Armenia
Company Registration
for Foreigners.
Armenia company registration for foreigners — Yerevan-based LLCs and Free Economic Zone entities under the RA Civil Code and Law on Limited Liability Companies. 100% foreign ownership, EAEU market access, IT-certificate exemptions, and a 51-treaty double-tax network — structured and maintained from our Dubai advisory desk.
Armenia formation at a glance.
Structure, cost, timeline, and ownership rules of an Armenia company registration — at a glance, no jargon.
The smallest fully open EAEU economy, with the most generous IT regime.
Six structural advantages for foreigners considering Armenia company registration in 2026. Armenia is the only EAEU member where 100% foreign ownership is unrestricted, the IT certificate eliminates profit tax entirely, and the State Register Agency can incorporate an LLC in a single hour — a combination unmatched anywhere in the post-Soviet space.
100% foreign ownership
No restrictions on foreign ownership in Armenia. Both founders and directors can be of any nationality, with no resident shareholder or local director requirement. Up to 49 participants per LLC; Single-Person Enterprises (SPE) are also fully foreign-owned by default. A statutory entitlement under the RA Civil Code — not a negotiated exemption.
Tariff-free goods to 180M consumers
Tariff-free goods movement to Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, and Kyrgyzstan via the Eurasian Economic Union, plus EAEU-wide free trade agreements with Vietnam, Singapore, Serbia, and Iran. GSP+ preferential access to the EU, US, and Japan stacks on top.
Profit tax goes to zero
Companies that obtain the IT certificate from the High-Technology Industry Council pay 0% profit tax and a reduced 10% personal income tax for tech employees, against the standard 18% / 20%. Available to software, IT services, and technology firms with ten or fewer employees at registration.
Free Economic Zone — full exemption
FEZ residents (Alliance, Meridian, ECOS, MAIA) are exempt from profit tax, VAT, property tax, and customs on imports for export-oriented manufacturing, processing, and high-tech assembly. No customs duties on machinery, raw materials, or finished goods leaving the zone.
USD, EUR, RUB, AMD — multi-currency
Ameriabank, Inecobank, ACBA Bank, and HSBC Armenia open business accounts for foreign founders in four currencies with full SWIFT, SEPA, and CIS-rail support. Profits are freely repatriable; no exchange controls on capital or income flows.
51 DTAs — including Russia at 5%
Armenia’s treaty network covers 51 jurisdictions. Used as the holding layer for Russian operating subsidiaries, the Armenia–Russia DTA caps Russian-source dividend withholding at 5% versus the 15% non-treaty rate — while Armenia’s own outbound WHT is already 5% domestically. CIS founders need no apostille for documents from RU, BY, UA, TJ, AZ, GE, MD, KG, UZ, TM.
Best suited for
Armenia company registration for foreigners fits five high-intent use cases under the 2026 framework. Each is paired with the corporate vehicle we typically recommend — with verified Armenia formation cost ranges and timelines.
IT/SaaS founders relocating from Russia or Belarus
Software, SaaS and platform founders who left RU/BY in 2022–2024 use Armenia’s IT certificate to drop profit tax to 0% while keeping CIS-rail banking, Russian-language operations, and a familiar civil-law system. The High-Technology Industry Council issues IT certificates within 30 days of LLC registration. Year-1 all-in: $4,500.
LLC + IT CertificateEAEU traders & cross-border goods movement
Importers, distributors and B2B traders use Armenia as the EAEU customs entry point: tariff-free movement to Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus and Kyrgyzstan; EAEU FTAs into Vietnam, Singapore, Serbia, Iran; GSP+ preferential access into the EU, US and Japan. VAT-registered LLC with multi-currency Ameriabank account. Year-1 all-in: $5,000.
Trading LLCRussian-speaking consulting & digital agencies
Marketing, web/UX, design and consulting agencies serving CIS-language clients elect the turnover-tax regime (1.5–10% on gross revenue, replacing 18% profit tax + 20% VAT). For service businesses under AMD 115M (~ $311K) annual revenue, effective tax burden lands at 5–7% — one of the lowest in Eurasia. Year-1 all-in: $3,900.
Turnover-tax LLCE-commerce & cross-border online retail
Shopify/WooCommerce/Wildberries operators selling into CIS and MENA use Armenia’s multi-currency banking (AMD/USD/EUR/RUB) plus EAEU customs simplification to cut order-fulfilment friction. Yandex.Checkout, Stripe and PayPal all settle to Armenian business accounts. Year-1 all-in: $4,500.
E-commerce LLCManufacturing & processing under FEZ
Electronics assembly, jewellery cutting, pharmaceutical processing and light industrial founders register under the Free Economic Zone regime (Alliance, Meridian, ECOS, MAIA) for full exemption from profit tax, VAT, property tax and customs duties on inputs and outputs. EAEU tariff-free movement to RU/BY/KZ preserved. Year-1 all-in: $6,200 with sponsor introduction.
FEZ ResidentFive use cases. One Armenia LLC. Set up in three days.
From $1,200 for the entry tier to $6,200 for FEZ — pricing scoped before you sign anything.
Four structures, precisely scoped.
Each entity below is one we actively structure, register, and maintain in Armenia. Pricing reflects the Armenia company registration cost as the Sovera engagement fee; government fees itemised separately in the proposal.
Limited Liability Company →
The default vehicle for 95% of foreign founders. Up to 49 participants, no minimum charter capital required at registration (statutory minimum AMD 50,000 ~ $135 paid-in within 12 months), 100% foreign ownership, eligible for IT certificate and turnover-tax regime. Setup: 1 hour to 3 days.
Branch of a foreign company →
Operating arm of a non-Armenian parent that wants Armenian tax presence without forming a separate legal entity. Inherits the parent’s liability, files Armenian tax returns on Armenian-source income, eligible for treaty benefits via the parent’s residence. Setup: 2–3 weeks.
Joint Stock Company (JSC) →
For founders raising external capital, planning IPO on the Armenian Securities Exchange (AMX), or structuring multi-tranche shareholder rights. Open and Closed JSC variants. Minimum charter capital AMD 1M (~ $2,700) closed; AMD 50M (~ $135K) open. Setup: 4–6 weeks.
Free Economic Zone resident →
An LLC layered with FEZ residency: Alliance (high-tech), Meridian (jewellery & precious stones), ECOS (industrial assembly), or MAIA (Meghri border processing). Full exemption from profit tax, VAT, property tax, and customs. Sovera handles formation, sponsor introduction, and FEZ application as one mandate.
Formation requirements
Armenia is one of the lightest-touch incorporation regimes in Eurasia. The list below is exhaustive — if it isn’t here, the State Register Agency doesn’t ask for it.
- ✓Passport (international or, for CIS citizens, internal passport with notarised Russian/Armenian translation)
- ✓Proof of address (utility bill, bank statement, or residency document) issued within the last 90 days
- ✓Beneficial owner declaration (UBO form per FATF/CBA template) for each individual holding 25%+ control
- ✓Notarised Power of Attorney to Sovera (if registering remotely without travelling to Yerevan)
- ✓Proposed company name (3 alternatives in case of duplicates — the State Register Agency reserves on a first-come basis)
- ✓Charter (constitutional document) drafted in Armenian — Sovera provides the bilingual template aligned to the 2024 amendments
- ✓Registered legal address in Armenia (Sovera provides a Yerevan address with mail-handling and tax-correspondence forwarding)
- ✓Activity description matching the State Statistical Service classifier (we map your business model to the correct codes)
- ✓Tax regime election within 20 days of registration (general / turnover / micro / IT certificate / FEZ — we advise on the optimal one)
- ✓Banking introduction package: KYC pack, source-of-funds documentation, business plan summary for the chosen bank
From 1 January 2026, Armenia mandates electronic labour contracts for all employers — Sovera handles e-contract registration and Social Service Number issuance for new hires as part of post-incorporation onboarding. No registration filings, no apostille, and no minimum paid-in capital are required at the formation stage for an LLC.
Tax overview
Armenia operates one of the most flexible tax architectures in the EAEU: a moderate general regime, a permissive turnover regime for small business, a 0% IT certificate, and a 0% FEZ regime — chosen at registration based on activity and projected revenue.
| Regime | Rate | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Profit tax (general) | 18% | Standard regime; net profit; quarterly filing |
| VAT | 20% | Companies above AMD 115M (~ $311K) turnover; turnover & micro regimes exempt |
| Turnover tax | 1.5–10% | LLCs under AMD 115M; rate by activity (1.5% production, 5% services, 10% rental) |
| Microbusiness | AMD 5,000 / mo / employee | Companies under AMD 24M turnover; flat per-head fee replaces all CIT/VAT/PIT |
| IT certificate | 0% | Tech firms with ≤ 10 employees at registration; profit tax exempt; reduced PIT to 10% |
| Free Economic Zone | 0% | FEZ residents; full exemption from profit tax, VAT, property tax, customs |
| Personal income tax | 20% (10% IT) | Flat on employment income; reduced 10% under IT certificate; dividends 5% |
| Dividend WHT (outbound) | 5% | Domestic rate to non-residents; treaty rates may reduce further (e.g., 0% under Cyprus DTT) |
All rates current as of May 2026. AMD–USD reference rate: ~370 AMD = USD 1. Tax-regime election must be filed within 20 days of company registration; a switch is permitted once per 12-month period subject to threshold and activity criteria.
Armenia vs Georgia, Moldova & Kazakhstan — company formation comparison
Armenia vs Georgia company formation, side-by-side with Moldova and Kazakhstan. Verified May 2026 ranges for setup cost, capital, tax, banking, and the foreign-ownership ceiling — the four most frequently considered CIS / EAEU entry points for international founders.
| Jurisdiction | Setup cost | Timeline | Min capital | CIT / Tax | Foreign ownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ArmeniaLLC, Yerevan | $1,200–$6,200 | 1–3 d | None (AMD 50K paid-in within 12 mo) | 18% CIT / 0% IT cert / 0% FEZ | 100% |
| GeorgiaLLC, Tbilisi | $1,500–$2,500 | 1–2 wks | None | 15% CIT (distributed only) / 0% Virtual Zone | 100% |
| MoldovaSRL, Chisinau | $1,500–$2,500 | 2–3 wks | MDL 5,400 (~$300) | 12% CIT / 7% IT Park | 100% |
| KazakhstanTOO, Astana | $2,000–$3,500 | 2–4 wks | KZT 100 (~$0.20) | 20% CIT / 0% Astana Hub IT | 100% |
All ranges are Sovera engagement fees, exclusive of government and capital-deposit costs. Among the four major CIS / EAEU entry points, Armenia’s combination of lowest entry cost ($1,200), fastest setup (1–3 days), and the most generous tax exemptions (IT certificate + FEZ both at 0%) makes it the default choice for IT-led founders — with Georgia preferred for distributed-profit deferral structures and Moldova for IT export to the EU under the DCFTA.
Build your engagement.
Select your structure and optional services. The estimate updates in real time. The Armenia company registration cost depends on your structure: LLC from $1,200 (no statutory paid-up capital required at registration), Branch from $2,400, JSC from $4,500, FEZ Resident from $6,200. Government fees and notary costs are itemised separately.
Your engagement, step by step
The full Armenia company registration process — from first enquiry to delivered State Register Certificate and bank account. Typical Armenia formation timeline: one to three weeks for the LLC + banking pair; FEZ residency adds three to four weeks. Each step is handled by a single principal — one point of contact, one signature.
Configure & confirm engagement
For Armenia company registration for foreigners, the engagement begins here. You select your structure and optional services in the calculator, submit your details, and receive an itemised quote within seconds. A principal from our Dubai desk follows up within two hours to countersign the engagement letter and issue the secure payment link.
KYC & document preparation
We issue the document checklist and secure KYC portal. You provide passports, proof of address, beneficial owner declaration, and Power of Attorney to Sovera. CIS-citizen founders submit notarised Russian/Armenian translations only — no apostille required. Non-CIS founders submit apostilled documents through our network.
State Register Agency & incorporation
We file the Charter and registration application with the State Register Agency under the Ministry of Justice. In-person filing at the Yerevan office completes in one hour; e-Register online filing completes in 1–3 business days. The State Register issues the Registration Certificate, TIN, and corporate seal authorisation simultaneously.
Tax regime election & SRC registration
A core stage of how to set up an LLC in Armenia: within 20 days of registration, we file the tax regime election with the State Revenue Committee (SRC) — general (18% + VAT), turnover (1.5–10%), microbusiness (AMD 5,000/employee), or IT certificate (0%). FEZ residents file a separate application with the relevant zone administration. We also handle VAT registration where applicable and IT certificate application with the High-Technology Industry Council.
Banking, e-contracts & operational launch
We introduce you to pre-vetted Armenian banks (Ameriabank, Inecobank, ACBA, HSBC Armenia), coordinate KYC for account opening (typical 1–3 weeks), register the company with the State Social Security Service, and complete e-contract registration (mandatory from 1 January 2026). FEZ residents also complete sponsor introduction and zone-specific compliance setup.
Operational details, in plain language.
Documents delivered
Eight original documents from the State Register Agency, State Revenue Committee, and chosen Armenian bank. Electronically and in certified physical form, couriered within ten business days of issuance.
State Register Certificate
Issued by the State Register Agency under the Ministry of Justice, evidencing legal corporate existence and bearing the unique state registration number
Charter (Constitutional document)
Notarised constitutional document defining scope of activity, governance, capital, and corporate powers (Armenian + English bilingual)
Tax Identification Number (TIN)
Issued by the State Revenue Committee, the unique tax identifier required for all corporate filings, banking, and contracts in Armenia
Tax regime election filing
Confirmation of registration under the elected regime: general, turnover (1.5–10%), microbusiness, IT certificate, or FEZ — filed within 20 days of incorporation
VAT Registration Certificate
Issued by the State Revenue Committee for companies under the general regime above the AMD 115M (~ $311K) turnover threshold or by voluntary election
Corporate seal & banking pack
Sovera-prepared corporate seal, signature card, and bank account opening package — pre-vetted by the chosen Armenian bank to streamline KYC review
IT Certificate (if elected)
Issued by the High-Technology Industry Council for qualifying tech companies — grants 0% profit tax and reduced PIT to 10% for tech employees
FEZ Residency Certificate (if elected)
Issued by Alliance, Meridian, ECOS, or MAIA Free Economic Zone administration — grants full exemption from profit tax, VAT, property tax, and customs
Banking infrastructure
Three tiers of banking partners across Armenia’s 17 CBA-licensed commercial banks. We introduce, we do not guarantee acceptance — but our active relationships materially improve approval probability and reduce opening timelines.
Ameriabank, Inecobank & ACBA Bank
Ameriabank (largest by assets, IFC partner), Inecobank (strongest digital corporate banking), ACBA Bank (Crédit Agricole heritage). Tier-1 corporate accounts in AMD, USD, EUR, RUB and GBP. Full SWIFT, SEPA, and CIS-rail clearing. Suited to operating LLCs, FEZ residents, and IT-certificate companies with substantial volume.
HSBC Armenia, Converse & Evocabank
HSBC Armenia (global network, strict KYC), Converse Bank (Russian-speaking founder focus), Evocabank (digital-first, fast onboarding). Strong correspondent banking, multi-currency support, English/Russian/Armenian operations. Suited to international groups, RU-language consulting agencies, and e-commerce operators.
Idram, Telcell & EasyPay
Idram (largest payment ecosystem, SaaS/e-commerce friendly), Telcell (mobile-first wallets), EasyPay (acquiring + business cards). Fast onboarding, lower fees, strong API integrations. Suited to e-commerce, SaaS and digital-first operators serving the Armenian and CIS consumer markets.
Bank introductions are included in the base engagement fee. Success is not guaranteed — acceptance depends on activity, applicant profile, and compliance fit. Typical first-introduction approval rate sits above 75% for CIS founders and 60% for non-CIS; if the initial partner declines, we pivot to the next-best fit without additional charge.
Regulatory framework
Foreign investment in Armenia is regulated by the State Register Agency under the Ministry of Justice — the statutory authority responsible for corporate registration, charter approvals, and the public companies register across all sectors of the Armenian economy. For Armenia company registration 2026, the State Register Agency is the first port of call for any foreign investor or corporate group entering the country.
The State Register Agency operates under the Civil Code of the Republic of Armenia (1998) and the Law on Limited Liability Companies (2001, latest amendments 2024). The 2022 amendments harmonised Armenian corporate law with EAEU standards and EU DCFTA principles, while preserving the lightest-touch incorporation regime in the post-Soviet space.
The principal regulators in the Armenian business ecosystem are: State Register Agency (corporate registration), State Revenue Committee (SRC) (tax administration), Central Bank of Armenia (CBA) (banking, payment institutions, EMI licensing), High-Technology Industry Council (IT certificate), and the FEZ Administrations (Alliance, Meridian, ECOS, MAIA).
Beneficial ownership is reported to the State Register but not publicly disclosed by default. Armenia is a signatory to the Common Reporting Standard (CRS) since 2017, exchanges tax information with treaty partners, and ratified the OECD MLI on 1 January 2024 — modernising 51 of its double-tax treaties with anti-abuse and dispute-resolution standards. Anti-money-laundering supervision is FATF-aligned via the Financial Monitoring Centre.
For IT-certificate holders, the lead regulator is the High-Technology Industry Council in coordination with the SRC for tax administration. FEZ residents are supervised by the relevant zone administration plus the SRC. We coordinate with all relevant authorities throughout the engagement.
Ongoing compliance
The setup cost is one thing; the annual cost of maintaining the structure is quite another. Both are disclosed upfront — no surprises, no hidden recurring charges.
| Annual obligation | Due | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|
| State Register annual fee | Annually | AMD 0 (zero state fee for LLC) |
| Profit tax return (general regime) | By 20 April | $1,200–$2,400 |
| Turnover tax filing | Quarterly | $600–$1,200 |
| VAT returns (if VAT-registered) | Monthly | $900–$1,800 |
| Annual IT-certificate compliance | Annually + reporting | $400–$800 |
| FEZ residency reporting | Quarterly + annual audit | $1,500–$3,000 |
| Social Security & e-contracts | Monthly | 5% gross salaries (mandatory pension) |
| Audited financial statements | Annually (if elected; JSC + FEZ mandatory) | From $1,800 |
How founders typically structure Armenia.
Composite scenarios drawn from typical founder profiles — not individual client quotes.
Frank answers to fair questions.
For founders who prefer paper to pitches.
Complete the form below. We respond within twenty-four hours with a dated, priced and signed proposal. No marketing call. No sequence.
Republic of Armenia
United Arab Emirates
Ready to see it in writing?
A dated, signed, line-itemised proposal in your inbox within twenty-four hours.