ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 1996 by Richard L. Ney This tour guide is prepared for personal information-use only. Absolutely no part of this tour guide, its complete form, or the information contained within it may be reprinted, copied or otherwise duplicated for the purposes of resale or commercial gain. Any duplication or copying of this guide, any part thereof, and the information contained must receive the express permission of the author.

ON THE BORDER

While the Kafka-like situations faced by travelers to the USSR are thankfully over, there are still challenges to the immigration and customs process which can make any trip to Armenia an unpleasant experience for the unprepared. The process itself is not intimidating, but it is long, and no amount of effort on your side seems to make it faster. If you arrive via Zvartnotz Airport in Yerevan, be prepared for standing in line, for people jostling each other to get through first, then standing around waiting for luggage to come up the conveyor belt. (See Notes From Armenia: Notes 3) . This section is devoted to the procedure you can expect to encounter when you pass both Immigrations and Customs, with helpful tips and information.

Customs and Immigration: There are Customs and Immigration points located at Zvartnotz, Erebuni, Giumri and Stepanavan Airports, and at the border between Armenia and Georgia at Tashir (2 points, road), Airum (rail and road) and Bavra (road); between Armenia and Turkey at Akhurian (rail, currently closed) and Markara (road, currently closed); and at the border between Armenia and Iran at Meghri (road).

On The Spot Visas: Note that only Zvartnotz Airport and Bavra Road Customs points can issue On The Spot Visas (tourist and transit only). See Visas and Passports: Process: In Armenia.

All exterior borders (i.e. International flights, Turkey and Iran) are jointly patrolled by Armenian and Russian Federation guards by agreement between Armenia and Russia. Without debating the politics of this arrangement to preserve the CIS, this means one simple thing for the vast majority of visitors arriving by air: you are passing two immigrations: first the CIS, and then into Armenia proper. For example, at Zvartnotz airport Russian guards (who speak Armenian, Russian and English) will clear your passport and visa. You then pass to the luggage waiting area, where there will be Armenian Immigration officials (who may look harried trying to grab unsuspecting foreigners wandering around, but who are really trying to help you register your visa, and speak some English). You must register your visa and passport with them in order to proceed to customs.

IMMIGRATION POINTS, PROCESS AND DOCUMENTS REQUIRED:
When You Enter Armenia

At Zvartnotz, Erebuni, Giumri and Stepanavan Airports: When you arrive at the airport, you will be directed to immigration. You will need your valid passport and visa, and you may be asked the purpose and length of your stay. These are formalities, so don’t start imagining they are starting a dossier on you. At Zvartnotz only, if you want to purchase your visa on arrival, inform the immigration officials when you approach the booth. Expect to wait until they have processed all other passengers before they will escort you to their office to make application. Note that the on the spot visa is available only at Zvartnotz Airport and at the Bavra Immigration points. The second immigration point is when you register your visa and passport with Armenian officials in the luggage claim area. You turn in both stamped visa and/or passport, and may have to answer a few simple questions (purpose of visit, how long you intend to stay, where will you stay), though every time we have passed this point the officials were too busy trying to keep up with the avalanche of passports and visas to bother asking anything.

Road: Bavra, Airum, Tashir, Meghri: The only road point that will issue on the spot tourist visas at the border is located at the Georgia/Armenia border post at Bavra, north of Giumri. This is the most common route taken for travelers (and commerce) entering from Turkey via Batumi and then into Armenia. Even with the ongoing conflict between Armenia and Turkey, there are no questions asked if you happen to have a Turkish visa on you. At other road points, if you do not already posses a valid visa (i.e. Armenian visa and/or valid CIS member state visa good for automatic 3-day transit), you can be refused entry.

Car: The border posts will check your documents and passport, and then ask to see your baggage. Depending on whether or not you speak Armenian, or have an Armenian driver/guide with you, this can be a faster or longer process. It is seldom if ever a difficult process. The border guard may be more interested in where you come from and suggesting tour sites for you to see than in questioning you. Note you are passing both Georgian and Armenian Immigration and customs. At the crossing point at Mughalo and Gogovan (Tashir), this means stopping four times, twice for Georgian customs and immigration, and twice for Armenian.

Train: Airum: The border point processing passengers is located on the border with Georgia at Airum. Note that the passenger train is scheduled to begin operating across the Georgian border at Airum, but we do not have confirmation as of yet. The immigration check can be either on the train itself, or you may be asked to disembark, collect your baggage and pass through it in the immigration and customs building. Expect one to three hours for this process (hope you brought something to munch on).

Bus: Passengers almost always have to disembark and collect their baggage for customs and immigration, though the officials sometimes do a simple "poke" check in the luggage bay. If you are a foreigner, expect to be asked to disembark and clear both processes. The process can take more than an hour, and note that you are clearing two immigrations and customs, first exiting Georgia, then entering Armenia (see Car above). The same documents required for entering via Zvartnotz apply on the road or by rail, that is, valid passport and at least a valid CIS member state visa allowing 3 day transit through Armenia.

Other Points: Markara and Akhurian: Both the road point at Markara and the rail point at Akhurian are currently closed. Customs has informed us that hey are prepared to open the immigrations and customs points, when the Turkish government opens the border on their side. Travelers wanting to enter via Turkey need to cross the Turkish border at Batumi, and enter at Bavra, or fly in from Istanbul (See Getting In and Out: Air)

IMMIGRATION: WHEN YOU LEAVE ARMENIA:

Show your passport and Visa to the Immigration officer. They will stamp your exit date onto the passport.

If you are past your visa length of stay, you are subject to being turned away and sent to OVIR for extension or new visa, plus a penalty of $3 a day for each day you are in country without a valid visa. The officer may allow you to purchase a tourist visa ($100) at Zvartnotz airport, but don’t count on it.