In Armenia, marriage and family relations, including marriage, divorce, marriage contract, and the procedure for exercising the rights and responsibilities of parents and children are regulated by the Family Code.

The Republic of Armenia recognises and officially registers marriages based on a joint application of the spouses. Divorces are registered by either joint application to the Civil Acts Registration Office or via a court process (acts of foreign courts are recognised regardless of the existence of an international treaty and reciprocity)․ In both cases, the reasons for the divorce are usually not provided (no requirement to explain any ground as such).

It is allowed to sign a marriage contract, which can regulate only the property relations of the spouses. Regarding the child’s upbringing and alimony issues, parents can agree or settle their dispute in court (determination of place of residence, the appointment of visits, and confiscation of alimony).

Armenia is a party to the Hague Convention on International Child Abduction, and from 2018 onwards the country has envisaged a particular accelerated judicial procedure for the examination of applications under the Hague Convention.

Armenia has become a party to several international treaties related to the rights of the child or family relations. For example, the country has been a member of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child since 22.07.1993, a member of the Minsk Convention on Legal Assistance in Civil, Family and Criminal Matters. Armenia is also a member of the Chisinau Convention on Legal Assistance and Legal Relations in Civil, Family and Criminal Matters since December 21, 1994. These conventions make it possible to resolve cross-border disputes more effectively by ensuring the recognition and enforcement of existing judgments and court rulings in other jurisdictions.

The law on Prevention օf Violence within the Family, Protection օf Victims օf Violence within the Family and Restoration օf Peace in the Family came into force in 2018. The law introduced measures of protection against domestic violence and restoration of peace within the family. It provided for the right of the police and the courts to intervene by the request of a family member, including via urgent intervention or protective orders.

Concern Dialog law firm is specialising in complicated family law matters, including transboundary issues, and cases concerning multiple jurisdictions. The firm is a member of several law networks, which allows us, where necessary to engage relevant professionals within the shortest term in other jurisdictions as well.

Concern Dialog Law Firm provides the following services in the field of family law and its protection:

• Preparation of marriage contracts,
• Legal consultancy on divorces related issues,
• Court representation for divorce cases,
• Consultancy and legal support concerning disputes emanating between the spouses while getting divorced,
• Extrajudicial negotiations for disputes between the spouses, previous spouses,
• Consultancy and court representation for the judicial decision of paternity acknowledgement,
• Consultancy, legal support, and if necessary, court representation for issues related to the definition of children’s care, residence and visit order after divorce,
• Consultancy on alimony, court representation related to it,
• Legal consultancy, court representation concerning the division of the property obtained by the spouses during the marriage,
• Extrajudicial and judicial defence of parental rights,
• Legal consultancy and court representation concerning parental rights deprivation,
• Representation within the procedures of the Hague Convention, including returning abducted children to Armenia and from Armenia,
• Other family-law related services including court representation on those.