Before you start

Private medical insurance
Passport and Public Services Number

Step-by-step

1
Arrange private insurance before or on arrival
There is no comprehensive public entitlement for foreign residents. Employers often provide group cover; freelancers buy individual policies from Armenian insurers or keep an international nomad policy. Local annual plans are inexpensive by Western standards. Whatever you choose, check the hospital network and whether the policy covers repatriation, because Armenia's most complex cases are sometimes referred abroad.
OnlineWho: All foreignersBefore or shortly after arrivalLocal annual plans are modest; international nomad policies vary
2
Register with a private clinic in Kentron
The private clinics clustered in and around the central district handle most foreign residents, and English is common among younger doctors. A GP consultation typically runs AMD 8,000-20,000; specialists a little more. Same-day appointments are normal. For anything serious, Yerevan's major hospitals — including the medical university's teaching hospitals — are the country's referral centres, so you are already where you need to be.
In personWho: AllSame-day appointments commonGP AMD 8,000-20,000
3
Use pharmacies for routine problems
Pharmacies are dense across Yerevan, many open late or 24 hours, and prescription rules are looser than in Western Europe — pharmacists advise and dispense a broad range directly. Carry the ACTIVE INGREDIENT name of anything you take regularly; brand names differ across the region and a Russian or Armenian generic name will get you further than a Western brand.
In personWho: AllImmediateMost common medications AMD 1,000-6,000
4
Know the emergency number — Armenia switched to 112 in February 2026
Armenia moved to a unified 112 on 15 February 2026, replacing the previous split between 911, 101 and 102. During the transition the old numbers continue to work and redirect to 112. Dial 112 first. 101 fire, 102 police and 103 ambulance also remain in service. Calls are free from any phone.
In personWho: AllImmediateFree

Documents you’ll need

Passport and Public Services Number
Insurance certificate
List of regular medications by active ingredient
Vaccination records for school enrolment

Things most newcomers don’t know

Armenia's emergency number changed on 15 February 2026 — 112 replaced the old 911 as the unified line.

For years Armenia's general emergency number was 911, which is what most travel guidance and a great deal of relocation content still says. The government consolidated 911, 101 and 102 into a single 112 because the split was causing dispatch confusion and delays. The old numbers redirect during the transition, but 112 is now the number to teach a child or write on a fridge.

Source: Armenian national tourism body / government announcements

There is no meaningful public health entitlement for foreign residents — the state package is narrow.

Armenia guarantees emergency care and a defined set of services for specified categories of person, not general coverage. Foreign residents pay privately or through insurance. Because private care is cheap, many people rationally insure only for hospitalisation and pay cash for routine visits — the same strategy that works in Tbilisi and Almaty.

Yerevan holds essentially all of Armenia's advanced hospital capacity, which is a reason to live in the capital rather than the regions.

The country is small and centralised. Serious diagnostics, oncology and surgery are concentrated in Yerevan. If you are considering Dilijan or Gyumri for the quiet and the price, factor in that any complex care means a drive back to the capital.

Yerevan has become a regional value destination for dentistry and elective procedures.

Prices are a fraction of Western Europe's and the clinics are used to foreign patients arriving specifically for treatment. It is worth knowing both because it saves you money and because it means the quality end of the private market is more developed than a country of three million would otherwise support.

Common mistakes to avoid

Dialling 911 out of habit — Armenia moved to a unified 112 on 15 February 2026
Assuming a state health entitlement exists for foreign residents; it is narrow and category-based
Buying a short travel policy to satisfy a checklist and leaving most of a year uncovered
Not knowing the active ingredient of your regular medication — brand names differ regionally
Choosing a base outside Yerevan without considering that advanced care is all in the capital

Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.