Armenia Visa for Indians: My Experience
Indian citizens who hold a valid visa or residence permit from the US, EU/Schengen, UK, or GCC countries can receive a visa on arrival for Armenia.
I showed my US visa at the land border between Georgia and Armenia. The officers didn’t ask me anything. I had to fill a form with information about where I would stay during my visit, my passport details, place of birth, countries visited in the past five years, was it my first time in Armenia, my profession etc. The visa fee was about 3000 Armenian drams or 9 USD (which I paid with my Wise VISA travel card). The visa was printed instantly, and the officer stuck it to an empty page on my passport. It was valid for twenty one days.
The officers were friendly. The one who was processing my visa exclaimed at reading writer as my profession, and I showed him my book. Then I passed through the biometric counter where my picture was taken.
I think if I needed a longer visa, I had to pay USD 38. At least that is what I can see on the Armenian e-visa website.
Getting an Armenia visa for Indians who don’t have any of the above visas could be done online. The website, the same one I shared above, says it takes three working days.
Outside immigration, a couple of little boys asked if I needed a sim card. I forgot the price they quoted. I didn’t need one because I had an esim. They asked me if I needed a taxi to Alaverdi. Alaverdi was my first stop in Armenia. It is a small village in the Debed Canyon. I told them that I didn’t need one. They started telling me how far Alaverdi is and so on.
I was hitchhiking. I quickly got a ride in a small truck, the old toothless driver singing Raj Kapur songs.
Mera joota hai Japani
He knew these four words only. So I sang the song for him, and he tuned along, grinning.
Mera joota hai Japani
ye patloon Hindustani
sir pe lal topi Rusi
fir bhi Dil hai Hindustani.
We sang songs, the mountains rose around us, and the Debed river gushed on my right through its valley.
What a welcome to Armenia!
Have you been to Armenia? Would you love to go?
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