Türkiye, Armenia agree on visa facilitation in push for full normalisation

Türkiye and Armenia have agreed to mutually facilitate visa procedures for their diplomatic, service, and special passport holders, the Turkish foreign ministry has said.

Starting this Thursday, January 1, holders of diplomatic, service, and special passports from both countries will be eligible to obtain free e-visas, the ministry said in a statement on Monday.

It added that on this occasion, Ankara and Yerevan also reaffirm their commitment to continuing the normalisation process between the two countries unconditionally, with the goal of full normalisation.

The move comes as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said earlier this month that Türkiye will take “some symbolic steps” starting early 2026 as part of ongoing normalisation processes with Armenia.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan welcomed Erdogan’s remarks, saying “the time has come” for advancing the normalisation process between Ankara and Yerevan.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Türkiye was among the first countries to recognise Armenia’s independence in December 1991.

But in 1993, Türkiye closed its border and cut ties after Armenian forces occupied Azerbaijani territory in and around Karabakh. The two countries have had no diplomatic or commercial ties since.

The normalisation process was initiated following the 2020 Karabakh war, which saw Azerbaijan regain territory, ushering Turkish-Armenian relations into a new phase.

Türkiye has linked its own normalisation efforts with Armenia to progress in the peace process, signalling that broader rapprochement in the South Caucasus would be facilitated by a formal peace treaty between Baku and Yerevan.