Facilitation of the visa issuing procedures on the base of the agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Azerbaijan

The Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Azerbaijan on facilitation of the issuance of visas entered into force on 1 September 2014 (hereinafter referred to as "the Agreement"). The purpose of the Agreement is to facilitate, on the basis of reciprocity, the procedures for issuing visas for an intended stay of no more than 90 days per period of 180 days to the citizens of the European Union and the Republic of Azerbaijan.

The visa facilitations provided in this aforementioned Agreement shall apply to citizens of the following members of the EU:

Note: The visa facilitations provided in this aforementioned Agreement shall not apply to citizens of Kingdom of Denmark, of the Republic of Ireland and of the United Kingdom.

The Agreement determines following facilitations:

1. Issuance of multiple-entry visas

Following categories of citizens of the EU Member States and of the Republic of Azerbaijan can apply for multiple-entry visas with a term of validity of 5 years to the diplomatic missions and consular posts of the Republic of Azerbaijan:

(a) spouses, children (including adopted), who are under the age of 21 or are dependant, parents (including custodians), visiting citizens of the European Union legally residing in the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan or citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan legally residing in the territory of the Member States, or citizens of the European Union residing in the territory of the Member State of which they are nationals, or citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan residing in the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan;

(b) permanent members of official delegations, who following an official invitation addressed to the Member States, the European Union or the Republic of Azerbaijan, are to participate regularly in meetings, consultations, negotiations or exchange programmes, as well as in events held

            By way of derogation from the first sentence, where the need or the intention to travel frequently or regularly is manifestly limited to a shorter period, the term of validity of the multiple-entry visa shall be limited to that period, in particular where:

—in the case of the persons referred to in point (a), the period of validity of the authorisation for legal residence of citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan legally residing in one of the Member States or citizens of the Union legally residing in the Republic of Azerbaijan;

— in the case of the persons referred to in point (b), the term of the validity of the status as a permanent member of an official delegation,

is less than five years.

Following categories of citizens of the EU Member States, provided that during the previous year they have obtained at least one visa, have made use of it in accordance with the laws on entry and stay of the visited State, can apply for multiple-entry visas with a term of validity of 1 year to the diplomatic missions and consular posts of the Republic of Azerbaijan:

(a) students, post-graduate students who regularly travel for the purposes of study or educational training, including in the framework of exchange programmes;

(b) journalists and technical crew accompanying them in a professional capacity;

(c) participants in official exchange programmes organised by twin cities;

(d) drivers conducting international cargo and passenger transportation services between the territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Member States in vehicles registered in the Member States or the Republic of Azerbaijan;

(e) persons needing to visit regularly for medical reasons and necessary accompanying persons;

(f) members of the professions participating in international exhibitions, conferences, symposia, seminars or other similar events who regularly travel to the Republic of Azerbaijan or the Member States;

(g) representatives of civil society organizations travelling regularly to the Republic of Azerbaijan or the Member States for the purposes of educational training, seminars, conferences, including in the framework of exchange programmes;

(h) persons participating in scientific, cultural and artistic activities, including university and other exchange programmes, who regularly travel to the Republic of Azerbaijan or the Member States;

 (i) participants in international sports events and persons accompanying them in a professional capacity;

(j) members of official delegations who, following an official invitation addressed to the Member State, the European Union or the Republic of Azerbaijan, shall participate regularly in meetings, consultations, negotiations or exchange programmes, as well as in events held in the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan or of the Member States by intergovernmental organisations;

(k) business people and representatives of business organisations who regularly travel to the Republic of Azerbaijan or the Member States.

2. Documentary evidence regarding the purpose of the journey

For the following categories of citizens of the Union and of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the following documents are sufficient for justifying the purpose of the journey to the other Party:

(a) for close relatives — spouses, children (including adopted), parents (including custodians), grandparents and grand- children — visiting citizens of the European Union legally residing in the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan or citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan legally residing in the Member States, or citizens of the European Union residing in the territory of the Member State of which they are nationals, or citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan residing in the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan:

— a written request from the host person;

(b) without prejudice to Article 10, for members of official delegations including permanent members of such delegations who, following an official invitation addressed to the Member States, the European Union or the Republic of Azerbaijan, shall participate in official meetings, consultations, negotiations or exchange programmes, as well as in events held in the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan or one of the Member States by intergovernmental organisations:

— a letter issued by a competent authority of a Member State or of the Republic of Azerbaijan or by an institution of the European Union confirming that the applicant is a member of its delegation respectively or a permanent member of its delegation travelling to the territory of the other Party to participate in the aforementioned events, accompanied by a copy of the official invitation;

(c) for business people and representatives of business organizations;

— a written request from the host legal person or company, organization or an office or a branch of such legal person or company, state, or local authorities of the Republic of Azerbaijan or the Member States or organising committees or trade and industrial exhibitions, conferences and symposia held in the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan or one of the Member States endorsed by the competent authorities in accordance with the national legislation;

(d) for drivers conducting international cargo and passenger transportation services between the territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Member States in vehicles registered in the Member States or in the Republic of Azerbaijan:

— a written request from the national company or association (union) of carriers of the Republic of Azerbaijan or the national associations of carriers of the Member States providing for international road transportation, stating the purpose, itinerary, duration and frequency of the trips;

(e) for pupils, students, post-graduate students and accompanying teachers who undertake trips for the purposes of study or educational training, including in the framework of exchange programmes as well as other school related activities:

— a written request or a certificate of enrolment from the host university, academy, institute, college or school or student cards or certificates of the courses to be attended;

(f) for persons participating in scientific, academic, cultural or artistic activities, including university and other exchange programmes:

 — a written request from the host organisation to participate in those activities;

(g) for journalists and technical crew accompanying them in a professional capacity:

— a certificate or other document issued by a professional organization or the applicant's employer proving that the person concerned is a qualified journalist and stating that the purpose of the journey is to carry out journalistic work or proving that he/she is a member of technical crew accompanying the journalist in a professional capacity;

(h) for participants in international sports events and persons accompanying them in a professional capacity:

— a written request from the host organization, competent authorities, national sport Federations of the Member States or the Republic of Azerbaijan or National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan or National Olympic Committees of the Member States;

(i) for participants in official exchange programmes organized by twin cities:

— a written request of the Head of Administration/Mayor of these cities;

(j) for persons travelling for medical reasons and necessary accompanying persons:

—an official document of the medical institution confirming necessity of medical care in this institution, the necessity of being accompanied and proof of sufficient financial means to pay for the medical treatment;

(k) for members of the professions participating in international exhibitions, conferences, symposia, seminars or other similar events held on the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan or Member States:

— a written request from the host organization confirming that the person concerned is participating in the event;

(l) for representatives of civil society organizations when undertaking trips for the purposes of educational training, seminars, conferences, including in the framework of exchange programmes:

— a written request issued by the host organization, a confirmation that the person is representing the civil society organization and the certificate on establishment of such organization from the relevant register issued by a state authority in accordance with the national legislation;

(m) relatives visiting for burial ceremonies:

— an official document confirming the fact of death as well as confirmation of the family or other relationship between the applicant and the buried;

(n) for visiting military and civil burial grounds:

—an official document confirming the existence and preservation of the grave as well as family or other relationship between the applicant and the buried;

Note: The written request shall include the following items:

 (a) for the invited person: name and surname, date of birth, sex, citizenship, passport number, time and purpose of the journey, number of entries and where relevant the name of the spouse and children accompanying the invited person;

(b) for the inviting person: name, surname and address;

(c) for the inviting legal person, company or organisation: full name and address and:

— if the request is issued by an organisation or authority, the name and position of the person who signs the request;

— if the inviting person is a legal person or company or an office or a branch of such legal person or company established in the territory of a Member State or in the Republic of Azerbaijan, the registration number as required by the national law of the Member State concerned or by the Azerbaijani law.

3. Fees for processing visa applications

The fee for processing visa applications shall amount to EUR 35.

Fees for processing the visa application are waived for the following categories of persons:

(a) for close relatives — spouses, children (including adopted), parents (including custodians), grandparents and grand- children — of citizens of the European Union legally residing in the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan, of citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan legally residing in the territory of the Member States, of citizens of the European Union residing in the territory of the Member State of which they are nationals, and of citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan residing in the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan;

(b) for members of official delegations, including permanent members of official delegations, who, following an official invitation addressed to the Member States, the European Union or the Republic of Azerbaijan, shall participate in official meetings, consultations, negotiations or exchange programmes, as well as in events held in the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan or one of the Member States by intergovernmental organisations;

(c) pupils, students, post-graduate students and accompanying teachers who undertake trips for the purposes of study or educational training, including in the framework of exchange programmes as well as other school related activities;

(d) persons with disabilities and persons accompanying them, if necessary;

(e) participants in international sports events and persons accompanying them in a professional capacity;

(f) persons participating in scientific, cultural and artistic activities, including university and other exchange programmes;

(g) persons who have presented documents proving the necessity of their travel on humanitarian grounds, including to receive urgent medical treatment and the person accompanying such person, or to attend a funeral of a close relative, or to visit a seriously ill close relative;

(h) representatives of civil society organizations when undertaking trips for the purposes of educational training, seminars, conferences, including in the framework of exchange programmes;

(i) pensioners;

(j) children under the age of 12;

(k) journalists and technical crew accompanying them in a professional capacity.

Note: If the diplomatic mission or consulates of the Republic of Azerbaijan cooperate with an external service provider (outsourcing company) in view of issuing a visa, the external service provider may charge a service fee which shall not exceed EUR 30. Moreover, the diplomatic missions and consulates of the Republic of Azerbaijan shall maintain the possibility for all applicants to lodge their applications directly at their consular offices of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

4. Length of procedures for processing visa applications

The diplomatic missions and consulates of the Republic of Azerbaijan shall take a decision on the request to issue a visa within 10 calendar days of the date of the receipt of the application and documents required for issuing the visa. The period of time for taking a decision on a visa application may be extended up to 30 calendar days in individual cases, notably when further scrutiny of the application is needed.

Note: If applicants are required to obtain an appointment for the lodging of an application the appointment shall, as a rule, take place within a period of two weeks from the date when the appointment was requested. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, external service providers (outsourcing company) shall ensure that a visa application, as a rule, can be lodged without undue delay. In justified cases of urgency, the consulate may allow applicants to lodge their applications either without appointment, or an appointment shall be given immediately.

5. Diplomatic passports

Citizens of the European Union and the Republic of Azerbaijan who are holders of valid diplomatic passports may enter, leave, transit through and stay in the territories of the EU Member States for a period not exceeding 90 days per period of 180 days without visas.

Additional information concerning countries applying the visa free regime can be found here.

6. Other issues

According to the article 2.2 of the Agreement issues, which are not covered by the provisions of the Agreement (for instance, the refusal to issue a visa, recognition of travel documents, proof of sufficient means of subsistence and the refusal of entry and expulsion measures), shall be regulated by the national law of the Republic of Azerbaijan.