The migration code of the Republic of Azerbaijan

The Migration Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan shall establish norms on implementation of the state policy in the sphere of migration in the Republic of Azerbaijan, regulation of migration processes and relations arising in this sphere as well as legal status of foreigners and stateless persons in the Republic of Azerbaijan.

SECTION III

DOCUMENTS ENTITLING FOREIGNERS AND STATELESS PERSONS TO ENTER THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN, STAY TEMPORARILY, RESIDE AND WORK IN THE TERRITORY OF THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN AND THE RULES OF THEIR ISSUANCE CHAPTER 5 VISAS

CHAPTER 5

VISAS

Article 24. Visas issued to foreigners and stateless persons

24.1. Visas issued to foreigners and stateless persons shall be of entry and transit type.

24.2. According to the number of entries the entry visa shall be single and multiple one and the transit visa - single and double entries one.

24.3. Entry visa shall be of diplomatic, service and ordinary category.

24.4. The entry visas of diplomatic and service category shall be issued to foreigners and stateless persons who visit the Republic of Azerbaijan with the official purpose only.

24.5. The entry visas of the ordinary category shall be issued to foreigners and stateless persons who visit the Republic of Azerbaijan with business, scientific, educational, labor, tourist, cultural, sports, humanitarian, medical treatment and for the purpose of a private visit.

24.6. Validity of the entry visa for single entry/exit shall be set up to 90 days and for multiple entry/exit - up to 2 years.

24.7. Foreigners and stateless persons can stay in the territory of the country according to the duration and purpose indicated on the visa.

24.8. The period of stay in the country indicated in the visa shall be used during the validity of the visa itself. A visa that was not used for a given period of time loses its validity.

24.9. The rules (terms) on visas stipulated in the international treaties, to which the Republic of Azerbaijan is party can differ from those ones provided for in this Code.

Article 25. An entry visa issued for the purpose of official visit

25.1. A visa for official visit shall be issued to officers of the diplomatic representations and consulates of foreign countries in the Republic of Azerbaijan, including officers of representations of international organizations, their administrative and technical staff and family members and to foreigners and stateless persons who visit the Republic of Azerbaijan with diplomatic mission or a special mission in cases provided for by the international treaties to which the Republic of Azerbaijan is a party. Duration of stay in the country under these visas shall be established on the basis of validity period of the visas issued.

25.2. A visa for official visit can also be issued to foreigners and stateless persons who shall participate in official events and conferences to be held in the Republic of Azerbaijan and duration of stay in the country on the basis of this visa shall be up to 180 days.

25.3. An official note verbal of the country or international organization that a foreigner or stateless person represents or the application of relevant entities of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the documents specified in Article 36 of this Code shall be required to process a visa for official visit.

Article 26. An entry visa issued for the purpose of business visit

26.1. A visa for business visit shall be issued on the basis of application of state authorities of the Republic of Azerbaijan, legal entities functioning in the Republic of Azerbaijan or natural persons dealing with entrepreneurial activity without establishing a legal entity, as well as of branches and representations of foreign legal entities to establish business relations or cooperation in the Republic of Azerbaijan or to foreigners and stateless persons arriving with a document confirming that he/she is dealing with entrepreneurial activity in the Republic of Azerbaijan.

26.2. Duration of stay in the country on the basis of the visa for business visit shall be up to 180 days.

26.3. Documents specified in Article 36 of this Code shall be required to process a visa for business visit.

Article 27. An entry visa issued for the purpose of science or education

27.1. A scientific or educational visa shall be issued to foreigners and stateless persons who arrive to deal with scientific activity, participate in relevant conferences, seminars and other scientific events, to study in educational institutions after admission or to upgrade specialty on the basis of application of the state authorities, scientific and research institutes, officially registered educational institutions functioning in the Republic of Azerbaijan.

27.2. Duration of stay in the country on the basis of the scientific or educational visa shall be up to 90 days.

27.3. Relevant document confirming that a person has sufficient funds to pay for his/her study and residence in the Republic of Azerbaijan (if study of a foreigner or stateless person in the Republic of Azerbaijan is not funded by the country of his/her citizenship or a permanent residence) and the documents specified in Article 36 of this Code shall be required to process scientific or educational visa.

Article 28. An entry visa issued for the purpose of labor

28.1. A labor visa shall be issued to foreigners and stateless persons who intend to carry out paid labor activity and for this purpose enter the Republic of Azerbaijan, on the basis of application of the state authorities of the Republic of Azerbaijan, legal entities functioning in the Republic of Azerbaijan or natural persons dealing with entrepreneurial activity without establishing a legal entity, as well as of branches and representations of foreign legal entities acting as an employer.

28.2. Duration of stay in the country on the basis of the labor visa shall be up to 90 days.

28.3. The documents specified in Article 36 of this Code shall be required to process a labor visa.

Article 29. An entry visa issued for the purpose of medical treatment

29.1. A medical treatment visa shall be issued to foreigners and stateless persons who arrive to undergo medical examination and treatment in the Republic of Azerbaijan on the basis of application of health institutions in the Republic of Azerbaijan acting as a receiving party.

29.2. Duration of stay in the country on the basis of a medical treatment visa shall be up to 90 days.

29.3. Health certificate about disease of the invited person to be examined and treated and the documents specified in Article 36 of this Code shall be required to process a medical treatment visa.

Article 30. An entry visa issued for the purpose of private visit

30.1. A visa for private visit shall be issued to foreigners and stateless persons who arrive on the basis of application of a citizen of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the foreigner or stateless person who resides in the Republic of Azerbaijan permanently, the migrant worker who possesses a permit to reside in the Republic of Azerbaijan temporarily or the foreigner or stateless person who studies in the country (only for family members of the migrant worker or foreigner and stateless person who studies in the country).

30.2. Duration of stay in the country on the basis of a visa for private visit shall be up to 90 days.

30.3. A copy of the identity document of the inviting person, commitment letter to cover all the costs related to the visit of foreigner or stateless person (ticket, daily allowances, medical and etc. costs) or relevant document on availability of funds to cover these costs as well as the document confirming that the invited person is a family member of the migrant worker or the foreigner and stateless person who studies in the country and the documents specified in Article 36 of this Code shall be required to process a visa for private visit.

Article 31. An entry visa issued for the purpose of humanitarian visit

31.1. A visa for humanitarian visit shall be issued to foreigners and stateless persons who arrive to carry out activity of humanitarian nature, hold humanitarian events or participate in such events in the Republic of Azerbaijan on the basis of an application of the state authorities of the Republic of Azerbaijan, legal entities that work in this sphere acting as receiving party.

31.2. Duration of stay in the country on the basis of a visa for humanitarian visit shall be up to 90 days.

31.3. The documents specified in Article 36 of this Code shall be required to process a visa for humanitarian visit.

Article 32. An entry visa issued for cultural and sports purposes

32.1. A cultural and sports visa shall be issued to foreigners and stateless persons to participate in any culture and sports events to be held in the Republic of Azerbaijan on the basis of an application of the of state authorities and legal entities that work in this sphere acting as receiving party.

32.2. Duration of stay in the country on the basis of the cultural and sports visa shall be up to 60 days.

32.3. The documents specified in Article 36 of this Code shall be required to process a cultural and sports visa.

Article 33. An entry visa issued for the purpose of tourism

33.1. A tourist visa shall be issued to foreigners and stateless persons who travel to the Republic of Azerbaijan as tourists.

33.2. Duration of stay in the country on the basis of the tourist visa shall be up to 30 days.

33.3. Document confirming that the travel has a tourism purpose (tourist voucher or a passenger ticket and a document confirming the reservation of a room in the hotel, camping, tourist base or other similar facilities) and the documents specified in Article 36 of this Code shall be required to process a tourist visa.

Article 34. A transit visa

34.1. A transit visa shall be issued to foreigners and stateless persons travelling to a third country to pass through the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

34.2. The validity of a transit visa shall be up to 30 days and duration of stay in the country - up to 5 days. Transit visas shall be issued taking into consideration a travel route by air, maritime, railway and other types of transport and the time spent for it.

34.3. Copies of the visa to travel to the country of destination (except for the countries that have a visa-free regime with the country of destination) and of the tickets (if available) for travel from the country of origin to the country of destination or other information confirming that travel and the documents specified in Article 36 of this Code shall be required to process a transit visa.

Article 35. Information included in a visa sticker

35.1. The words ”The Republic of Azerbaijan”, the state coat of arms, serial number of the visa, type and category of the visa, purpose of visit to the country, name and surname of the visa holder, his/her passport number, sex, date of birth, citizenship, total number of persons travelling with him/her, place and date of issue of the visa, the signature of the authorized officer who issued the visa and stamp of the relevant state authority, validity dates of the visa, number of entries, total number of days permitted for visa holder to stay in the county irrespective the number of the entries during the validity period of the visa and facial image of the visa holder in accordance with biometric identification requirements shall be included in the visa sticker.

35.2. All the parameters specified in the visa sticker shall be written both in Azerbaijani and English languages.

35.3. The specimen, description and specification of the visa sticker shall be approved by the relevant executive authority.

35.4. Rules of individualization of the visa sticker shall be approved by the relevant executive authority.

Article 36. Documents that are required to apply for visa

36.1. The following documents shall be required to apply for visa:

36.1.1. An application form specimen of which was approved by the relevant executive authority;

36.1.2. A passport or other document for crossing the border (the validity of the passport or other document for crossing the border must be at least three months longer than the expiration date of the visa) and copies of its main pages;

36.1.3. Two color photos (3 x 4 cm) in accordance with biometric identification requirements;

36.1.4. A copy of the health insurance certificate (if an inviting party does not cover costs for any medical services);

36.1.5. A receipt on payment the state fee for visa;

36.1.6. An application of a party inviting the foreigner or stateless person to the Republic of Azerbaijan, sample of which was approved by the relevant executive authority (this documents shall not be required to apply for transit and tourist visas);

36.1.6-1. A copy of the state registration certificate if a party inviting a foreigner or stateless person to the Republic of Azerbaijan is a non-governmental organization;

36.1.6-2. A document confirming the reason of the invitation (this document shall not be required to apply for transit, tourist, official and private visas).

36.1.7. Relevant documents specified in Articles 25-34 of this Code, depending on the purpose of a visit.

36.2. In addition to the documents specified in Article 36.1 of this Code, a notarized copy of the birth certificate, written consent of parents or a legal representative and copies of their identity documents shall be required to apply for visa for foreigners and stateless persons who are under 18 years of age, but possess a passport and do not travel with their parents or legal representatives.

36.3. The amount of the state fee charged for issuing a visa shall be established by the relevant law of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The state fee paid for issuing a visa, irrespective of the outcome of processing of the application, shall not be returned.

Article 37. Order of visa processing

37.1. Foreigner and stateless person shall submit personally or through his/her legal representative a visa application form to the diplomatic representation or consulate of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the country of his/her residence or in third country.

37.2. In cases established by the relevant executive authority, foreigners and stateless persons can apply for a visa in the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

37.3. Visa application from can also be submitted electronically.

37.4. A list of the documents that are required to apply for a visa, a specimen of an application form, information on amount of state fee for visa and order of its payment, and information on the diplomatic representations and consulates of the Republic of Azerbaijan in third countries where foreigners and stateless persons can apply for visa if such diplomatic representations and consulates are not available in their countries of residence shall be posted on the websites of the relevant executive authority, diplomatic representations and consulates of the Republic of Azerbaijan in foreign countries and in front of their administrative buildings on well visible boards.

37.5. Visa application form shall be processed through the interdepartmental automated data research system “Entry-exit and registration”.

37.6. Visa applications of foreigners and stateless persons shall be processed within fifteen days since the date of submission the application but in cases established by the relevant executive authority, as well as when travel of foreigners and stateless persons is reasoned by their urgent medical treatment or a serious disease or death of their relatives residing in the Republic of Azerbaijan their applications shall be processed within two days latest (upon submission of a document confirming such facts).

37.7. After checking by diplomatic representation or consulate the accuracy of the visa application form and availability of all necessary support documents this information shall be immediately entered into the interdepartmental automated data research system “Entry-exit and registration” and endorsed by enforceable electronic signature.

37.8. While processing the visa application form the relevant executive authority shall verify the accuracy and completeness of the information, make cross-checking against the restrictions lists of the interdepartmental automated data research system “Entry-exit and registration”, get the feedback of the relevant executive authority for the purpose of general agreement and present its final conclusion made depending on the results of these actions above to the diplomatic representation or consulate.

37.9. If it is considered reasonable to issue a visa a diplomatic representation or consulate shall ensure that the visa sticker is individualized, issued and registered.

37.10. In cases provided for in Article 16.1 of this Code the visa application shall be rejected and a visa issued before - cancelled. The repeated application shall be processed after elimination of grounds that caused its previous rejection.

37.11. Foreigners and stateless persons can complain against “red tape” involved in processing visa application or against its rejection in an administrative and/or judicial order according to the legislation of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

37.12. The order of issuance of the electronic visas to foreigners and stateless persons, travelling to the Republic of Azerbaijan shall be established by Article 38 of this Code.