More than 53,000 displaced Artsakh Armenians have applied for Armenian citizenship

YEREVAN — More than 53,000 Armenians forcibly displaced from Artsakh have applied for citizenship of the Republic of Armenia, according to figures released by Interior Minister Arpine Sargsyan on November 4.

Speaking during parliamentary discussions on the government’s proposed 2027 state budget, Sargsyan announced that 53,039 displaced persons had submitted citizenship applications as of November 1.

Of these, 32,690 have been granted citizenship through presidential decrees. An additional 14,344 minors have acquired Armenian citizenship through the passport issuance process.

The minister also confirmed that citizenship applications are now handled through a digital platform, as Armenia continues expanding electronic migration and documentation services.

The figures come more than three years after Azerbaijan’s September 2023 military offensive forced virtually the entire Armenian population of Artsakh to abandon their ancestral homes.

More than 100,000 people sought refuge in Armenia, leaving behind their homes, properties, churches, schools and communities.

The citizenship process remains an important part of addressing the immediate legal and administrative needs of displaced families. However, significant challenges persist in securing permanent housing, employment, social protection and long-term stability.

The question also carries broader political and legal implications.

Armenian human rights advocates have repeatedly emphasized that obtaining Armenian citizenship must not be interpreted as relinquishing the right to return to Artsakh.

They maintain that citizenship and integration in Armenia are separate from the displaced population’s internationally recognized human rights, including claims relating to property, cultural heritage and safe, dignified return.

As the Armenian government continues its citizenship reforms, the unresolved status and future of Artsakh’s displaced Armenian population remain matters of national and international concern.