Integration of aliens and reintegration of returnees in the Republic of Armenia : legal aspects

Abstract

The integration of migrants is a complex and lengthy process, and it depends on a number of factors: socio-economic, psychological, legal and political. Research covering this issue, conducted in Armenia, mainly relate to the local integration of the refugees forcibly displaced from Azerbaijan in 1988-1992 and especially to socio-economic aspects of that process . This is due to the fact that since independence refugees were the most important numerically, and their socio-economic issues were acute. Research has covered a wide range of integration issues with special emphasis on legal acts ensuring the implementation of this process/procedure. In particular, the issues related to the integration of foreign nationals (who are ethnically Armenian) arriving in Armenia from the Diaspora, as well as new refugees, who have found asylum in Armenia since 2000, not to mention the refugees who arrived 1988-1992, were examined. The RA citizens returning from foreign states to Armenia have been considered as a separate migration flow and the issues related to their reintegration are also touched upon. Relevant legal acts have been analyzed in the light of challenges faced in their implementation. Some institutional decisions, case-law, findings of the International organizations, NGOs, etc. have been included in the paper.