Entry #2563: Right to change legal gender in Armenia

Current Version

Region	Armenia
Issue	Right to change legal gender
Status	Legal, but requires surgery
Start Date	Apr 5, 1972
End Date	(none)
Description	The Soviet 1972 law allowing legal sex change after undergoing sex reassignment surgery was never repealed in Armenia. Armenia currently requires trans people to show proof of gender-affirming surgery for legal recognition. However, it is not provided for in practice.
Sources	https://bigpicture.ru/ya-peredumala-istoriya-pervoj-operacii-po-smene-pola/ https://www.state.gov/reports/2023-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/armenia/ https://rainbow-europe.org/#8620/0/0

Revision History (22)

Mar 13, 2025

edited by DaisyGeekyTrans. Adding more information relevant to Armenia.

Helpful?

	Old Value	New Value (Current)
Description	the Soviet 1972 law allowing legal sex change after undergoing sex reassignment surgery was never repealed	The Soviet 1972 law allowing legal sex change after undergoing sex reassignment surgery was never repealed in Armenia. Armenia currently requires trans people to show proof of gender-affirming surgery for legal recognition. However, it is not provided for in practice.
Description	Show Difference the Soviet 1972 law allowing legal sex change after undergoing sex reassignment surgery was never repealed The Soviet 1972 law allowing legal sex change after undergoing sex reassignment surgery was never repealed in Armenia. Armenia currently requires trans people to show proof of gender-affirming surgery for legal recognition. However, it is not provided for in practice.
Sources	https://bigpicture.ru/ya-peredumala-istoriya-pervoj-operacii-po-smene-pola/ https://rainbow-europe.org/#8620/0/0	https://bigpicture.ru/ya-peredumala-istoriya-pervoj-operacii-po-smene-pola/ https://www.state.gov/reports/2023-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/armenia/ https://rainbow-europe.org/#8620/0/0
Sources	Show Difference https://bigpicture.ru/ya-peredumala-istoriya-pervoj-operacii-po-smene-pola/ https://rainbow-europe.org/#8620/0/0 https://bigpicture.ru/ya-peredumala-istoriya-pervoj-operacii-po-smene-pola/ https://www.state.gov/reports/2023-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/armenia/ https://rainbow-europe.org/#8620/0/0

Aug 12, 2023

edited by JuliaB. it's possible to change legal gender in armenia

Helpful?

	Old Value	New Value
Value	(REMOVED)	Legal, but requires surgery
Special Status	Ambiguous	Legal, but requires surgery
Start Date	(unknown)	Apr 5, 1972
Description	Armenian trans people can legally change their names, though this is all they can do in their country	the Soviet 1972 law allowing legal sex change after undergoing sex reassignment surgery was never repealed
Description	Show Difference Armenian trans people can legally change their names, though this is all they can do in their country the Soviet 1972 law allowing legal sex change after undergoing sex reassignment surgery was never repealed
Sources	https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2017/01/gender-identity-map-where-you-can-change-your-gender-on-legal-documents/ https://rainbow-europe.org/#8620/0/0	https://bigpicture.ru/ya-peredumala-istoriya-pervoj-operacii-po-smene-pola/ https://rainbow-europe.org/#8620/0/0
Sources	Show Difference https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2017/01/gender-identity-map-where-you-can-change-your-gender-on-legal-documents/ https://rainbow-europe.org/#8620/0/0 https://bigpicture.ru/ya-peredumala-istoriya-pervoj-operacii-po-smene-pola/ https://rainbow-europe.org/#8620/0/0

Jul 17, 2023

edited by Canadianstudent03. Ilga (one of the best sources) mentions this

Helpful?

	Old Value	New Value
Special Status	N/A	Ambiguous
Description	No Laws in place.	Armenian trans people can legally change their names, though this is all they can do in their country
Description	Show Difference No Laws in place. Armenian trans people can legally change their names, though this is all they can do in their country
Sources	https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2017/01/gender-identity-map-where-you-can-change-your-gender-on-legal-documents/	https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2017/01/gender-identity-map-where-you-can-change-your-gender-on-legal-documents/ https://rainbow-europe.org/#8620/0/0
Sources	Show Difference https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2017/01/gender-identity-map-where-you-can-change-your-gender-on-legal-documents/ https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2017/01/gender-identity-map-where-you-can-change-your-gender-on-legal-documents/ https://rainbow-europe.org/#8620/0/0

Jan 28, 2023

edited by Samanthos. Status update

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	Old Value	New Value
Special Status	Ambiguous	N/A

Nov 23, 2021

edited by Muhammadaji2022

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	Old Value	New Value
Value	Legal, no restrictions	(REMOVED)
Special Status	Legal, no restrictions	Ambiguous
Description	Missing non binary options on documents.	No Laws in place.

Reports (1)
Newer law has been passed "You can change your legal gender, if you undergo sex reassignment surgery.
"
Nov 24, 2022

Mar 1, 2018

edited by Ausyk

Helpful?

-1

	Old Value	New Value
Value	Legal, but requires surgery	Legal, no restrictions
Start Date	Jan 1, 2017	(unknown)
Description	Conditions ambiguous.	Missing non binary options on documents.

Reports (1)
Status is not correct "Sex change is illegal in Armenia"
Jul 6, 2020

Feb 26, 2018

edited by Ausyk

Helpful?

	Old Value	New Value
Value	(REMOVED)	Legal, but requires surgery
Special Status	Ambiguous	Legal, but requires surgery
Start Date	(unknown)	Jan 1, 2017
Description	No legal identity change.	Conditions ambiguous.
Sources	No	https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2017/01/gender-identity-map-where-you-can-change-your-gender-on-legal-documents/

Feb 10, 2018

edited by Ausyk

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	Old Value	New Value
Value	Illegal	(REMOVED)
Special Status	Illegal	Ambiguous
Description	No	No legal identity change.

Feb 7, 2018

edited by Ausyk

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	Old Value	New Value
Value	(REMOVED)	Illegal
Special Status	Ambiguous	Illegal
Description	Not clear.	No

Dec 2, 2017

edited by Ausyk

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	Old Value	New Value
Value	Illegal	(REMOVED)
Special Status	Illegal	Ambiguous
Description	No	Not clear.

Nov 12, 2017

edited by Ausyk

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	Old Value	New Value
Value	Legal, no restrictions	Illegal

Nov 1, 2017

edited by Ausyk

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-1

	Old Value	New Value
Value	Legal, but requires surgery	Legal, no restrictions

Oct 24, 2017

edited by Ausyk

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	Old Value	New Value
Description	Requires sterilization.	No

Sep 18, 2017

edited by Ausyk

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	Old Value	New Value
Description	No	Requires sterilization.

Sep 5, 2017

edited by Ausyk

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	Old Value	New Value
Value	Illegal	Legal, but requires surgery

Aug 28, 2017

edited by Ausyk

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	Old Value	New Value
Value	Legal, no restrictions	Illegal
Description	Requires sterilization.	No

Aug 25, 2017

edited by Ausyk

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	Old Value	New Value

Aug 25, 2017

edited by Ausyk

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	Old Value	New Value
Value	Illegal	Legal, no restrictions
Description	No	Requires sterilization.

Aug 25, 2017

edited by Ausyk

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	Old Value	New Value
Value	Legal, no restrictions	Illegal
Description	Requires sterilization.	No

Aug 25, 2017

edited by Ausyk

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	Old Value	New Value
Value	Legal, but requires surgery	Legal, no restrictions
Description	According to trans respect. requires pathologist. changing of gender marker not legal.	Requires sterilization.
Description	Show Difference According to trans respect. requires pathologist. changing of gender marker not legal. Requires sterilization.
Sources	http://transrespect.org/en/map/pathologization-requirement/	No

Feb 4, 2017

edited by Ausyk

Helpful?

	Old Value (Original)	New Value
Value	Illegal	Legal, but requires surgery
Description	No	According to trans respect. requires pathologist. changing of gender marker not legal.
Sources	No	http://transrespect.org/en/map/pathologization-requirement/

Jul 27, 2016

created by Ausyk

Helpful?

	Original entry
Status	Illegal
Start Date	(unknown)
End Date	(none)
Description	No
Sources	No