According to the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan “On exit from, entry to the country, and passports”, foreign nationals and stateless persons (hereinafter referred to as foreigners) can come to the Republic of Azerbaijan with their passports and on the basis of visas issued in accordance with international agreements provided that they enter the country through border checkpoints.

For citizens of certain countries there is a visa-free procedure of travel to the Republic of Azerbaijan determined in accordance with interstate agreements entered into by the Republic of Azerbaijan

Foreigners who have received permission for temporary or permanent residence in the Republic of Azerbaijan may travel to and from the Republic of Azerbaijan on the basis of their passports and permits for temporary or permanent residence issued by the State Migration Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan (visa-free).

Entry visas are issued to foreigners for entry to the Republic of Azerbaijan within ordinary procedure. Single entry-exit visas are valid for a term of three days to three months, while multiple entry-exit visas are valid for a term of one to two years. If a visa remains unused during its validity period, it becomes null and void.

Transit visas are issued to foreigners traveling to other countries via the Republic of Azerbaijan. A transit visa allows its holder to stay a maximum of five days in the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Multiple-entry visas are issued for a period of one to two years to foreigners working at diplomatic and other representative offices of foreign countries in the Republic of Azerbaijan, those working for consulates and branch offices of international organizations and their family members, those traveling to the Republic of Azerbaijan to receive education or attend courses for raising qualifications or other foreigners traveling to the Republic of Azerbaijan in connection with its interests on the basis of a list approved by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Embassies and consulates of the Republic of Azerbaijan may issue multiple-entry visas to the Republic of Azerbaijan in accordance with bilateral agreements and on the basis of instructions from the Ministry of Foreign affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

According to Decision No 153 of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan “On approving the description and specification of visa forms issued to foreigners by embassies, consulates and other diplomatic missions of the Republic of Azerbaijan” dated 1 December 2003, the type of the visa (entry or transit), number of entries (single or multiple), category (ordinary, service, diplomatic) and purpose (tourism, business, transit, etc.) must be specified on the visa along with other information.

Foreigners can obtain an ordinary visa to the Republic of Azerbaijan when the purpose of their travel is one of the following:

• business
• science
• education
• tourism
• culture
• sport
• humanitarian
• labor activity
• private visit.

According to the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan “On exit from, entry to the country, and passports”, applications for visas are considered within one month at the latest and within 48 hours if a visit is being paid in connection with urgent medical treatment, serious illness or death of a relative living in the Republic of Azerbaijan provided that a document confirming the mentioned circumstances is provided.

Foreigners can raise administrative and (or) judicial complaints against undue delay or refusal to consider a visa application.

Foreigners applying for a visa must submit an application stating the purpose and duration of the visit to embassies and consulates of the Republic of Azerbaijan and in cases determined by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan directly to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The required documents and a receipt confirming payment of a state duty must be attached to the application.

According to Decree No 326 of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan “On certain issues pertaining to the issue of visas to foreign nationals and stateless persons traveling to the Republic of Azerbaijan” dated 13 September 2010, foreign nationals and stateless persons may apply for a visa directly to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan (visa department at the Heydar Aliyev international airport) in the following cases:

1. In cases envisaged under interstate and intergovernmental treaties of the Republic of Azerbaijan (e.g. Agreement on mutual application of visas between the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Turkey dated 4 November 2003);
2. Persons visiting the Republic of Azerbaijan on an official invitation of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Chairman of the Milli Majlis (Parliament) of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Head of the Presidential Administration of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Chairman of the Supreme Majlis (Parliament) of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic;
3. Persons visiting the Republic of Azerbaijan on an official invitation of the Chairman of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Chairman of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Prosecutor-General of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Chairman of the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the head of a central executive authority of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Chairman of the Central Bank of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Head of the Administrative Department of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Head of the Special Medical Service of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the management of the National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Clerical Office, heads of foreign companies operating in the Republic of Azerbaijan in accordance with international treaties the Republic of Azerbaijan is a party to, provided that the invitation is agreed with the State Migration Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan;
4. Employees of foreign diplomatic offices, consulates and representative offices of international organizations in the Republic of Azerbaijan, administrative and technical staff and their family members, as well as foreign citizens visiting the Republic of Azerbaijan on special diplomatic missions;
5. Persons visiting the Republic of Azerbaijan on an official invitation of the Ministry of Emergencies of the Republic of Azerbaijan to participate in the operations to eliminate the consequences of emergency situations;
6. Persons visiting the Republic of Azerbaijan due to the death of a family member (on the basis of confirmation documents);
7. In the event of visit by citizens of countries which do not have accredited diplomatic missions and consulates of the Republic of Azerbaijan but have direct air communication with the Republic of Azerbaijan.

• 1 application form;
• 2 color photos (3x4 cm on a white background);
• passport of a foreigner or relevant ID document of a stateless person;
• invitation of the receiving party or, in case of a foreigner applying for a visa for tourist purposes, a tourist voucher or other information confirming the tourist nature of the visit;
• receipt confirming payment of the state duty.

A visa is not issued if validity of a foreigner’s passport or a stateless person’s relevant ID document expires in less than three months.

According to Article 16 of the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan “On state duties”, the following rates of the state duty are established for the issuance of visas:

According to Article 17 of the said Law, state duty is not exacted from the following foreigners traveling to the Republic of Azerbaijan: members and officials of state delegations; those representing international humanitarian organizations in the Republic of Azerbaijan; those receiving education through government channels and those engaged in teaching; those paying a visit through defense channels.

If the amount of the state duty applied by relevant institutions of foreign countries in respect of citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan differs from the one envisaged under the Law “On state duties”, the rate of the state duty is changed to match the state duty applied to citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the respective countries.

Proceeding from the principle of reciprocity, the rates of state duties for the issuance of entry visas to the Republic of Azerbaijan are established as follows:

According to bilateral agreements of the Republic of Azerbaijan, citizens of the following countries enjoy beneficial rates of the state duty:

1. Citizens of the Republic of Turkey holding a national passport:
   • Duty-free visa is issued by diplomatic offices and consulates of the Republic of Azerbaijan;
   • A duty of $10 is exacted at the Baku airport of the Republic of Azerbaijan for the issuance of a visa for one month.
2. A duty-free visa is issued for a period of 30 days to citizens of Japan holding a national (ordinary) passport.
3. A duty-free visa is issued for a period of 15 days to citizens of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan holding a national (ordinary) passport.