Visa policy of Azerbaijan
Visitors to Azerbaijan must obtain a visa from one of the Azerbaijani diplomatic missions unless they are citizens of one of the visa-exempt countries, or citizens eligible for an electronic visa on arrival, or citizens eligible for an electronic visa.
All visitors must have a passport valid for at least 3 months.
Overview edit
The applicant's passport must be valid for at least 3 months longer than the expected validity period of the visa requested.[1]
If the applicant's passport has less than 3 months remaining before the expiry date, the visa will not be issued.[2]
All entrants who plan to stay for more than 15 days are required to register their location with the State Migration Service on arrival (except citizens of Kazakhstan, who are only required to register if they intend to stay more than 30 days).[3]
Visa policy map edit
Visa exemption edit
Ordinary passports edit
Holders of ordinary passports of the following countries may enter Azerbaijan without a visa for up to 90 days (unless otherwise noted):[4][5]
ID – May enter with an ID card in lieu of a passport.
1 - 30 days
| Date of visa changes |
|---|
Cancelled:
|
Non-ordinary passports edit
Holders of diplomatic, official, service or special passports of the following countries and territories may enter Azerbaijan without a visa for up to 90 days (unless otherwise noted):[4][5][9]
|
|
D - Diplomatic passports
O - Official passports
S - Service passports
Sp - Special passports
1 - 30 days
2 - 14 days
3 - Temporarily suspended.
Visa on arrival edit
Citizens of the following countries may obtain an electronic visa, valid for a maximum stay of 30 days, on arrival at any international airport:[10][11]
The cost of an electronic visa on arrival is 30 USD. Holders of Japanese passports may obtain a free electronic visa on arrival.[12]
Conditional visa on arrival edit
Citizens with a residence visa issued by the United Arab Emirates may obtain a 30-day tourist visa on arrival in Azerbaijan. They must present their valid visa or residence permit along with their passport.[13]
Electronic visa (e-Visa) edit
Azerbaijan introduced an e-Visa in January 2017. The system is known as the ASAN viza and visas are issued for a single-entry visit of up to 30 days.[14] e-Visa should be printed and presented together with the visitor's passport (which must be valid for at least three months beyond the expiry date of the visa) at the border checkpoint.[15]
There are 2 types of e-visa application: a standard application, which costs 20 USD and takes up to 3 working days, and an urgent application, which costs 55 USD and is processed within 3 hours.[16] In addition to the visa fee, applicants must pay a 5 USD service fee.[17]
Citizens of the following countries and territories may obtain an e-Visa:[18]
| |
In 2017, British travel magazine Wanderlust rated Azerbaijan's electronic visa as the easiest visa to obtain in the world.[19]
Travellers who are eligible for an unconditional visa on arrival can choose to obtain an electronic visa on arrival at Heydar Aliyev International Airport.[20]
There are plans to expand the ASAN system to issue electronic visas for Azerbaijani citizens travelling abroad. As of January 2018, Morocco was selected, and negotiations were also underway with Lithuania and the United Arab Emirates.[21]
Visa required in advance edit
Standard process edit
If a traveler does not meet the citizenship requirements for a visa exemption, visa on arrival, or electronic visa or wishes to work or study, they must apply for a visa with their nearest Azerbaijani diplomatic mission.[22] Visitors may apply by mail or appointment, and the application form may be filled out online.[1] Single-entry and transit visas cost 20 USD and multiple-entry visas cost 250 USD.[23]
When applying for a visa, the applicant must present the following:[1][24]
- A completed application form
- A valid travel document and a photocopy of its information page
- Two color, passport-regulation photographs
- Proof of legal status in the country of application, if applying from a country other than one's own
- Payment for visa application fees (by certified check)
Invitation edit
In addition, for all visas except transit visas, the applicant must present a valid invitation.[24][25] The required invitational documents differ depending on the type of visa applied for. For tourist visas, the applicant must provide proof of a hotel booking within Azerbaijan and confirmed flights in and out of the country.[1] For private visit visas, the applicant's host in Azerbaijan must provide a notarized copy of both their identity card and an invitation letter.[26] For all other visa types, they must receive permission from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs before applying for a visa.[1]
To obtain permission, the inviting party in Azerbaijan must file the following documents in person at the MFA office in Baku:[27]
- A completed application form (available online)
- A letter from the inviting person or organization stating the purpose of the visa sought after, the length of the invitation, the number of required entries, and the diplomatic mission that the invitee will apply for a visa from
- A copy of the passport of the invitee
- Proof of payment of the ₼4 application fee, paid through a bank or online
If a legal representative submits the documents, they must also provide proof of the power of attorney and a copy of their identity card. If the inviting party is an individual, they must also present a copy of their tax number registration letter and proof of address.[27]
Visa facilitation edit
In 2013, Azerbaijan concluded a visa facilitation agreement with the European Union (excluding Denmark and Ireland) which reduces the number of documents required to justify the purpose of the trip, provides for the issuance of multiple-entry visas, limits the processing time and reduces or eliminates fees for many categories of European Union citizens.[28]
Admission restrictions edit
Due to the state of war with Armenia, Azerbaijan prohibits entry and transit to citizens of Armenia and other countries of Armenian origin.[29][30][31]
The Government of Azerbaijan strictly phohibits the entry and transit of foreign citizens to the exclaves of Karki, Yuxarı Əskipara, Barxudarlı and Sofulu, which are de jure part of Azerbaijan but under control of Armenia, without the prior consent of the Government of Azerbaijan.
Foreign citizens who entered these territories without permission may be denied entry and transit to Azerbaijan and may be included in the "list of persona non grata".
Entry and transit is refused to citizens of Kosovo, even if not leaving the aircraft and proceeding by the same flight. Azerbaijan also does not recognize the passports of Abkhazia, the Sahrawi Republic, Somaliland, South Ossetia and Transnistria.
Visitor statistics edit
| Year | Visitors[32][33] |
|---|---|
1992—2001 | No data |
2002 | 576,000 |
2003 | 768,000 |
2004 | 989,000 |
2005 | 693,000 |
2006 | 682,000 |
2007 | 732,000 |
2008 | 1,043,000 |
2009 | 1,005,000 |
2010 | 1,280,000 |
2011 | 1,562,000 |
2012 | 1,986,000 |
2013 | 2,130,000 |
2014 | 2,160,000 |
2015 | 1,922,000 |
2016 | 2,044,000 |
2017 | 2,454,000 |
2018 | 2,635,000 |
2019 | 3,170,000 |
2020 | 796,000 |
2021 | 792,000 |
| Total (2002—2021) | 29,418,000 |
Most visitors arriving in Azerbaijan were from the following countries of nationality:
| Country[33] | 2021 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|
| Russia | 258,315 | 225,201 |
| Turkey | 197,907 | 160,504 |
| Iran | 125,358 | 72,783 |
| Georgia | 62,666 | 184,228 |
| Ukraine | 17,428 | 16,953 |
| UAE | 17,320 | 7,951 |
| United Kingdom | 9,428 | 7,051 |
| Saudi Arabia | 8,834 | 11,945 |
| Kazakhstan | 6,928 | 8,498 |
| Israel | 6,655 | 4,238 |
| Germany | 5,922 | 3,531 |
| Belarus | 5,730 | 6,036 |
| India | 5,117 | 12,731 |
| United States | 4,409 | 2,604 |
| Uzbekistan | 4,213 | 5,283 |
| Italy | 3,498 | 2,820 |
| Poland | 3,331 | 1,198 |
| Pakistan | 3,224 | 8,752 |
| Iraq | 3,212 | 6,119 |
| Japan | 3,081 | 2,201 |
| Turkmenistan | 2,738 | 8,257 |
| France | 2,278 | 1,506 |
| China | 1,781 | 1,532 |
| South Korea | 413 | 681 |
| Other countries and Statelessness | 27,121 | 167,284 |
| Total | 791,751 | 795,722 |
See also edit
References edit
- ^ a b c d e "Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in London - Visa Information". from the original on 15 March 2023. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
- ^ . Archived from the original on 6 October 2011. Retrieved 14 July 2011.
- ^ "Registration upon place of stay". The Republic of Azerbaijan State Migration Service. from the original on 4 May 2023. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
- ^ a b "Visa free countries". Azerbaijan Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Archived from the original on 8 April 2023. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
- ^ a b "Visa and passport". Timatic. International Air Transport Association through Emirates. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
- ^ "Agreement between the government of the Republic of Turkey and the government of the Republic of Azerbaijan on mutual visa exemption signed in Baku on 25 February 2020" (PDF). Resmî Gazete. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 April 2023. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
- ^ "Visa requirement for Azerbaijan ends on 1 September". Haberturk (in Turkish). 25 July 2019. Archived from the original on 8 April 2023.
- ^ Maryana Ahmadova (8 July 2023). "Azerbaijan, UAE initiate visa-free travel". Trend.Az. Trend News Agency. from the original on 10 July 2023. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
- ^ "List of visa-free countries for the citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan and relevant foreign countries holding diplomatic or service (or official/special) passports" (PDF).
- ^ "International arrival procedures". Heydar Aliyev International Airport. from the original on 5 May 2023. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
- ^ . news.az. Archived from the original on 26 July 2018. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
- ^ "Exemption from state fees". Azerbaijan Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Archived from the original on 9 April 2023. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
- ^ "Important information for UAE residents". Consulate General of Azerbaijan in Dubai. from the original on 4 May 2023. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
- ^ . apa.az. Archived from the original on 16 June 2016. Retrieved 11 June 2016.
- ^ . apa.az. Archived from the original on 29 August 2017. Retrieved 16 December 2016.
- ^ "Conditions for issuing electronic visas". evisa.gov.az. from the original on 7 May 2023. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
- ^ "The electronic visa system of Azerbaijan Republic". evisa.gov.az. from the original on 28 August 2017. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
- ^ "Countries eligible for e-visa". visa.gov.az. Archived from the original on 7 May 2023. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
- ^ Moore, Peter (12 August 2017). "You're welcome! The 5 easiest visas to get in the world". Wanderlust. Archived from the original on 7 May 2023. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
- ^ "Terminals for issuing visas to foreigners have opened at the airport in Baku". RIA Novosti (in Russian). 15 May 2018.
- ^ "Head of section: ASAN service will also issue visas to Azerbaijani citizens". report.az. 15 January 2018. from the original on 17 January 2018. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
- ^ . Archived from the original on 6 October 2011. Retrieved 14 July 2011.
- ^ "State fees". Republic of Azerbaijan Ministry of Foreign Affairs. from the original on 4 May 2023. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
- ^ a b "Business visa information". Embassy of Azerbaijan to the United States. from the original on 4 May 2023. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
- ^ "Transit visa information". Embassy of Azerbaijan to the United States. from the original on 4 May 2023. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
- ^ "Private visit visa information". Embassy of Azerbaijan to the United States. from the original on 4 May 2023. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
- ^ a b "Documents required for the invitation of foreigner or stateless person to the Republic of Azerbaijan". Azerbaijan Ministry of Foreign Affairs. from the original on 4 May 2023. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
- ^ "AGREEMENT between the European Union and the Republic of Azerbaijan on the facilitation of the issuance of visas". from the original on 29 May 2016. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
- ^ Kucera, Joshua (21 January 2019). "Azerbaijan and Russia in escalating dispute over ban on Armenians". Eurasianet. from the original on 9 July 2019. Retrieved 9 July 2019.
- ^ . Armenian National Committee of America. 6 July 2017. Archived from the original on 11 April 2023. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ McMahon, Bobby (31 August 2018). "Why Henrikh Mkhitaryan's Europa League 'Ban' From Azerbaijan Is A Red-Herring". Forbes. from the original on 9 July 2019. Retrieved 9 July 2019.
- ^ "International tourism, number of arrivals: Azerbaijan". data.worldbank.org. from the original on 29 October 2019. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
- ^ a b "Number of foreigners and stateless persons arrived to Azerbaijan by countries [sic]". stat.gov.az. from the original on 25 June 2019. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
External links edit
- Republic of Azerbaijan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (in English)
- State Migration Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan (in English)
- Electronic Visa System of Azerbaijan Republic