Border crossings
Armenia’s international border posts are as follows:
Agarak Land border with Iran.
Bavra Land border with Georgia.
Gyumri (Shirak Airport) CIS airport.
Guguti-Tashir Land border with Georgia.
Sadakhlo-Bagratashen Land border with Georgia.
Yerevan (Zvartnots Airport) International airport.
Visa extensions
You can get a visa extension at the Passport and Visa Department of OVIR (53 43 91; 13a Mesrop Mashtots Poghota, room 211; 2-6pm Mon-Fri). At room 211 you fill in a form and provide a photocopy of the picture page in your passport and return the next day to confirm authorisation of the extension. Once you have confirmation you pay AMD500 for every day you want to extend.
You will be given an account number for you to make the deposit, which can be done at any bank (the ABB across the street will do this for an AMD100 fee). You then go back to room 211 and leave your receipt and passport. You can pick up the extension the following day.
It’s possible to avoid the three trips to OVIR by simply overstaying your visa and then paying US$3 per day when you leave. OVIR at Zvartnots is not much of a hassle, and land border guards are similarly happy to accept your money.
For people of Armenian descent and their partners, OVIR issues 10-year residency permits. The process takes about three months and costs around $300.
Georgia
The Georgian Embassy (1-58 55 11; geoemb@netsys.am; 42 Aram Poghots) provides visas for 60 GEL (US$35). However, these days many Western nationals can enter visa-free and those that need a visa can get one at the border. Note that visas may not be available at the border for train travellers. The safest bet is to get a visa at the Georgian embassy in Yerevan.
Iran
The Iranian Embassy (23 49 00; emiranar@arminco.com; 1 Budaghyan Poghots, Arabkir Park) provides visas only after you have received approval from the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and for this you’ll need to go through a travel agent. The whole process can last two weeks or more.
