We do not consider the Republic of Azerbaijan being added to the list “10 of the world's hardest-to-get visas” compiled by the “Wanderlust” travel journal, objective and true. It causes for a serious question of why and based on which criteria and data the journal created such list and added Azerbaijan into it.

The journal, claiming that the period for obtaining a visa to Azerbaijan takes four to six weeks is not based on any facts. It is not relevant to any corresponding law or bilateral and multilateral agreements that the Republic of Azerbaijan adhered to.

By some of the local online media organizations the situation, without any justification was linked to so-called implementation of too many non-working days at the diplomatic missions and consulates of the Republic of Azerbaijan, with the purpose of inflicting damage to the professional reputation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Even though the list is not a criterion for us, by using our right of reply, we will forward our discontent to the editorial office of the “Wanderlust” journal.

Overall, the procedure for obtaining a visa is regulated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other relevant ministries and government institutions based on the inter-agency automated information-search engine called “Entry-exit and registration”.

Issuing a visa to foreigners and non-citizens who wish to travel to the Republic of Azerbaijan takes place in accordance with the Migration Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan No. 326 dated September 13, 2010, on “some issues related with issuing visas to foreign citizens and stateless persons visiting the Republic of Azerbaijan”.

According to the law the procedure for issuing visas usually takes 10 days and if additional investigation is required it takes 15 days. Obtaining an e-Visas for tourists in most cases takes 10 calendar days and if additional investigation is not required it can take from 5 to 7 calendar days. Which means that Saturdays and Sundays are considered as part of the waiting period. Foreigners and stateless persons can obtain e-Visas from any tourism agency that has been accredited by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

From 1 September 2014, as the “EU-Azerbaijan agreement on facilitating the issuing of visas” entered into force, the period for processing visa applications has been 10 days. Apparently, the duration for processing visa applications for citizens of the countries that signed the agreement is based on the principle of reciprocity and applied in the same manner for all.

Since 1 February, 2016 the simplified visa is provided for the citizens of Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Japan, China, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore and some other countries, in all international airports of the Republic of Azerbaijan. From 10 November, 2015 this regulation is applied to the citizens of United Arab Emirates. For the citizens of this countries visas are issued on arrival to any of the international airports of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The same conditions have been applied to the citizens of Türkiye and Israel for a long time.

As defined by the relevant decision of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan, on non-working days in the country the diplomatic representations and consulates of the Republic of Azerbaijan carry out their duties on the principle of taking shifts. In this case even if is a non-working day in our country, the diplomatic missions also considers the point if it is a working day in the country that they are located in.

In order to further improve the process of issuing visas, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in conjunction with other relevant ministries and government agencies have send their proposals regarding the automated information-search engine called “Entry-exit and registration”.

For further information on how to obtain a visa to Azerbaijan you can visit the MFA website.