about economic citizenship. Media reports attributed this action to pressure from the European Union, though MFA spokesman Zeljko Stamatović denied it. As of June 2011, the programme remained suspended. According to a Dnevne Novine report; concerns remained that the citizenship-by-investment programme would not attract genuine investors but only people engaged in money laundering and those who sought to hide from crimes committed abroad (as Montenegro does not extradite its citizens). However, others argue that the programme could help in attracting foreign investment capital to Montenegro, especially from Americans living abroad who remain fully subject to U.S. taxation unless they switch citizenships.

In 2019, Montenegro began taking applications for a new program of citizenship by investment.  This new program is limited to two thousand successful applicants and will only run for three years maximum.
The program is limited to non-EU citizens.

Visa requirement for Montenegrin citizens

In 2015, Montenegrin citizens had visa-free or visa on arrival access to 104 countries and territories, ranking the Montenegrin passport 48th in the world according to the Visa Restrictions Index.

Footnotes

Bibliography

 An English summary is available as:

External links
 Montenegrin law on citizenship

Monte
Law of Montenegro


Timberlea is a suburb of Upper Hutt, located 3.5-6.5 km northeast from the city centre. It had a population of 1612 at the 2013 Census.

The suburb is located on a plateau of the Eastern Hutt Valley Hills, with most of the suburb being 115-135 metres above sea level. It can be accessed from SH2 by exiting at Norana Road. It is bordered by Maoribank at the lower, south-western end of Norana Road and Brown Owl by SH2 to the north.

While there are no shops in Timberlea, residents have access to the Caltex service station and small shopping centre in neighbouring Brown Owl. The main shops in Upper Hutt's city centre are only 3.5-6.5 km away, depending on where in Timberlea you are travelling from.

Subdivisions
Timberlea is effectively split into three distinctive areas:

The main part of Timberlea (between Mount Marua Drive and the border with Maoribank by Garth Lane) was developed mainly between the late 1960s and the early 1980s.

The section of Timberlea between Mount Marua Drive and SH2 is a very modern and relatively upmarket subdivision, with most houses being built from 2007 to present.

The section above Mount Marua Drive is known as Mount Marua (from Marua Palms Grove eastwards). This area, having been developed from 2010 onwards, is one of Upper Hutt's most upmarket and exclusive areas, containing many large homes on large sections, with nearly every house having an uninterrupted view of either the Upper Hutt Valley or the Mangaroa Valley (or both), due to being situated at the top of the Eastern Hutt Valley Hills. Mount Marua Way, situated at the highest point of the subdivision (between 210 and 240 metres above sea level), is a private gated community that has a communal tennis court and small pond.

Demographics
Timberlea is part of the Maoribank statistical area.

Parks
Timberlea has three public parks:

Speargrass Park; Located off of Speargrass Grove and Blueberry Grove, it contains a small playground.

Gentian Reserve; Located off of Gentian Street, this forest-covered reserve contains a few walking trails on the slopes of the hill on its eastern side.

Timberlea Park; Accessed from Norana Road, this central Timberlea park contains a small playground, community hall and large lawn next to the bush-covered valley hills.

Public Transport
Timberlea is serviced by the Te Marua commuter bus route (#112), operated by Metlink.

References

Suburbs of Upper Hutt


Gideon Marc Conn (born 15 January 1980) is an English singer-songwriter from Manchester. He tours extensively around the UK, having played at many UK festivals including Glastonbury Festival.

Also an accomplished painter, drawer and sculptor, Conn sells his artwork and accepts commissions through his website.

Early life
Conn began writing and playing music at the age of 15 when his friend taught him a handful of guitar chords; he began adding vocals to these chords and thus began his interest in composition. While completing his art degree in Manchester, he was known to play the piano in the main gallery of the university, as well as using the whole building as a studio for his sculptures.

He graduated in 2003 and continues to paint, draw and sculpt alongside his pursuit of music. He has had many exhibitions in both Manchester and in London. Having worked as a labourer for a year following his attending of university he decided to pursue a career as an artist and musician.

Music career
Conn's songwriting combines fingerpicking acoustic playing with jazz-inspired chord progressions and hip-hop rhythms. His vocal delivery encompasses singing, rapping and scatting. His music varies between a synth-laden modern sound and a more lo-fi production. He takes inspiration from a wide range of influences, primarily in soul and jazz music, and has expressed admiration for artists such as Stevie Wonder, Badly Drawn Boy, OutKast, Nat King Cole and The Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

In the early stages of his music career, Conn self-released albums, EPs and singles; this included his Connpilation series. His first official single "I Want You Around" came out on Mannequin Republic on 10" vinyl. His first album was New Bop Sounds in March 2010. He then recorded the football-themed single "Get Your Hopes Up (Win, Win, Win)" with Clint Boon, which was released just ahead of the 2010 World Cup, on 31 May 2010.

The second album Take It All was released in 2012, with a video for its lead single "Fall Under Tokyo" being filmed in Tokyo. It featured the Manchester-based soul singer Josephine on the track "Colours".

November 2013 saw the release of Highlights and Perceptions on 12-inch vinyl and digital download. The album is essentially two EPs; side A (Highlights) being made up of Donna Maciocia material, while side B (Perceptions) comprises five tracks from Conn. The cover art was designed by both artists.

Conn released his third album Hip Hop Original on 27 November 2015. Two singles were released from this album; "I Just Don't Know You Very Well" on 9 October 2015 and "Crystallised" on 13 May 2016.

Conn's fourth album, Being Gideon, was released on 24 October 2019. This had been preceded by the single "It's Your Turn" on 23 August 2019.

Conn has been played on XFM Radio and on BBC Radio 1 by Huw Stephens, and was the subject of a documentary called Hitting Home: Good Luck Gideon, which was broadcast on Channel M. He was included on the 'A-Z Bestival' Compilation as the letter 'G'. With Scroobius Pip and Ed Sheeran as self-professed fans, he supported popular American singer-songwriter Jason Mraz on his 2008 UK tour.

Discography
"I Want You Around" (Single, 2008)
"Londonderry" (Single, 2009)
New Bop Sounds (Album, 2010)
Take It All (Album, 2012)
Highlights & Perceptions (Split album with Donna Maciocia, 2013)
"Black Hole Sun" (Soundgarden cover) (Digital Download, 2015)
"I Just Don’t Know You Very Well" (Single, 2015)
"Deception" (Blackalicious cover) (Digital Download, 2015)
Hip Hop Original (Album, 2015)
"Crystallised" (Single, 2016)
"I Wish I Was A Volkswagon Beetle" (Digital Download, 2017)
"It's Your Turn" (Single, 2019)
Being Gideon (Album, 2019)

References

External links
 Official website
 Gideon Conn YouTube channel
 Gideon Conn merchandise and music store
 Gideon Conn SoundCloud page
 Gideon Conn BandCamp page and music store
 BandCamp page for Gideon Conn's project with Donna Maciocia

1980 births
Living people
English male singer-songwriters
English singer-songwriters
Musicians from Manchester
21st-century English singers
21st-century British male singers


Kalimati Kalche  is a village development committee in Salyan District in the Rapti Zone of western-central Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 4143 people living in 649 individual households.

References

External links
UN map of the municipalities of Salyan District

Populated places in Salyan District, Nepal


Kalimati Rampur  is a village development committee in Salyan District in the Rapti Zone of western-central Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 2635.

References

External links
UN map of the municipalities of Salyan District

Populated places in Salyan District, Nepal


Kabhra  is a village development committee in Salyan District in the Rapti Zone of western-central Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 3314 people living in 607 individual households.

References

External links
UN map of the municipalities of Salyan District

Populated places in Salyan District, Nepal


Deep Gems is a collection of singles, B-sides, and rarities by American electronic music duo Glass Candy, released in October 2008 by the Italians Do It Better label.

Track listing

Notes
 "Poison or Remedy" is an alternative version of the track "Beatific" from the B/E/A/T/B/O/X album.
 "Stars & Houses" is an alternative version of the track "Digital Versicolor" from the B/E/A/T/B/O/X album.
 "Geto Boys" samples "Mind Playing Tricks on Me" originally performed by the Geto Boys.
 "Ms. Broadway" is a cover of the 1977 Belle Epoque song.

Personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Deep Gems.

 Glass Candy – arrangement
 Johnny Jewel – production
 Eyvind Kang – viola, violin
 Nat Walker – tenor saxophone

References

2008 compilation albums
B-side compilation albums
Glass Candy albums