YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 19, NOYAN TAPAN. At the November 15 sitting, the Armenian government approved the order of approval and registration of invitations to the Republic of Armenia, the list of documents to be presented for approval of an invitation, and the desription and the form of invitations - in accordance with the RA Law on Foreigners. According to the order, an invitation to visit the RA is a document that substantiates a foreigner's entry into and presence in the territory of the RA for purposes and for the period indicated in the invitation. After the sitting, the head of the RA Police Passport Department Alvina Zakarian said that henceforth foreign citizens arriving in the RA may receive an entry visa for 120 days instead of 21 days at a crossing point on the RA state border. They have to pay 15 thousand drams (about 47 US dollars) for receiving an entry visa. According to A. Zakarian, the period of temporary status of stay has been left the same - one year. She said that the ordinary status of residence (up to 3 years) is not in effect now: it is replaced wuth the status of permanent residence. A citizen may have status of permanent residence for a period of up to 5 years, after which - special status of stay for a 10-year period. If foreign citizens live in Armenia longer than the established period, they have to apply to the passport department two days before the indicated date and pay 500 drams for each day. Otherwise, they will be fined in the amount of 50-100 thousand drams and forbidden from entering Armenia for a year. A. Zakarian stated that the inviting side have to pay 5 thousand drams instead of the previous 12 thousand drams for giving an invitation.

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