Last updated 8 March 2011.

If you are traveling to Azerbaijan you need to obtain an appropriate visa. Only citizens of Russia and CIS countries (except Turkmenistan) do not need a visa to enter Azerbaijan.

There are several types of visas available:

1. Tourist visa
2. Business/Student visa
3. Visitor visa
4. Transit visa

The most common type is tourist visa available on single or double entry basis only. This type of visa is valid for three months and authorizes to enter and stay in Azerbaijan for up to 30 days. Visa should be obtained in advance in one of the Azeri diplomatic missions abroad before traveling to Azerbaijan.

NOTE: Effective 15 October 2010, the Azeri Government has officially stopped to Issue Visa’s on arrival at the Baku airport for European and US Citizens (Turkish & Russian nationals are not affected). All affected nationals are required to obtain their visa in advance from an Azeri embassy. 

Azerbaijan is sending back any passengers without a pre-arranged visa. Only diplomats and people on official government business are being allowed in without a visa.

For getting an Azerbaijan visa you will need to get an official letter of invitation (stamped and signed) from licensed Azeri travel agency. This invitation along with the application form, two passport size (3x4 cm) photos and an original of your passport/travel document (must be valid for at least 6 months after the expiry date of the Azerbaijani visa applied for) are sufficient to obtain visa in Azerbaijan Consulate abroad.  

Should you need a letter of invitation for Azerbaijan tourist visa contact us for arrangements. More detailed information on our visa support services you can find by following the link here. Baku Travel Services is a licensed travel agency and we process all requests and send LOIs within 24 hours.

For business & student visas the procedure is slightly different. Letter of invitation from a receiving party (potential employer, business partner or university) should be authorized by Consular Department of the MFA that will fax approval letter directly to the embassy where you plan to obtain your visa. Applicant should get a copy of approval letter (don't confuse it with LOI) from receiving party that they get from Consular Department of the MFA. Approval letter should bear a reference number that you will need to quote in your visa application. Consular Department of the MFA processes LOIs within 3-4 working days.

For visitor visas an invitation is needed from the citizen of Azerbaijan. Invitation has either to be authorized by Consular Department of the MFA (see above business visas) or the applicant can submit a copy of LOI directly to the embassy (without authorization in MFA). The support letter (Devetname) must contain full name of the invited person, his/her date of birth, passport number, duration of stay in Azerbaijan. That LOI needs also to indicate the address and contact details of inviting party. A copy of Azerbaijan citizen's identity document (Shexsiyyet vesiqesi) has to be enclosed as well. However, embassies might still insist on having Letter of Invitation authorized by Consular Department of the MFA, so our advice is to check with the embassy first.

A single or multiple transit visa is granted to travelers going to other countries but passing through the territory of Azerbaijan. If the transit visa has no notes or stamps about non-stop passage, the bearer has the right to stay in the Republic of Azerbaijan for not longer than five days. Proof of onward travel might be required(plain/train tickets). Onward visa as proof of onward travel might also be used. 5 day transit visas are $20/40 for single/double entry, are valid for one month from the date of issue. You only need an application form, passport photo and photocopy of your passport.

Extension of visa

Foreign nationals have to leave Azerbaijan within 48 hours from the expiry date of the visa or extend the visa before it expires at the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Address: 4 Shikhali Gurbanov Street, Baku AZ 1009, Republic of Azerbaijan, tel: + 994 12 4929692).

If foreign nationals fail to extend their visas before expiry date, they will be liable to a fine from US $ 20 to 30. It is not possible to renew a visa after it has expired. Those foreign citizens who stay over 30 days since entering Azerbaijan and fail to register are subject to arrest by authorities with investigation to follow. There are facts when foreigners extend their visas but forget to get registration certificate. In this case the person is fined and gets a warning to obtain certificate. These certificates differ from those that Azerbaijan citizens have by color, those ones for foreigners are of pink color and bear information about a foreign citizen. If you leave the country before termination of 30 days you are free of registration.

There is an opportunity to extend your visa through Migration Service once you are in Azerbaijan. Process takes 4 days and costs 30 AZN (roughly 30 Euros). Make sure you apply for visa extension before your visa expires, otherwise they would be able to issue you only exit papers to leave a country. 

The immigration office is located near Azedliq Prospekti metro station - this is a new station at end of the line after Nasimi and not on older metro maps. You come out in a park in the middle of two roads. Walk slightly uphill to the big main road, turn right past the building construction works and the next impressive building is the immigration office. It opens at 9am but get there much earlier to avoid long waits. Saturdays they are apparently open at 9am for training and open proper from 11am (for a short time). 

You may not stay without registration, as this is illegal!

Long-term stay and registration

Foreign nationals intending to stay in Azerbaijan for a period exceeding 30 days have to register with the nearest police station within three days upon arrival. The registration fee is US $10 and the following documents should be submitted:

- Valid passport of a foreign national
- Valid visa
- Proof of address or a tenancy agreement, or a letter from the landlord

After the registration foreign nationals are issued with a registration note or card allowing them to stay in the country. Foreign nationals residing in the capital city are issued with a registration note rather than registration card, given by Baku Head Police Department.

Foreign nationals that stay in other districts of Azerbaijan (i.e. other than Baku) obtain their registration from Passport Registration Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Azerbaijan in person prior to their departure from the capital city. They will also be charged an additional fine of US $ 50 for each month they overstay.

Registration in Azerbaijan is essential and unavoidable. To enjoy your stay, follow the rules and make sure you are registered.

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