12:38, 6 April, 2020

YEREVAN, APRIL 6, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian foreign ministry is starting to render some consular services online, namely through video communication.

Citizens willing to receive certificates of repatriation, changing passport (non-biometric), extending the validity of passports will be able to submit the applications without going to consular service bodies in person, and send and receive the documents by mail.

It is planned to create a task force in the consular department of the foreign ministry that will be tasked with rendering consular services to Armenian citizens anywhere in the world.

Armenia has 55 embassies and consular offices in 44 countries.

“The active consular points ensure significant “consular coverage” for Armenian citizens, however it is obvious that in many countries and territories the consular services aren’t accessible or are difficult to access for citizens. Moreover, in major countries such as Russia, Canada, the US and others, where although consular points do operate, citizens have to pass hundreds and sometimes thousands of kilometers of roads to receive any consular service,” the foreign ministry said.

The foreign ministry emphasized that the legislative initiative that it had introduced back in 2019 is being highlighted today, during the global COVID-19 pandemic, when many countries are enforcing strict lockdown measures and restricting movement of people, and that it is imperative to create alternative, remote options.

The ministry said the video-communication consular services will be deployed very soon, after respective decisions of the government come into force and securing some technical regulations.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan