YEREVAN, JULY 21, NOYAN TAPAN - ARMENIANS TODAY. 2,420 persons acquired citizenship of the Republic of Armenia in the first half of 2009, which was more than in the period from 1997 to 2007, Head of the Passport and Visa Department of RA Police, Lieutenant Colonel Norayr Muradkhanian announced. He explained that the process of granting RA citizenship began in 1997 when the by-laws ensuring the application of the Law on Citizenship of the Republic of Armenia (passed in 1995) took force. 1,735 citizens received RA citizenship in 1997-2007. It was mentioned that in the indicated period the institution of dual citizenship was not valid, and those receiving RA citizenship were obliged to give up their citizenship of the other country. N. Muradkhanian added that dual citizenship was permitted after the amendments to the Law on Citizenship of the Republic of Armenia were adopted in February 2007, while in November 2007 the Armenian government approved a decision regulating the process of acquiring RA citizenship. 1,554 persons received RA citizenship, including status of dual citizen, in 2008. N. Muradkhanian said that citizens of 23 countries, including 177 from Russia, 34 from Uzbekistan, 21 from Turkmenistan, 38 from Iraq, 42 from Iran, 16 from the U.S, and 23 from Syria received RA citizenship in recent years. In 2007 there were no cases when an application for receiving RA citizenship was rejected. 10 applications were rejected in 2008, 9 applications were rejected in the first half of 2009. According to Head of the Department for Pardon, Citizenship, Awards and Titles of the RA Presidential Staff Jemma Hakobian, decisions on granting stay permits to 40-60 persons are now taken twice a week. Decisions on granting RA citizenship to up to 600 persons are taken twice a month.

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