Armenia Removes Mount Ararat Image from New Border Stamps

In a major symbolic change, Armenia’s new passport stamps will no longer feature the image of Mount Ararat, a national symbol included in previous designs. The updated stamps will instead display only practical information, such as the border crossing point, the date, and entry or exit symbols.

The decision, signed by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on September 11, 2025, amends existing regulations governing the state border of the Republic of Armenia. While many of the updates are technical, the removal of Ararat from the stamps has sparked political debate in Yerevan.

The amendments replace the term “border mark” with “boundary marker” in official documents and clarify that markers must be placed from the border line toward the interior of Armenian territory, reinforcing state control over national land.

Other revisions allow boundary markers to be made from different materials, require that new facilities be both built and put into operation, and adjust the size of passport date-stamps for practical use. The new regulations are set to take effect on November 1, 2025.

Opposition voices criticized the government for weakening national symbols. Deputy Elinar Vardanyan of the Armenia Alliance argued that the removal of Ararat from the stamps “raises concerns about the preservation of Armenian identity and symbols of the state.

Government officials defended the move as a practical modernization aligned with international standards. Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Arsen Torosyan explained that the new stamps are designed to prevent forgery and ensure durability for frequent travelers, noting that many countries no longer include national symbols on border stamps.

According to Torosyan, the stamps will now contain “only information about the border crossing and no other details or images, including Mount Ararat,” reflecting a common international practice.

While the changes are technical, the debate shows the tension between modernization and the preservation of national symbols. For Armenians, Mount Ararat represents heritage and history, while for the government, the priority is secure, standardized border management.

The new stamps, and the discussions they have sparked, come at a time when Armenia faces external pressures from Azerbaijan and Turkey, both of which continue to challenge Armenian sovereignty and cultural identity. Even small changes in state documents, such as a passport stamp, carry broader symbolic importance.

The regulations will officially take effect on November 1, 2025, marking a new chapter in Armenia’s border management and the ongoing discussion about national symbols and identity.

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