Armenia biometric passport costs nearly a tenth of monthly pay, opposition says

Armenia's biometric passport fee, set by the government of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, stands at AMD 28,650, according to Levon Zurabyan, Vice-Chairman of the Armenian National Congress (ANC). He says that amount equals 9.45% of the average monthly gross salary — close to one-tenth of a month's earnings.

Key facts

• Biometric passport fee: AMD 28,650, as cited by Zurabyan
• Share of average monthly gross salary: 9.45%
• Only Tajikistan, at about 30.45%, ranks higher in his comparison
• Armenian citizens spend roughly 7.5 times the German share and 36% more than in Georgia
• Figures were presented by an opposition politician on 12 November 2026; no government response is included

How much does an Armenian biometric passport cost?

Zurabyan put the current fee at AMD 28,650. Measured against the average monthly gross salary, he said, that works out at 9.45% — nearly a tenth of a month's earnings. He described the charge as a heavy burden on family budgets and criticised the government's approach to citizens as one of "legitimized exploitation".

How does the fee compare with other countries?

Zurabyan compared the passport cost as a percentage of average monthly gross salary across several countries. Among developed countries he listed Germany at 1.26%, Poland at 1.59%, Canada at 2.12%, the United Kingdom at 2.19%, France at 2.25% and the United States at 2.69%.

Among former Soviet republics, he gave Belarus 3.34%, Moldova 5.07%, Azerbaijan 5.44%, Russia 5.98%, Uzbekistan 6.21%, Kyrgyzstan 6.71%, Georgia 6.93%, Kazakhstan 7.80% and Tajikistan approximately 30.45%.

On those figures, only Tajikistan exceeds Armenia. Zurabyan said an Armenian citizen spends about 7.5 times the German share of salary on a passport, and 36% more than in Georgia.

Why is the fee being criticised?

Zurabyan linked the cost to the design of the passport, saying citizens are expected to spend a large part of the family budget simply to have Mount Ararat removed from the document and to bring Armenia closer to the European Union. He argued that Armen Grigoryan, the former Secretary of the Security Council, knows that EU rapprochement is unrealistic.

What this means for travellers

Anyone applying for an Armenian biometric passport should budget for the AMD 28,650 fee cited in Zurabyan's comparison. The figures presented are the politician's own calculations, and the source contains no announcement of any change to the fee.

No proposal to alter the charge, and no government response to the criticism, is included in the material reviewed.