EU Commission Initiates Visa Liberalisation Talks With Armenia
Key Takeaways
1. The EU Commission has initiated visa liberalisation talks with Armenia.
2. The Council emphasized that Armenia must meet all benchmarks to achieve visa liberalisation.
3. Once a visa-free agreement is reached, Armenians will no longer need a Schengen visa to enter the EU.
The EU Commission's decision to start visa liberalisation talks with Armenia follows an endorsement from the Foreign Affairs Council.
These talks are significant for Armenia's goal of achieving visa-free travel with the EU and will enhance people-to-people connections.
The dialogue will focus on various areas, including security of travel documents, migration and asylum, border management, and fundamental rights in Armenia. These discussions will be guided by the Visa Liberalisation Action Plan (VLAP), which will soon be presented to Armenian authorities.
Visa liberalisation is not automatic; it will be considered only after the successful completion of the dialogue and the fulfillment of all VLAP conditions.
EU Commission
The initiation of these talks is part of ongoing efforts to strengthen cooperation with Armenia. However, Armenia must meet several requirements before its citizens can travel visa-free to the EU.
Armenia Needs to Fulfill All Benchmarks to Have Visa Obligations Lifted, Council Stressed
Commenting on the talks, the Council of the EU welcomed the move but stressed that lifting visa requirements will only be considered once Armenia fulfills all the EU benchmarks.
EU Council
The possibility of lifting visa obligations for Armenian citizens will be assessed only upon complete fulfillment of these benchmarks.
What Will Change for Nationals of Armenia When Dialogue Is Successfully Completed?
Once the visa liberalisation dialogue is successfully completed, Armenian citizens will no longer need a Schengen visa for entry into the Schengen Area. They will be eligible for visa-free stays of up to 90 days within any 180-day period. For longer stays, Armenians will still need to apply for a long-term Schengen visa.
Until then, Armenians must continue to obtain Schengen visas. However, they benefit from certain facilitations, such as a reduced €35 Schengen visa fee compared to the €90 fee for nationals of other countries.