Azerbajdzjan

Översikt

The core security concerns in Azerbaijan revolve around systemic corruption, the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with neighbouring Armenia and regime stability. Azerbaijan consistently ranks poorly among the indexes of the world’s most corrupt nations. The ruling Aliyev clan, led by the late president Heydar and his son Ilham, holds its riches in a complex nebula of trusts and entities concealed within the international financial system. Meanwhile, the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, a secession war with neighbouring Armenia in 1991-1994, remains unresolved and its peace process deadlocked. Both sides are engaged in an ongoing arms race, and cross-border violence, mostly sniper fire, kills around 30 soldiers per year.

On 27 September 2020, a major war broke out in Nagorno-Karabakh between Armenia and Azerbaijan forces. The violence only ended following a Russian-brokered peace deal that saw Yerevan agreeing to significant territorial concessions in the disputed region. While Russian peacekeepers have been deployed to the new Line of Contact for at least five years, sporadic skirmishes remain possible along the border regions. 

Hälsa, sjukdomar och vaccination

Travellers are advised to consult a travel health specialist or general practitioner (GP) to obtain the latest information with regards to what vaccines are recommended about 4-8 weeks prior to departing for Azerbaijan. Make sure you are up-to-date on routine vaccines before your trip. The following vaccinations are recommended: measles-mumps-rubella (MMR), tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis, polio and influenza. Travellers might also consider the vaccinations for Hepatitis B and rabies, according to the specifics of their travel.

Typhoid fever vaccination is recommended when going outside the areas usually visited by tourists such as traveling extensively in the interior of the country, for persons on working assignments in remote areas, or travellers visiting for extended periods of time.

There is a low risk posed by Malaria around the southern border of Azerbaijan between May and October.

Leishmaniasis is endemic in Azerbaijan, particularly along the southeastern coast of the Black Sea, the southeastern and southwestern coasts of the Caspian Sea and the border areas of Georgia and Azerbaijan.

Travellers should be aware of the risks associated with travellers’ ailments such as diarrhoea. It is advisable to bring anti-diarrhoea medication and oral rehydration salts to prevent dehydration.

Bottled water should be consumed in preference to tap water. Caution should also be applied to ice in drinks, which is often produced from tap water.

Tuberculosis is highly endemic in Azerbaijan.

Most hospitals in Azerbaijan are state-owned and furnished with antiquated Soviet-era equipment. However, there are a growing number of private hospitals and clinics available to foreign travellers. It is recommended that you take out comprehensive medical insurance before leaving.

Outside of Baku medical treatment is generally not hygienic. Most hospitals require payment in cash, irrespective of whether you have health insurance. Serious medical problems will require air evacuation to a country with more comprehensive medical facilities.

Medication should not be purchased locally, as the pharmaceutical industry is largely unregulated. Drugs should be purchased before departing for Azerbaijan.

Pass

Passports are required to enter Azerbaijan, and should be valid for at least six months from the date of expiry of the entry visa to the country.

Visum

Most nationals require a visa, which is available from your nearest Azerbaijani embassy. Residents of many countries can alternatively obtain an electronic visa through an online application, a so-called ASAN visa valid for a single-entry trip up to 30 days. There is an application fee from 25 USD for ASAN visa application.

Certain nationals, including China, Macau, Japan, Malaysia, South Korea, Singapore, Turkey, and the UAE can obtain a visa-on-arrival if arriving at Baku International Airport for transit or a stay up to 30 days.

Ninety-day double entry visas and one-year multiple-entry visas are only available through an Azerbaijani embassy or through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Travellers who intend to travel in the region are generally recommended to obtain a one-year, multiple-entry visa. Foreign nationals staying in Azerbaijan over 30 days must also carry an official ID card. This can be obtained from the police station closest to your accommodation. Simply approach the passport section of the police station and request a form. Ministry of Interior Police sometimes perform random spot checks on foreign nationals, and have detained some who were not carrying valid ID cards.

Travellers intending to take the Caspian Sea ferry service from Azerbaijan to Turkmenistan or Kazakhstan should note that they will need to obtain a valid visa for those countries before they leave their home nation. If you arrive at your destination without a valid visa you may be returned back to Azerbaijan. Importantly, there is no Embassy of Turkmenistan in Baku, therefore visas for Turkmenistan should be obtained before arriving in Azerbaijan.

Your visa should still be valid the day you leave Azerbaijan. Extensions can be obtained at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in Baku:

Ministry for Foreign Affairs
50, S. Qurbanov Str.,
Baku AZ 1009,
Azerbaijan
Tel: +994-12-596-90-00
Fax: +994-2-498-84-80
Email: katiblik@mfa.gov.az

Local customs authorities may enforce strict regulations concerning the export of items such as antiquities, religious materials, carpets, artworks and caviar. Additionally, international rules governing caviar may mean that while Azerbaijani customs let you leave with it, the authorities of your own country may not allow you home with it. If you intend to return home with caviar, you should check your country’s own regulations on the matter before doing so.