I DEFECT, I DEFECT!!!
Today in another attempt to solidify my commitment and move to Armenia and after giving up all hope that the Artsakh government will ever give me citizenship, I went to the OVIR in Yerevan to apply for Armenian citizenship.
I went up to the 4th floor and asked where I can apply for Armenian citizenship and the first thing I was asked is where I was from. I told the woman, who gave me a strange look and told me to go to room 409 and see Mr. Menastaganyan.
I went to room 409 and was instructed by the secretary to go in which I did.
Ara: Hello, (shaking Menastaganyan’s hand) my name is Ara Manoogian (sitting down).
Menastaganyan looks to Ara as if he is too busy to be bothered
Ara: I would like to apply for Armenian citizenship.
Menastaganyan: Where are you from?
Ara: America.
Menastaganyan: (with dumbfounded look on face) Go to room 401.
Ara: (Shaking hand) Thank you.
I walk to room 409 and inside I find a woman (I didn’t get her name) who looked like she had a rough day. I told her Mr. Menastaganyan had sent me to see her about citizenship.
Woman: Where are you from?
Ara: America.
Woman: You know you will have to relinquish your American citizenship?
Ara: I know, but do I have to do that before I apply?
Woman: You can do it simultaneously or when you get your Armenian citizenship. I’m just warning you now so when the time comes, you don’t say you didn’t know.
Ara: (with smile on face) I know and am ready to do this.
The woman pulls out a form and writes on a piece of paper what I will need. It was the same form I filled out for Artsakh citizenship.
Woman: Once you apply, it will take 6 months to a year.
Ara: That’s fine.
Woman: You will have to provide a paper that states were you live.
Ara: I live in Artsakh.
Woman: I don’t know if we can give you citizenship as we only give it to people who live here and we don’t recognize Artsakh as being part of Armenia.
I tell my citizenship dilemma to her and how the main reason they wont give me citizenship in Artsakh is because Armenia does not want Artsakh to give duel-citizenship (the law that my original papers fell under and I did make the cut off, but the President of Artsakh didn’t sign my papers for some unexplainable (to this day) reason). Now the only way I can get Artsakh citizenship today is by relinquishing my American citizenship, but I would be a fool to do that for a country that is not even recognized by Armenia, not to mention the rest of the world.
Woman: You will have to bring a paper about your work status.
Ara: I work in Artsakh.
Woman: You don’t have work in Armenia?
Ara: I live in Artsakh, how can I work here and live there?
Woman: I don’t know how were going to do this since by law we only give citizenship to people who live and work here.
Ara: I’m sure we can figure out something. Maybe I can use the Artsakh committee building on Moscovian as my address. (I guess I could also be like the majority of the population and claim to be unemployed)
I thanked the woman for her help and tell her that as soon as I can gather up the papers (which I will get from the Artsakh MFA, MIA or President's office), I will apply for Armenian citizenship and see what happens.
Today in another attempt to solidify my commitment and move to Armenia and after giving up all hope that the Artsakh government will ever give me citizenship, I went to the OVIR in Yerevan to apply for Armenian citizenship.
I went up to the 4th floor and asked where I can apply for Armenian citizenship and the first thing I was asked is where I was from. I told the woman, who gave me a strange look and told me to go to room 409 and see Mr. Menastaganyan.
I went to room 409 and was instructed by the secretary to go in which I did.
Ara: Hello, (shaking Menastaganyan’s hand) my name is Ara Manoogian (sitting down).
Menastaganyan looks to Ara as if he is too busy to be bothered
Ara: I would like to apply for Armenian citizenship.
Menastaganyan: Where are you from?
Ara: America.
Menastaganyan: (with dumbfounded look on face) Go to room 401.
Ara: (Shaking hand) Thank you.
I walk to room 409 and inside I find a woman (I didn’t get her name) who looked like she had a rough day. I told her Mr. Menastaganyan had sent me to see her about citizenship.
Woman: Where are you from?
Ara: America.
Woman: You know you will have to relinquish your American citizenship?
Ara: I know, but do I have to do that before I apply?
Woman: You can do it simultaneously or when you get your Armenian citizenship. I’m just warning you now so when the time comes, you don’t say you didn’t know.
Ara: (with smile on face) I know and am ready to do this.
The woman pulls out a form and writes on a piece of paper what I will need. It was the same form I filled out for Artsakh citizenship.
Woman: Once you apply, it will take 6 months to a year.
Ara: That’s fine.
Woman: You will have to provide a paper that states were you live.
Ara: I live in Artsakh.
Woman: I don’t know if we can give you citizenship as we only give it to people who live here and we don’t recognize Artsakh as being part of Armenia.
I tell my citizenship dilemma to her and how the main reason they wont give me citizenship in Artsakh is because Armenia does not want Artsakh to give duel-citizenship (the law that my original papers fell under and I did make the cut off, but the President of Artsakh didn’t sign my papers for some unexplainable (to this day) reason). Now the only way I can get Artsakh citizenship today is by relinquishing my American citizenship, but I would be a fool to do that for a country that is not even recognized by Armenia, not to mention the rest of the world.
Woman: You will have to bring a paper about your work status.
Ara: I work in Artsakh.
Woman: You don’t have work in Armenia?
Ara: I live in Artsakh, how can I work here and live there?
Woman: I don’t know how were going to do this since by law we only give citizenship to people who live and work here.
Ara: I’m sure we can figure out something. Maybe I can use the Artsakh committee building on Moscovian as my address. (I guess I could also be like the majority of the population and claim to be unemployed)
I thanked the woman for her help and tell her that as soon as I can gather up the papers (which I will get from the Artsakh MFA, MIA or President's office), I will apply for Armenian citizenship and see what happens.
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