TO BECOME A CITIZEN OF ARMENIA FIRST OF ALL IT IS NECESSARY TO SWEAR AN OATH

Panorama.am
20:07 07/02/2007

Every person, who has become 18 years old and able to function, if
he has permanently lived in Armenia for the last 3 years, as well
as can explain in Armenia and knows the Constitution of our country,
may apply for getting passport of the Republic of Armenia.

The bill "On making amendments to the RA Law "On RA citizenship"
envisages such a provision, which was presented in the parliament
today by Minister of Justice David Haroutyunyan.

According to the bill, the person, who is married to RA citizen or has
got a child, who is Armenian citizen, or the person, who is an Armenian
by origin, has got Armenian ancestry, may become Armenian citizen.

Besides, the people, who have rendered exclusive services to our
country, also may get Armenian passport, nevertheless, the dual
citizen for our country is "recognized only as a citizen of the
Republic of Armenia".

In the words of D. Haroutyunuan, the person may also become an Armenian
citizen, if he has abandoned the RA citizenship by his application
after the Jan 1, 1995, when the prohibityion of dual citizenship came
into force.

"Of course the vast part of these people are Armenians and only few
people that are not Armenians by nationality, but they have been a
citizen of the Republic of Armenia before 1995", the minister said in
response to the proposal of NA Speaker, Tigran Torosyan, to withdraw
this provision from the bill.

It should be noted that the application for getting the citizenship
of our country may be rejected in the case, if by its activities
the person harms the state and public security, public order, public
health, the rights and freedoms of others, their honor and good fame.

By the way, the rejection of the application may not be grounded. And
the person, who is getting Armenian passport, swears an oath to be
faithful to the Republic of Armenia, to keep the Constitution and
the laws, to protect the independence and territorial integrity,
pledges himself to respect the official language, national culture
and traditions.