7 Things To Know Before Applying for an Azerbaijan E-visa

As an American with major passport privilege, I always get stressed out when it comes to applying for visas. I’m just not used to it, as my passport allows me to travel to well over 150 countries without a visa or with visa on arrival.

So when I jumped on booking a cheap flight to Baku, Azerbaijan in January, I was actually a little stressed about the visa process. My friend told me that she had had her visa rejected several times. In my head, applying for an e-visa to Azerbaijan was going to be some insane, herculean task.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that applying for an e-visa for Azerbaijan is super straightforward and simple, provided you follow their rules. I did, however, find a few things that I should inform others of, hence writing this post.

Things to Know Before Applying for an E-Visa to Azerbaijan

Not every nationality is permitted to apply for an e-visa to Azerbaijan. Check the official government’s list of countries who can apply for an e-visa here. Currently, 95 countries can apply for e-visas to Azerbaijan. I’m not going to give a full list here as these things are subejct to change, and the official website will always be the most up-to-date.

Please note that this reflects my personal experience as an American passport holder traveling in 2018. Your experience may vary for a variety of reasons; I’m just trying to share what I personally learned about the process. And honestly, I’m mostly writing this post to stick it to the cheating e-visa company who nearly scammed $40 out of me before I even stepped foot in Azerbaijan. However, once I started using the official website, applying for an e-visa to Azerbaijan was incredidbly easy and straightforward. Still, there are a few things you should know to smooth out the process.

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1. There is a scam company charging nearly 3x the rate – go with the actual government site

Some scam company with better SEO than the actual Azeri government runs a website that charges $65 for an Azerbaijan e-visa, when it actually costs $20 for the e-visa plus a $4 processing fee. The fake site has a very official looking URL: https://evisa.com.az. In actuality, though, you need to use https://evisa.gov.az or you’ll be charged nearly three times as much.

If you just search “e-visa Azerbaijan” or some variant of that, unfortunately, the scam site pops up first (in fact, when I just tested it now, the official site isn’t even really a search result, but the URL is hidden on the page if you look carefully)

I nearly fell for it! My friend who I was going to Azerbaijan with had gotten her e-visa before me painlessly and paid only $24 USD with the official site. I, however, ended up on the scam site and was shocked when it asked me for $65 USD. I tried to search if there had been some sort of diplomatic spat that raised the price of our visas but could find nothing online… and then I ended up on the legitimate website and realized I had nearly gone through an agency masquerading as the official website.

This happens to a lot of people so please, be careful and check that the website ends in .gov.az and NOT .com.az!

This is the correct website.

2. You can only get a single-entry Azerbaijan e-visa, so don’t leave and plan to re-enter on the same e-visa

The website only gives you single-entry Azerbaijan e-visas, which become used and invalid after you leave the country. If you plan to leave Azerbaijan to visit, say, other countries in the Caucasus and need to return, you will need to apply for and pay for another e-visa after leaving Azerbaijan. Luckily, the e-visas are all issued within 3 business days (3 hours for urgent cases, for which you’ll pay $50), so you won’t have to spend that much time out of Azerbaijan.

However, your Azerbaijan e-visa is only good for 30 days out of every 3 months, and I don’t believe you can use a second e-visa to get around that restriction (please inform me otherwise if that’s not the case). So watch your days and make sure you don’t exceed 30 days, including arrival and departure days.

Visiting Nakhchivan (assuming you fly) means you stay in Azeri territory and does not count as leaving, so a single-entry visa is fine for visiting Nakhchivan. No special papers or visas are needed for Nakhchivan.

3. You can visit Armenia before or after Azerbaijan, but not Nagorno-Karabakh

It is not a problem to get an e-visa for Azerbaijan if you have visited Armenia. I personally visited Azerbaijan first, before Armenia. However, I can point to several friends who have visited Azerbaijan after visiting Armenia, and while some of them were asked a few questions, absolutely no one was denied entry.

That does not go for the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, which in international eyes is Azerbaijani territory that Armenia illegally controls. I’m not going to get into the politics or my opinion of it, but do know that if you go to Nagorno-Karabakh and try to enter Azerbaijan, deportation is the best case scenario. People have been extradited from other countries, sent to Azerbaijan, and jailed for visiting the Nagorno-Karabakh region. I do not recommend lying on your Azerbaijan e-visa application if you’ve visited Nagorno-Karabakh.

4. They are very, VERY fussy about writing your name properly on the visa application form

If you want a laugh, check out the PDF advising you on how to fill out your form and count how many times they write “It is wrong!”

But seriously, your visa information will be compared against a database, and if entered incorrectly, it will be denied. My friend either forgot to put her middle name or put it in the wrong section and her visa was denied. However, luckily, if you need to make a change to your Azeri e-visa you can do so rather easily. It costs 5 USD to fix and it takes about 3 hours to make the change.

5. Be sure to print your e-visa

This should be obvious but you will need to print your electronic visa for Azerbaijan and present it alongside your passport when you arrive at the border. There are kiosks in the airport that some countries use for visa on arrival but if you have an e-visa you can bypass these kiosks and just go straight the passport control.

6. You need at least 6 month’s validity on your passport

This should be common knowledge by now, but ensure that by the time you enter Azerbaijan you will have in excess of six months validity left on your passport. This doesn’t just apply for Azerbaijan but for virtually every country, and many airlines will not even let you board the plane if you have less than six months remaining on your passport, even if the country itself would let you in. So play it safe and make sure you renew your passport if needed.

7. You must register if your stay is 10 days or longer or if you’re moving around the country

You thought you were done when you entered Azerbaijan with your printed e-visa in hand? HA. There’s one more byzantine hoop you may need to jump through (or rather, make your hotel jump through). If you are only staying in Baku and not leaving the residence address (your hotel, hostel, etc.) you entered on your application, you’re fine.

But if you plan to visit a second place in Azerbaijan, or if you are planning on staying more than 9 days, you will need to register. Luckily, you can have your hotel register you and it’s not a problem. They will need to see a printed copy of your e-visa (so keep it with you after you’ve been stamped into the country) and your passport and it will only take them about an hour to do the paperwork and less than 24 hours to get confirmation. Keep ahold of your confirmation e-mail in case any issues arise.

Registration is free and your hotel should not charge you for it.

Have you applied for an e-visa to Azerbaijan and have anything to add? Let me know in the comments!

102 thoughts on “7 Things To Know Before Applying for an Azerbaijan E-visa”

  1. hi, as part of my travel plan, i intend to land in Baku, travel to Georgia and to take return flight again from Baku.

    any idea, can i apply 2 e-visa at the same time to avoid risk of later not getting e-visa on time or what should i do?

    thanks in advance

    Reply
  2. Hello,

    Once you have an e-visa, do they still put a full visa page in your passport upon arrival? Just curious as I am don’t want to run out of pages.

    Thanks,

    Jim

    Reply
  3. Great article Allison. Californians are the best world travelers! (ok,I am biased). The warning about the Nagorno-Karabakh border and the order in which you visit these countries made me sit up straight. Did you visit this region while in Azer? We are flying into Baku and will cross through Nagorno-Karabakh en route to Armenia by bus. I’m wondering if you did the same? The US State department warns against visiting this region due to armed conflict. Good times…
    Peter (from Oceanside)

    Reply
    • Hi Peter! I did not visit Nagorno-Karabakh. You will not be able to take a bus between Azerbaijan and Armenia, the border is closed. Also, you cannot cross through Nagorno-Karabakh from Azerbaijan, because it is Armenia who is controlling the border, and the border is closed. I flew to Baku, flew to Nakhchivan, flew back to Baku, then went to Ganja and Sheki in Azerbaijan and then crossed into Georgia, to Tbilisi. From Tbilisi, we visited Yerevan, then back to Tbilisi to fly out.

      Reply
  4. Hey, i accidently entered my home address instead of azerbaijan address. I feel my visa will be rejected. Can i re-apply again? I am dumb and the message didn’t showed up i need to add Azerbaijan hotel address.

    Any idea if i can re-apply and should i wait till there rejection?

    Reply
    • Hi Dharit! Wait for the notification of acceptance or rejection. If it is rejected, likely you will just have to make an amendment, which costs about $5 USD or so. I remember this happened to my friend when she forgot to enter her first and middle name (and just entered her first name). The change was accepted quite quickly so as long as it is not last minute I wouldn’t worry too much. Worst case scenario you can reapply if you are rejected outright.

      Reply
      • Thanks Allison for your reply. I will wait for their email and update back here what they have to say.

        My travel date is 30th October, so I have ample of time.

        Reply
          • Hi Allison,

            Got my e-Visa 🙂 just now (afternoon here in India).

            It will be my 6th visit to a country after UAE, Singapore, Malaysia, USA and Canada!

            Your blogs are really useful and I will follow-it! Will keep you posted how my trip goes or any questions I might have.

            You have been wonderful in providing the information and wish you the best!

            Thanks,

  5. Hi,

    I have a question, I want travel to Baku, I know that e-visa for single entry is 30 days. What I have to do if I have to stay 32 days instead of 30 days, Should I pay any charge fee for each day after 30 days or how it works, please let me know.

    Thanks

    Reply
    • Hi Hadeel, without knowing your nationality or circumstance I can’t advise you on this. I would recommend contacting the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Azerbaijan (MFA) or your embassy in Azerbaijan for more details. Generally the e-visa is only 30 days and single entry so you will likely have to apply for a different kind of visa at the embassy.

      Reply
  6. Hi,

    I have two questions, one is If I am putting January 2nd, 2019 of my entry date then is it mandatory to enter on the same date or can I change my dates within the 3 months of valid visa period?
    Second, If I am putting a hotel address while applying for my visa, so is it mandatory to stay in the same hotel or if I am getting any good offer from another hotel or I want to change my hotel after issuing eVisa, can I change?

    Reply
    • Hi Ali, you can definitely enter after the date you’ve entered so long as it’s within the validity period. As for your hotel, I think it’s fine to change, no one asked to check anything when I arrived. I think it’s more of a formality. Just be sure to register if you plan to stay 10 days or longer.

      Reply
    • You do not need to book a return ticket. I exited via land from the Georgia border. I was not asked to show travel insurance but it always is a good idea to have it. I never travel without it. You will have to check specifics with Azerbaijan’s MFA (Ministry of Foreign Affairs).

      Reply
  7. The thing you mentioned in last point that we need to register for something through hotel if we are planning to visit other cities in Azerbaijan. Can we apply for that when we reach our hotel or do we need to inform the hotel beforehand to register before we enter Azerbaijan? Does it affects the visa application? As no such thing is mentioned while applying for visa

    Reply
  8. Hi Allison,

    The details in your blog is very useful and i found the same website issue when I’m trying to apply for my e-visa. I visited lot of websites and read all and found the correct and legitimate website to apply. I’m planing to visit Baku in January 2019. Wish to see some snow as well.

    Regards.

    Reply
  9. Hi Allison,

    Very useful article but not for me I guess , I just got scammed today. Applied e-visa for Azerbaijan on this website: https://e-visaazerbaijan.com/information.php
    And they charged me 72dollars in total.
    Just need a little heads up with you are they going to give me Visa or should I have to apply it through government website as my travel dates are very near ?

    Reply
    • Hi Raza, I’m sorry to hear you got scammed 🙁 I wish you had been able to find this article before – it nearly happened to me as well. I’m not familiar with this company, but I think they will still administer your visa (they just overcharged you). If you don’t get your visa in the time they promised then you can apply for an urgent one from the official Azerbaijan visa site that I linked here, which they should be able to administer within the same day.

      Reply
    • Hi Raza,

      Unfortunately we also applied via the same site ….just a query were you able to get your evisa or had to reapply via official site? Please let us know as we have only 5 days to travel.

      Reply
      • Hope he can help! If not try the site I’ve given – it only takes 3 days to process and I think about 3 hours (business hours apply) if you apply urgently, but it does cost more.

        Reply
  10. Thank you for the information.

    Especially helpful about the fake sites…

    Do you need to pre-book the hotel before visa application? I see that as question on the e visa page.
    What if I don’t want to stay at that hotel? Options?

    Reply
    • Hi Michael, thanks! I recommend you pre-book a hotel before applying for the visa so you have a valid address to fill out. I don’t know why you wouldn’t want to then stay at it, but that said, I don’t think anyone would check to ensure you maintained your booking. It’s up to you but I wouldn’t fill out my application with any false information.

      Reply
  11. Hi Allison!

    Thanks for the helpful info! I’m a US citizen planning to spend two weeks in Azerbaijan. I already have a flight booked out of Baku, but would really love to cross over to Georgia for 2-3 days at some point. I suppose I could apply for an additional urgent 3-hour visa once I enter Georgia just to be safe, but I’m not sure if I could apply for two e-visas within such a short amount of time. Thoughts?

    Thanks again!
    Lauren

    Reply
    • Hi Lauren! I believe you can apply for two e-visas within a short amount of time but I would contact the MFA of Azerbaijan to be sure. Their email is [email protected] and phone is (+99412) 596 90 00. I do believe you’d need to apply for a second visa and pay for urgent processing as far as I know since it is a single-entry visa only, or at least it was when I did it.

      Reply
  12. Hello Alison, thank you so very much for such a helpful post. I’m from Singapore & planning to travel in late April 2019. May I ask how you crossed into Georgia from Azerbaijan as Lonely Planet’s account mentioned hassles (like being refused crossing if you arrive at the border by train)
    Please advise on how you did it especially the Azerbaijan border town from which you crossed into Georgia. Thank you

    Reply
    • I crossed on foot using transport from a private taxi between the Balakan-Matsimi border crossing between Sheki and Tbilisi. I hired a taxi from Sheki to the border, and then got another one from the Georgia side. I don’t recommend doing this as my driver from Georgia onwards was very unsafe. I know plenty of people have no problems going by train, just ensure you are allowed in visa-free and that it’s OK to enter via land border vs. airport (I don’t know the rules for Singapore passport holders)

      Reply
  13. Hello, I want to apply for Azerbaijan e-visa and I don’t have much time before I fly so I was wondering if we need to provide laboratory test reports to prove we don’t have the diseases they mention in their visa form like hepatitis etc? So do we need to attach test reports proving we are healthy?

    Reply
  14. Hi,
    I read all the comments but no one seems to have had a problem with scanning their passport? I’ve tried all different sizes in jpeg form from dropbox to the application and it says it needs to be jpeg .Tried the other option of taking a picture on my phone and it says this jpeg is too big!

    Reply
    • Hi Lee did you manage to fix this? My jpg file wont be accepted either, tried to skrink and different photos, its infuriating! Its like it doesnt recognise my jpeg as a jpeg?! Im using ipad by the way…

      Reply
  15. Hello,
    Currently I’m trying to get a visa for this country, I am a uk citizen. I have to the personal information part verified the visa and then it goes back to the first step … does this mean I have to wait for verification of anything ? To continue the application and pay ? Many thanks for your future help.

    Reply
  16. Hi Allison, your post is very Beneficial to lots of people traveling to Azerbaijan including myself.
    Im a bit worried myself because when i booked my ticket to Azerbaijan i was thinking its only the visa that i need to sort out. Now that i have read the comments on your blog and looked up some info on google im more confused.
    On google it states if you are staying for more than 15 days, in your blog you state over 10 days, then i will need to inform Azerbaijan ministery.
    I am going for 3 weeks please can u tell me how it works.
    Thank you

    Jan

    Reply
    • Hi Jan it may have changed to be 15 days, but either way, if you are staying for 3 weeks you have to ask your hotel to help you register. It’s pretty easy for them to do this, you don’t really have to do anything other than give them your passport.

      Reply
  17. HI,Allison
    I am a bit confused about the scan passport copy as I have a Pakistani passport and it has imbedded images so my passport number is a bit blurred out what do I do shall I take a picture from my phone and upload it ?
    We have to upload just the data page right

    Reply
  18. hi, i have already visited Azerbaijan in Feb-2019, but now i would like to take my family there on July -2019, please advice me how to apply visa , i mean with together or separately, i have 2 kids (11 years and 8 years) and my wife , total 4 person.

    please advice.

    Reply
    • Hi Alison, just applied for my visas for me and my family today. My scans uploaded and were the right size but my husband’s and daughter’s were oriented differently- my husband’s was sideways on and my daughter’s was upside down (no idea why!) Do you have any idea if it will affect my application? Not sure if these scans are read by people or software and if it is rejected can I reapply for e- visas. Thanks for the blog – very useful. Sarah.

      Reply
      • Hi Sarah – not really sure, but I think it should be okay. I think the scans are read by people. But if it’s rejected it’s really easy to make an amendment and only costs $5 to make a quick fix.

        Reply
  19. Hi Allison,

    Thank you for your article. Do you know if you can enter Baku multiple times on different E-Visas across a period of 3-4 months?

    I need to spend approximately 90 days in Baku and I was planning on leaving after 30 days and then re-applying for a new E-Visa and then re-entering for another 30 days on the new E-Visa and so on until I finish. Is this possible to do this?

    Thanks in advance.

    Reply
    • Hi Oliver – unfortunately I don’t know this. I don’t think so, I would think you would have to apply for a visa at the embassy rather than using an e-visa, but please contact the Azerbaijan MFA to get a definitive answer.

      Reply
  20. Hey I really need your help 🙁 I did Apply For e visa and I did put all info and all I need to do is payment and when I put my credit card info they keep saying (. Sorry, due to technical fault your request cannot be processed.
    Error message: Authentication failed ()
    Please try once again or visit us later or choose another means of payment. )) and I did try sooo many times and also I Contact my bank and they said they have no problem on my bank. Have you ever had a problem like this ??

    Reply
  21. Hi Allison, thank for your infos. I would like to ask you, in the website they ask for a photo passport (the 2 first pages, in colour) or a pdf version? Thank you!

    Reply
  22. hi Allison, im from pakistan.now intended to fly to azerbaijan ,Baku..currency difference is 1 Manat=94 rupees…will this transition be affordable for us..my husband is an agriculturist…im really confused about everythinf..my kids schooling,my husband job,and accomodation…oh God,very difficult to take any decision..could you pls adise us of any type..grateful to u…Mrs Ali

    Reply
    • Hi Mrs Ali, while I wish I could help, I have no idea how the currency will impact your transition. I found Azerbaijan to be relatively affordable because the manat is lower than it used to be against the USD, but I have no experience with Pakistan rupees so I can’t really offer you a comparison. Since I just visited Azerbaijan as a tourist I can’t be of much help in your questions but I wish you and your family all the best in this transition!

      Reply
      • Hi

        I would like to know what to write in Surname column since I only have given name in my passport.
        Or do I write unknown in surname column.
        Please reply. Thanks

        Reply
        • Hi Santhosh, sorry, I’m not qualified to answer this question – please send a photo of your passport to the MFA of Azerbaijan (google MFA Azerbaijan for his contact info) and direct your inquiry to him.

          Reply
  23. Hi Allison
    I have a question regarding accomodation. We plan to arrive in Baku by plane in the morning and travel further by night train to Tbilisi the same day. Will the MFA accept that we do not include hotel details?

    Thank you

    Reply
    • Hi Trygve. I believe it would be best to book a hotel, perhaps a very cheap hostel, so you can have an address on the application. If that does not work for you, I would contact the MFA.

      Reply
  24. Hi
    I have a question, accidentally I placed incorrect data (additional name that does not stay in my passport) and I realised that after sending application. Could you please tell me how exactly can I correct it? I will be very grateful for all help

    Reply
    • Hi Maciej, you’ll need to wait for them to send you a message back about the error and they’ll send you a way to fix it. Keep an eye on your e-mail as you can’t fix it until you receive their e-mail.

      Reply
  25. Hi Allison
    I have a question regarding Name . I have my only name written on Passport SHAH NAWAZ as Sur Name . Same i am entering in Sur Name field on evisa Form, but confused what to write in Given Name Colum as if leave empty it dont accept.
    Thanks

    Reply
  26. i have a question as i apply for a BAKU visa and my travelling date is 22 october 2019 from dubai but my issued baku visa have validity starts from 23 october 2019 will i face any issue in airport or its ok with that?

    Reply
    • I strongly suspect you will have an issue as you are arriving without a valid visa. They likely will not let you board the plane. I would issue an rush amendment or a rush visa or rebook your flight.

      Reply
  27. Hey just wanted to tell you that your page is help a lot of people 🙂 and thank you. Question for you. I am US citizen and If I have e visa and going to Baku. Do I have to pay any fees from Baku Airport?

    Reply
  28. HEY ALLISON it’s me bud again:) finally tonight I just got my E VISA yay!!!! But once again I have a stupid question Lol I am going to BAKU on January 21 2020 and come back home USA February 3. And when I look at my e visa it’s saying valid from October 29 2019 today and valid until January 27 2020. My question are I be at the Baku when my e visa is expire .And did they give me stamp on my passport from the day I get to Baku for 30 days? I am still don’t get it about my e visa valid from date and valid until date can you please explain to me

    Reply
  29. Good day, I am from Nigeria , I applied for an Azerbaijan visa and they sent me a soft copy from their embassy in Egypt. The visa was issued 20th sept 2019 to expire dec 5th. Until now I have not seen the visa and the agent is telling me to be patient. What should I do, have I been scammed , I used 1000USD to process this visa and I’ve spent more than 1.6 million Naira for both the school admission and visa process.

    Reply
  30. Where it asks for place of birth do you need to put the country too? My passport shows New Hampshire, U.S.A. …so should I do just New Hampshire or include USA too?

    Reply
    • Hi Anthony, I think I already replied to your email. I’m not an expert, just someone who did the process as well, but I’d say just put it in as close to possible as what it says on your passport as they will reference your passport scan when approving.

      Reply
  31. JUST WANTED TO LEAVE A TOKEN OF APPRECIATION FOR WRITING SUCH AN INFORMATIVE AND BEAUTIFUL BLOG. DO WRITE ABOUT PAKISTAN IF YOU EVER BEEN HERE OR VISIT AND BE OUR GEUST.
    STAY BLESSED

    Reply
  32. Thank you for sharing such valuable information! I’m glad I found your blog, if I ever get to that part of the world, I will remember your advices, thanks!

    Reply
  33. Hi,

    I have received an email with the below message now. Should I pay again USD 26 to apply for it?

    Your application has been unsuccessful, due to following reason : The copy of your travel document attached to your e-visa application was not clear or explicit. To get an e-visa to the Republic of Azerbaijan you can re-apply via evisa.gov.az.

    Reply
  34. Hi Allison, hope all is well

    I have been trying to apply for the Azernaijan visa for about five days now without success. One change from my last evisa, We’re now living back in America, when I was living in Dubai we never had an issue.

    I fill out the application on the evisa website for myself, wife and son. Submit the application but never recieve the payment link.

    Has there been issues with the evisa website? I dont see a phone number of other option for visa servcie. We’re scheduled to depart in just over a week from now.

    Also, a friend indicated we may have payment issues after recieveing the link. It seems they will not take US credit cards. Have you herd any issues with payment from USA. ?

    Reply
    • Hi James, I last applied for an e-visa back in like 2018 so I’m not sure if there have been any the recent changes — You may want to use a service like iVisa — they are more pricy that applying for the e-visa independently but they handle the logistics for you and they shouldn’t have a problem with USA payment systems.

      Reply
  35. Hi,

    I got scammed by paying 83$ on azerbaijanevisaonline.com I just want to know will they provide me a visa or I should not wait? Is there any way to verify if visa is a legitimate one if they provide. Thanks

    Reply
    • Hi Ali, I’m sorry, I have no way of confirming if another website is valid or not… I would try with the official website instead as your trip draws nearer if you don’t get anything back from them. If you used a credit card, you can request a “chargeback” and say it is fraudulent.

      Reply
      • Hi Ms Allison,
        Philippines is not included in the list of those countries that can apply Azerbaijan tourist e-visa. So i need to submit my application to Azerbaijan Embassy. My question is where will I put my Middle name in the application form, only Surname and given name in the form.
        It should be match all the details in my passport.
        thank you

        Reply

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