Over 16,000 Karabakh Displaced Gained Armenian Citizenship by 2025

(ARMENIA) Armenian officials say claims that more than 26,200 people uprooted from Karabakh have already received Armenian citizenship are wrong. The government reports a lower—but rising—total after a year of fast-track processing for families who fled Azerbaijan’s September 2023 offensive.

As of September 2, 2025, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Armen Ghazaryan said the state had processed more than 16,000 applications from forcibly displaced persons, granting citizenship to 11,259 adults by presidential decree and extending it to over 5,000 minors automatically through their parents. The figures, provided in public briefings, have become a flashpoint in debates over aid, housing, and jobs because citizenship has turned into a gatekeeper for some state programs while tens of thousands still live on temporary papers.

How the numbers changed and why

Officials said the jump from earlier counts reflects both increased demand and new eligibility rules tied to social supports.

• By July 31, 2025, the government reported that more than 10,000 Karabakh refugees had received Armenian citizenship, after 12,400 applications were filed.
• Earlier updates showed 3,431 people had become citizens by October 10, 2024, and around 6,000 applications had been submitted by the end of 2024.
• A separate July 2025 count put the total at 9,346, underscoring how quickly the caseload changed as offices expanded and families sought legal stability for their children.

Officials and rights advocates said decisions to tie certain housing support and public-sector hiring to citizenship pushed families who had delayed paperwork to apply.

Fast-track processing and practical hurdles

Armenia has tried to accelerate decisions for displaced persons compared with the standard citizenship track.

• Ghazaryan said Karabakh family applications are handled in about two months, instead of the standard 90 days.
• The government opened extra service hubs across the country so people outside Yerevan can file documents.

Lawyers who assist applicants say the fast pace still depends on having:

• identity papers,
• proof of Armenian origin,
• and clean civil records.

These documents can be hard to obtain when families fled with little more than bags. Even when minors qualify through a parent’s naturalization, parents must still complete the adult file before a child’s passport can be issued. The Ministry has said it will keep the expedited workflow while temporary protection remains valid.

Displacement scale and temporary protection

Citizenship numbers sit against a far larger displacement.

• 115,359 people arrived from Karabakh after the 2023 offensive, including 30,306 minors.
• Nearly 110,000 held temporary protection certificates by late 2024.
• Those certificates are valid until December 31, 2025, allowing people to live and work in Armenia while deciding whether to seek citizenship or move elsewhere.
• Officials acknowledged about 11,000 people later emigrated from Armenia, often citing jobs and housing costs.

Aid groups say the certificate has become a lifeline but also a reminder that many still feel in limbo.

Misinformation and its effects

Recent social media posts claimed that over 26,200 forcibly displaced persons from Karabakh had been granted Armenian citizenship. Government data do not back that number.

• No official updates cited by ministries or rights monitors put the total at or above 26,200 as of December 2025.
• Analysis by VisaVerge.com says the gap between the viral claim and the state’s published tallies has increased mistrust among displaced persons and local Armenians concerned about public spending.

Officials urge reliance on ministry announcements rather than informal screenshots and forwarded messages. They stress the system records adults and minors in two ways and ask people to check official channels.

The spread of inflated figures has exacerbated mistrust at a time when clear accounting affects aid, housing, and employment decisions.

Legal and personal challenges

For some applicants, the process has carried a sting of loss.

• Human rights activist Artak Beglaryan says pre-existing Artsakh passports (code 070) are “not fully recognized” by Armenian authorities beyond voting rights, forcing many Karabakh Armenians to start from scratch for citizenship, residency records, and travel documents.
• Officials say Armenian citizenship must be based on Armenian law and verified identity files, especially when applicants lack Armenian birth certificates or have inconsistent name spellings.

Several displaced families told local reporters they felt embarrassed when asked to prove who they were after fleeing shelling and hunger last year.

Why citizenship matters

Citizenship can open doors that temporary protection does not.

• Housing: The government has linked parts of its housing policy to Armenian citizenship. Officials have said up to 25,000 families could qualify for housing support after they become citizens—a condition that has driven many new applications.
• Employment: Citizenship can be required for state jobs, including positions in law enforcement.
• Practical life decisions: Parents often apply to secure children’s schooling, while older relatives sometimes keep a Karabakh identity out of hope of return.

Authorities say the choice remains voluntary, but displaced families describe pressure from deadlines—when rent is due or an employer requires formal papers.

Assistance, public sentiment, and risks of cuts

The citizenship drive comes as Armenia adjusts its wider support package.

• Cash assistance is distributed through the state platform e-soc.am and information is available via hotline 114.
• Support is set to continue through 2025 but with gradual reductions.

A June 2025 poll by the International Republican Institute (1,505 respondents, including displaced persons) found 55% satisfaction with the government’s refugee aid. Analysts note satisfaction correlates with:

• how quickly families found work,
• availability of housing in host communities,
• and whether local schools had capacity.

Several civic groups warn that cutting assistance too quickly could push more families to emigrate, especially those without savings or relatives in Armenia.

Official guidance and practical tips for applicants

Government agencies have tried to steer applicants to official channels.

• The Ministry of Internal Affairs directs people to its online services and contact points on the national e-government portal, e-gov.am, where residents can find instructions and office addresses for civil status and citizenship services.
• Lawyers advise applicants to keep copies of any temporary protection certificate, birth record, and marriage record they have—small spelling differences can slow checks.

Ghazaryan said processing sites were expanded beyond the capital to reduce travel and crowding, a change many displaced persons welcomed after months of long lines. Still, some families report difficulty replacing lost documents from Karabakh, making each trip to an office a test of patience and money.

The larger dilemma: return or settle?

Behind the paperwork is a bigger question: whether displacement becomes permanent.

• Many of the more than 115,000 displaced persons say they still dream of returning to Karabakh, even as daily life in Armenia makes that feel farther away.
• Citizenship helps people sign leases, apply for public jobs, and plan schooling, but it can also feel like admitting the old home is gone.

Officials say the state will keep processing files quickly. Yet the gap between the number who fled and those who have taken Armenian citizenship shows hesitation remains. With temporary protection valid through December 31, 2025, some families are waiting — watching talks and security conditions — and trying to decide where their children will grow up next year.