Visa policy of Azerbaijan

Visitors to Azerbaijan must obtain a visa from one of the Azerbaijani diplomatic missions, unless they come from one of the visa exempt countries, countries eligible for visa on arrival or countries eligible for electronic visa. Visitors must hold passports that are valid for at least 3 months beyond the intended period of stay.

Azerbaijan
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 Azerbaijan portal
Entry (right) and exit (left) stamps in a Swedish passport

Visa policy map
Visa policy of Azerbaijan for ordinary passport holders
  Republic of Azerbaijan
  Visa free
  Visa issued upon arrival by air. Also eligible for ASAN electronic visa.
  Eligible for ASAN electronic visa. Visa on arrival under special conditions.
  Eligible for ASAN electronic visa.
  Visa obtained in person required prior to arrival.
  Admission refused

General visa requirements
Azerbaijan visa

Passport must be valid for at least 6 months after the expiry date of the Azerbaijani visa applied for.[1] If there is less than 3 months for the expiry of a foreign citizen's passport, a visa will not be granted.[2] Citizens of specific countries listed, who are required to obtain a visa with an ordinary passport or with a service passport, have to obtain a visa before travelling to Azerbaijan. Visas are issued in at an embassy or consulate of the Republic of Azerbaijan or upon arrival at the border crossing points of the Republic of Azerbaijan.[3] The visa application form may be filled online and submitted to the diplomatic mission.[4]

Visa exemption

Citizens of the following 11 countries can visit Azerbaijan without a visa for up to 90 days:[5][6]

Non-ordinary passports
  Azerbaijan
  Visa free access for diplomatic and service category passports
  Visa free access for diplomatic passports

Additionally holders of diplomatic or service category passports of Albania, Argentina, Austria, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, China, Colombia, Croatia, Cuba, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Kuwait, Latvia, Libya (temporary not applied), Lithuania, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Pakistan, Peru, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Switzerland, Syria, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Vietnam and only holders of diplomatic passports of Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Japan, Laos, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Palestine, Poland, Qatar, Spain and Sweden do not require a visa to visit Azerbaijan.[10]

Visa waiver agreements have already been signed with the following countries but are not yet ratified or applied:

  •  Benelux – on 23 November 2017 for service passports[11]
  •  Bolivia – in August 2017 for holders of diplomatic and service passports[12]
  •  Chile – in September 2018 for holders of diplomatic and service passports[13]
  •  Paraguay – on 24 March 2019 for holders of diplomatic and service passports[14]

Visa on arrival

Citizens of the following countries can obtain a visa for Azerbaijan on arrival valid for 30 days obtainable at any international airport.[15][16][17][18]

Limited visa on arrival

Citizens of  United States can obtain a 30 days visa on arrival only if arriving on a direct flight of Azerbaijan Airlines from New York City.[21][22]

Visa on arrival for holders of an official invitation letter issued by the State Migration Service of Azerbaijan or other Azerbaijan government authority. Visa on arrival for staff of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and their dependents, provided holding an official invitation letter issued by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

Passengers with a residence permit issued by Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates can obtain a visa on arrival for a maximum stay of 30 days.

The cost for the visa on arrival is $20 US Dollars except for the passports of Turkey ($10 US Dollars) and Japan (Free). [23]

Electronic visa

Azerbaijan introduced electronic visas for citizens of designated countries in January 2017. The system is called ASAN Visa and the visas are issued for a single-entry visit up to 30 days.[24] The e-visa should be printed and presented together with the passport (that should be valid at least 3 months more than the validity period of the electronic visa) at the border checkpoint.[25] The e-Visa is issued within 3 working days.[26] As of May 2018, the designated 95 countries or regions are the following:[27][28][17]

As of February 2017, ASAN was looking into the possibility of making the electronic visa application available directly at the ports of entry at the border with Georgia, Russia, Turkey, and Iran.[30]

British travel magazine Wanderlust rated the Azerbaijan e-visa system (ASAN Visa) as the easiest visa to get in the world in 2017.[31]

There are plans to expand the ASAN Visa system for the issuance of visas to citizens of Azerbaijan as well. As of January 2018 Morocco was selected and negotiations were under way with Lithuania and United Arab Emirates.[32]

From 15 May 2018 citizens of Bahrain, China, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, United Arab Emirates[33] can obtain an electronic visa on arrival in Baku International Airport.

Visa facilitation

Azerbaijan concluded a visa facilitation agreement with the  European Union (excluding Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom) which reduces the number of documents sufficient for justifying the purpose of the trip, envisages issuance of multiple-entry visas, limits the length of processing and reduces the issuing fee or waives it entirely for many categories of EU citizens.[34]

Bans

Due to a state of war with Armenia,[35] the government of Azerbaijan has banned the entry of citizens from Armenia, as well as citizens of any other country who are of Armenian descent (including Armenian Russians, Turkish Armenians, etc.),[36] to the Republic of Azerbaijan.[37][38] There have been exceptions, notably for Armenia's participation at the 2015 European Games held in Baku.[39]

The government of Azerbaijan strictly bans any visit of foreign citizens to the separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh (the de facto Republic of Artsakh), its surrounding territories and the Azerbaijani exclaves of Karki, Yuxarı Əskipara, Barxudarlı and Sofulu which are de jure part of Azerbaijan but under control of Armenia, without prior consent of the Government of Azerbaijan. Foreign citizens who enter these territories, will be permanently banned from entering the Republic of Azerbaijan and will be included into the "list of persona non grata".[40]

2020 pandemic travel restrictions

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the issuance of electronic visas and visas on arrival was suspended.[41] According to the last circumstance, the lock-down extended till 15th of June 2020.[42]

Visitor statistics

Most visitors arriving to Azerbaijan were from the following countries of nationality:[43][44][45]

YearVisitors[46]
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
Total (2002—2018)More 24,660,000
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See also

References
  1. "Azerbaijan Tourist Visa / Azerbaijan Visa Requirements". Archived from the original on 26 September 2011. Retrieved 14 July 2011.
  2. "Republic of Azerbaijan Ministry of Foreign Affairs Visa Requirements - Documents required for granting visa". Archived from the original on 6 October 2011. Retrieved 14 July 2011.
  3. "Republic of Azerbaijan Ministry of Foreign Affairs Visa Requirements". Archived from the original on 6 October 2011. Retrieved 14 July 2011.
  4. http://evisa.mfa.gov.az/
  6. "Country information (visa section)". Timatic. International Air Transport Association (IATA) through Olympic Air. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
  7. https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/442435/Nakhchivan-to-lift-visa-requirements-for-Iranian-travelers
  8. https://m.sabah.com.tr/galeri/dunya/buyukelciden-vize-mujdesi-o-ulke-vize-muafiyet-suresini-uzatti-iste-turk-vatandaslarindan-vize-istemeyen-ulkeler
  9. https://www.haberturk.com/son-dakika-azerbaycan-a-vize-1-eylul-de-kalkiyor-2507647
  11. "Apply Azerbaijan Visa". 10 November 2019.
  12. "Azerbaijan, Bolivia agree on partial visa liberalization [PHOTO]". 18 August 2017.
  13. https://minrel.gob.cl/chancellor-s-valdivia-signed-visa-exemption-agreement-for-diplomatic/minrel/2018-09-14/153738.html
  14. http://www2.mre.gov.py/index.php/noticias-de-embajadas-y-consulados/paraguay-y-azerbaiyan-firman-acuerdo-de-supresion-de-visas-en-pasaportes-diplomaticos-oficiales-o-de-servicio
  15. "News.Az - Visa centers to open in Azerbaijani airports". news.az.
  16. Azerbaijan Simplified Visa Policy for Citizens of Certain Countries. Haqqin.az. 25 January 2016.
  18. FS. "List of states whose citizens can be issued visas at international airports of the Republic of Azerbaijan". www.mfa.gov.az.
  21. "US citizens traveling by the New York – Baku direct flight on AZAL are eligible to obtain Azerbaijani visa upon arrival at the Heydar Aliyev International Airport in Baku". 23 October 2014.
  22. "Visa upon arrival for US citizens". Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the United States of America. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
  23. http://azerbaijan24.com/visas/azerbaijan-visa-support/. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  24. Holding, APA Information Agency, APA. "Azerbaijan announces rules of e-visa issuance through ASAN Visa system".
  25. Holding, APA Information Agency, APA. "Azerbaijan to launch ASAN Visa portal on Jan. 10".
  26. "The Electronic Visa System of Azerbaijan Republic". evisa.gov.az.
  27. Azerbaijan publicizes list of countries that will use ASAN Visa system. APA. 15 December 2016
  28. ASAN Viza Enlarges List of Countries. Haqqin.az. 17 May 2017.
  30. Visas to be Issued at Border. Haqqin.az. 20 February 2017.
  31. "You're welcome! The 5 easiest visas to get in the world". www.msn.com. Retrieved 14 August 2017.
  33. https://ria.ru/tourism/20180515/1520578555.html
  34. AGREEMENT between the European Union and the Republic of Azerbaijan on the facilitation of the issuance of visas
  35. "Republic of Azerbaijan Country Report 2014" (PDF). NCSEJ. Retrieved 9 July 2019.
  36. Kucera, Joshua (21 January 2019). "Azerbaijan and Russia in escalating dispute over ban on Armenians". Eurasianet. Retrieved 9 July 2019.
  37. McMahon, Bobby (31 August 2018). "Why Henrikh Mkhitaryan's Europa League 'Ban' From Azerbaijan Is A Red-Herring". Forbes. Retrieved 9 July 2019.
  38. "Azerbaijan doesn't allow Armenians in the country".
  39. "МИД Азербайджана: Мхитарян сможет сыграть в финале Лиги Европы". football.ua. 11 May 2019. Retrieved 9 July 2019.
  40. FS. "Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Romania". azembassy.ro.
  41. CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK - UPDATE 14.03.2020, International Air Transport Association
  42. [https://visaazerbaijan.ir/
  44. "Number of foreign citizens arrived to Azerbaijan by countries".
  45. "Record high number of tourists visited Azerbaijan in 2017". trend.az. Trend News Agency. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
  46. "International tourism, number of arrivals: Azerbaijan". data.worldbank.org. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
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