VISA

 I. According to the Law of theRepublicofAzerbaijanon Entry into and Exit from the Country and Passports, foreigners and stateless persons may enter the territory of theRepublicofAzerbaijanthrough specified points of entry with valid passports and appropriate visas issued by the relevantAzerbaijanauthority.

Travel toAzerbaijanrequires an entry visa unless there is an agreement on visa free travel regime with country whose nationality traveler holds (see Section V).

Consular Section of the Embassy of theRepublicofAzerbaijangrants single and multiple visas toAzerbaijan.

II. All foreigners who wish to apply for a visa toAzerbaijanhave to submit following documents to obtain a visa toAzerbaijan:    

- Completed standard visa application form. To fill out visa application form:

Step 1: visit the website: http://evisa.mfa.gov.az

Step 2: Register in “Sign up” page.

Step 3: Fill out the “Application form”.

Step 4: Submit the application form.

Step 5: Print the completed application form received by e-mail.

-The invitation letter;

 For business, humanitarian and personal visit - the invitation letter must be obtained through Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan.  An invitation from a receiving party should be sent through Consular Department of the MFA;

The instruction from the Consular Department of Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the confirmation of the invitation of receiving party should be received by the Embassy. For details receiving party may contact the Consular Department of Ministry of Foreign Affairs.Address: 4 Shikhali Gurbanov Str., Baku, AZ 1009. For questions please call +99450 7600663.

- Original passport.

Valid passport or other travel document which should have at least one clear page for the visa;

A passport must be valid for no less than three month after the date of your planned departure from Azerbaijan.
Holders of travel documents must submit valid permanent resident card.

- Two passport sized photos of the applicant.

-  Visa fee.

Visa processing fee should be transferred to the following bank account of the Embassy in advance (please be noted that confirmation of the payment should be submitted to the Embassy):

BANK:                UBS
Account Nr:        0235 - 124793.02v in CHF
IBAN:                  CH89 0023523512479302v                               

BIC:                    UBSWCHZH80A

III. To obtain a visa by mail, the request must include a postage paid return envelope (Express Mail, FedEx, UPS or DHL). The Embassy of Azerbaijan does not assume any responsibility for the loss postal delivery. As the Embassy does not keep tracking numbers of your mail, you are advised to keep a record of it in way to track your passport's return to you.

 In accordance with domestic legislation and subject to the international agreements to which Azerbaijan is a party, the Consular section of the Embassy reserves its right to consider visa applications in certain cases as long as it deems necessary. Visa can be rejected if the authorities have reasons to believe that applicant’s entry into or stay in Azerbaijan is not desirable.

-  Copy of the valid Swiss or Liechtenstein residence card if the applicant is a foreign national residing inSwitzerland orLiechtenstein.

- If application is submitted by mail, a self addressed stamped return envelope for certified mail or prepaid envelope for en express delivery service must be enclosed. The Embassy assumes no responsibility for any loss, damage or delay of the documents sent by mail.

IV. Tourist visas.

Tourists wishing to travel toAzerbaijanshould apply for a visa by means of tourist companies (travel agencies).

Tourist companies should apply:

1) to the Embassies or Consulates of theRepublic ofAzerbaijan in the applicant’s country of residence or

2) in case of absence of the Embassies or Consulates of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the applicant’s country of residence, to the Embassies or Consulates of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the geographically nearest third countries.

To obtain a visa the following documents should be presented by a tourist company in the electronic form (scanned and emailed to the Embassy ofAzerbaijan) or by post:

1) scanned copy of the completed application form

2) scanned copy of applicant’s passport (pages with photo and signature)

3) scanned copy of applicant’s colored photograph, taken against white or light grey background

4) scanned copy of the receipt of the visa fee

Applicants should make the transfer of the visa fee in CHF to the following bank account of the Embassy (while making the payment please indicate your full name as the reference number)

BANK:                UBS
Account Nr:        0235 - 124793.02v in CHF
IBAN:                  CH89 0023523512479302v                               

BIC:                    UBSWCHZH80A

5) The following scanned documents confirming applicant’s purpose of visit:

a) tourist voucher

b) passenger’s ticket

c)  confirmation of the reservation at a hotel or hostel inAzerbaijan, on its letterhead, signed by an authorised member of staff

If a tourist company apply for visa in electronic form, the issued visa will be emailed to a tourist company that submitted documents on applicant‘s behalf. In cases when a tourist company applied for a visa via post, the issued visas will be sent to the tourist companies by post. 

Electronic tourist visas will be examined and issued in 15 working days for a period of stay inAzerbaijannot exceeding 30 days. Electronic visas will not be stacked into passports. Electronic tourist visas will be valid only for a single entry toAzerbaijan.

In case of visa rejection, reasons behind this will be provided.

Diplomatic and service passports are fee-exempt.

Visa fees as to the nationals other than Swiss,Liechtensteinand Schengen zone ones legally residing inSwitzerlandandLiechtensteindepends on their country of origin. These applicants are requested to approach the Consular section of the Embassy to find out a visa fee they have to be charged.

According to the agreement betweenAzerbaijanandTurkey, visa for Turkish nationals travelling toAzerbaijanis free of charge if they apply for visa to the Embassy and 10 USD in cases when Turkish nationals apply for visa (up to 60 days) upon arrival atBakyHeydarAliyevInternationalAirportas well as Ganja andNakhchivanInternationalAirports.

Please be noted that the paid visa fees are not refundable.  

 V. Nationals of the countries indicated below holding following types of passports enjoy visa free regime in accordance with interstate agreements:

VI. All required documents to get a visa should be sent to the following address:

Embassy of theRepublicofAzerbaijanto the Swiss Confederation

Kramburgstrasse 10 , CH-3006,Bern,Switzerland

Processing time is up to 14 days. The day of submission/delivery of documents by mail is not included in processing time. Visa processing starts only after all required documents are available for the Embassy.

In accordance with domestic legislation and subject to the international agreements to whichAzerbaijanis a party, the Consular section of the Embassy reserves its right to consider visa applications in certain cases as long as it deems necessary. Visa can be rejected if the authorities have reasons to believe that applicant’s entry into or stay inAzerbaijanis not desirable.

VII. Working hours of the Consular section of the Embassy of theRepublicofAzerbaijanare Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9.30 to 12.30.

VIII. As of 15 October 2010, foreigners and stateless persons travelling toAzerbaijanmay apply for visa directly to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of theRepublicofAzerbaijanonly in the following cases:

1. In cases specified in the interstate and intergovernmental agreements that theRepublic ofAzerbaijan is a State Party to;

2. Upon the official invitation by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Prime Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Chairman of the Milli Majlis (Parliament) of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Chief of the Presidential Administration of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Chairman of the Supreme Council of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic;

3. Upon the official invitation by the Chairman of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Chairman of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Prosecutor General of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Human Rights Ombudsman of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Chairman of the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Azerbaijan as well as heads of the central executive power body, Chairman (Governor) of the Central Bank of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Chief of the Administrative Department of the Presidential Administration of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Chief of the Special Medical Service of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, management of the National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Chairman of the Caucasus  Muslim Department, heads of the foreign companies operating in the Republic of Azerbaijan in accordance with the international treaties Azerbaijan is Party, provided that this invitation is agreed with the State Migration Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan;

4. In cases when staff of the diplomatic missions or consulates, as well as representations of international organizations accredited in the Republic of Azerbaijan, technical staff and members of their families as well as foreigners with the special diplomatic mission travelling to Azerbaijan;

5. Upon the official invitation by the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Azerbaijan in order to participate in addressing consequences of emergencies;

6. In cases of demise of close relative residing in theRepublic ofAzerbaijan (with the document certifying the death).

7. In cases of travelling toAzerbaijan from countries with no diplomatic mission or consulate of theRepublic ofAzerbaijan and which have direct air service with theRepublic ofAzerbaijan;

IX. Visits to the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh and other surrounding regions of theRepublicofAzerbaijan

Azerbaijani authorities inform that any visit of official, business, humanitarian or tourist nature to the Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions of the Republic of Azerbaijan currently under the military occupation of the Republic of Armenia by any person without prior consent of the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan is considered as illegal and grave violation of inviolability of internationally recognized state borders of the Republic of Azerbaijan, as well as act which is also directed against the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

The Embassy further emphasizes that persons violating the sovereignty and territorial integrity of theRepublicofAzerbaijanare included in the list and their entry to theRepublicofAzerbaijanwill be denied.

Any further actions or attempts by “blacklisted” persons to visit the occupied regions and cooperate with illegal regime “acting” there will result in relevant additional counter-measures taken by the Azerbaijani side.

Press-release on visa facilitation for citizens of several countries