Those moving to Armenia for permanent residence may use the relief of importing personal use items without paying customs duties. The SRC has published an explanatory video guide on the procedure. The relief applies to used items not exceeding the following amounts (annex No 1 to Decision No 1133-N of 02.07.2020 of the Government of Armenia):

1. Household and personal-use devices (3 pcs of each kind, e.g. refrigerator, TV-set),
2. Used furniture (1 set of each kind, e.g. all components of bedroom furniture).
3. Personal items and other used household items without restriction on quantity (e.g. clothing, utensils),
4. Personal-use vehicle (e.g. car, motorcycle and accessories, 1 pc of each).

“Allowances are set not per a family but per a declarant. This means that each family member who owns personal-use items and meets the law requirements, can use the relief,” clarifies Head of SRC’s Customs Administration and Customs Development Division Lilit Avetisyan.

To use the relief, firstly there is a need to obtain a document acknowledging the movement to Armenia for permanent residence by applying to Passport and Visa Department of the Police of Armenia. The document will be provided to any foreign individual who has Armenian citizenship, or a status of special or permanent (long-term) resident, or other equivalent status if stipulated by an international agreement. It is important to know that the foreign individual should be absent from Armenia for at least 915 days (about 2.5 years) during the period of 1825 days (about 5 years) prior to the moment of applying for the document (Law of Armenia on “Making amendments and supplements to the Law of Armenia on Customs Regulation” of 17.04.2020).

In case the the requirements are met, the document acknowledging the fact that the person has moved to Armenia for permanent residence will be issued not later than within five days.
After obtaining the document, the individual may submit an application to customs authorities in paper form or by e-mail (secretariat@petekamutner.am) indicating the description, weight and amount of personal-use items).

The following documents should also be attached:
1. Document proving Armenian citizenship, status of special or permanent (long-term) residence or equivalent status if stipulated by an international agreement. This does not include those who are given the status of immigrant or forcibly displaced.
2. Document acknowledging the fact that the foreign person is moving for permanent residence. Whereas, those who have the status of immigrant or forcibly displaced, should submit the document issued by the authorized agency of the Government.
3. Document proving the fact of residing in another country before arriving in Armenia.
4. Documents required during declaration of personal-use items, such as transportation documents (bills of lading, non-commercial invoice or specification, transit declaration).
5. Documents issued by foreign country’s authority on registration and ownership in the individual’s name (when importing a personal-use vehicle).

Declarants must present the Armenian translation of the documents in the manner prescribed by law.

Within three working days after studying the documents, customs authority issues a permission to declare personal-use items and vehicle without paying customs duties, or denies to do so if the requirements aren’t met.

Customs authority will process the application also in case no document has been presented on recognition of the fact of permanent residence. In such case, customs authority will apply to the police and request for the document not later than within 3 days. At the same time, the document proving the fact of presence of Armenian citizenship, status of special or permanent (long-term) residence or equivalent status if stipulated by an international agreement will be presented.

Not later than within four working days, the Passport and Visa Department of the Police will provide the customs authority with the document acknowledging the fact of foreign individual moving to Armenia for permanent residence, or deny to do so in writing.

By the way, the customs duty relief will be granted if an individual has not used it before. “One of the important terms is that the property must be bought by the individual before the document proving permanent residence is issued, and the personal-use cars and motorcycles must be registered and owned by the person in their previous country 6 months before applying for this document,” points out Lilit Avetisyan.

Notice: imports from previous country of residence to the territory of the Eurasian Economic Union must be carried out not later than within 18 months from the moment the foreign individual receives a document acknowledging the fact of their movement to Armenia for permanent residence, or a document proving the fact of obtaining the status of immigrant or forcibly displaced person in Armenia.