Armenia's Parliament exempt compatriots from "hot spots" from payment of state duty for registration of migration documents

In Armenia, Armenians, who are citizens of countries, in which there is a risk to their lives and health, shall be exempted from payment of state duties at registration of migration documents. This decision was made today by the country's Parliament, which approved the amendments to the Law "On State Duty".

In her speech, Granush Akopyan, Minister of Diaspora, who has presented the document in the first reading, has noted that, to avoid the involvement of only Syrian Armenians, it is suggested to formulate in the law that Armenians, who are citizens of countries, in which there is a risk to their lives and health, shall be exempted from payment of state duties.

The need for the amendments has occurred after the visas, issued to compatriots from Syria, began to expire. Today, the state duty provides payment of 500 drams (about 1.2 US dollars) for each day of the visa extension, and the state duty for a residence permit is amounted to 105-140 drams (about 256-342 US dollars). Given the length of stay in the country, payment for each visa will reach 150,000 drams, and payment for visas for a family of four persons 600,000 drams (about 1440 US dollars). In total, as a result of the adoption of the amendments to the law, the state budget will not receive about 100 million drams (about 24,000 US dollars), the "Arminfo" reports.

Yerevan does not encourage emigration from Syria; however, it will take under the protection every Syrian Armenian, who came to Armenia. This was stated on October 19 by Serzh Sargsyan, President of Armenia, during the event, dedicated to the 87^th General Meeting of the Armenian General Benevolent Union.

"We share with them all things that every Armenian has. I believe this is the only way," the "ARKA" quotes the President of Armenia as saying.