Living in Azerbaijan – GOV.UK

This guide sets out necessary info for British people relocating to or residing in Azerbaijan. Read about how our UK Embassy in Baku can help.

This info is offered as a guide just. You need to get conclusive info from the Azerbaijani authorities. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) is not accountable for any mistakes in this info.

Support for British nationals abroad assistance sets out how British nationals can remain safe abroad and how the FCDO can help if you do enter into trouble.

Read basic assistance on moving or retiring abroad.

To keep up to date: follow the British Embassy Baku:

Before you go

See our travel suggestions for Azerbaijan for current info on entry requirements, regional laws and customizeds, safety and emergency situations.

See likewise our Overseas Business Risk guide for Azerbaijan for info on security and political threats, which UK businesses might deal with in Azerbaijan.

Follow the suggestions of the Azerbaijani federal government and your regional authority. You need to likewise check out the Azerbaijan travel suggestions.

Check the latest info on threat from COVID-19 for Azerbaijan on the TravelHealthPro website.

Visas and residency

Check the entry requirements for Azerbaijan in our travel suggestions.

British nationals taking a trip to Azerbaijan need a visa beforehand. This likewise uses if you are taking a trip to reside in Azerbaijan.

You can learn more about how to get a visa, and what to do if you overstay, on the Azerbaijan travel suggestions.

If you are remaining in Azerbaijan for longer than 15 days you should register with the State Migration Service within 15 days of arrival, face to face or online. Hotels might supply this service for their visitors, however if you are remaining in an apartment or condo or personal residence you will need to register yourself. You are accountable for making sure that the registration has actually been finished.

Applying for short-term and long-term residence

If you prepare to live briefly in Azerbaijan, you should get a license with the State Migration Service of Azerbaijan.

Foreigners and stateless individuals briefly living for a minimum of 2 years without disturbance in the area of the Republic of Azerbaijan on the basis of a pertinent license can send an application to obtain a license for long-term residence in the area of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Two constant years suggests that you have actually not left for more than 90 days within 180 days. This does not use if you were  approved a short-lived residence allow as a member of the family of a UK nationwide with a short-lived residence license.

You should get an irreversible residence allow a minimum of 3 months prior to the expiration date of your short-term residence license. A long-term residence license is released for 5 years. You can extend this for another 5 years a minimum of 3 months prior to the expiration date of your existing license. There is no limitation to the variety of extensions you can make.

For more info email the State Migration Service [email protected] or check out the State Migration Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan website.

UK Emergency Travel Documents

UK Emergency Travel Documents (ETDs) are accepted for entry, airside transit and exit from Azerbaijan.

Passports and travel

You can get or renew your British passport from Azerbaijan.

Check the Azerbaijan travel suggestions for passport credibility requirements.

If you are a local in Azerbaijan, your passport needs to stand for a minimum of 3 months from the expiration date of your short-term or long-term residence license.

Healthcare in Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan and the UK do not have mutual health care contracts. Azerbaijan has both state and personal health care centers.

You should guarantee that you have health cover for Azerbaijan. You can discover a list of medical centers in Azerbaijan.

If you are used in Azerbaijan, consult your company if you are covered by state or personal health cover.

If you are not used, we advise you to purchase personal medical insurance in Azerbaijan.

UK travel insurance coverage service providers will not usually cover your health care expenses if you live overseas.

Medical centers outside Baku are restricted. You need to bring a detailed first-aid set for any journeys out of Baku. If you are seriously ill or hurt, you might require evacuation to Turkey or Western Europe. Make sure your personal medical insurance covers this.

If you require emergency situation medical support in Azerbaijan, dial 103 and request an ambulance. You need to call your medical insurance business immediately if you are described a medical center for treatment.

Medicine

If you are on a prescription for any medication you need to guarantee you have a supply of it, or have the ability to obtain it when in Azerbaijan. Certain medications might not be available in Azerbaijan (consisting of significant brand names easily available in the UK), and you might be restricted from taking them into the nation. You need to consult your GP prior to taking a trip to Azerbaijan to learn about any alternative medication.

Read the guidance if you need to travel with medicines.

Working in Azerbaijan

All immigrants working and residing in Azerbaijan are needed to have both a legitimate work license and short-term residence license, which are generally organized through a company. People operating in the nation without a license, after one has actually ended, or who have actually breached the regards to their employment agreement are thought about to be prohibited migrants.

Work authorizations are released by the nation’s State Migration Service and an application is usually made through a company. For additional info, see the State Migration Service website.

In Azerbaijan, work authorizations are released for a preliminary duration of 1 year.  Permits can be renewed in 1-year increments. To extend your work license, your company must send an application to the State Migration Service a minimum of one month prior to it ends.

Your company can get an irreversible residence license for you after 2 years on a short-lived license.

Immigration

Offices for Medical Certificates

Studying in Azerbaijan

If you prepare to study in Azerbaijan, you should satisfy all visa requirements prior to you take a trip. Read the official guidance for students wishing to study in Azerbaijan to learn more on visas.

Contact the appropriate college company in Azerbaijan to inspect what costs you are needed to pay.

Tax

The UK has a double tax contract with Azerbaijan so that you do not pay tax on the very same earnings in both nations. Ask the appropriate tax authority your concerns about double tax relief.

You need to get expert suggestions on paying tax in Azerbaijan. Find an English-speaking lawyer in Azerbaijan.

Read assistance on:

Benefits

Read assistance on privilege to UK advantages and pensions while you are residing in Azerbaijan.

Check which UK advantages you can declare while abroad and how to declare them.

Many income-related advantages such as Pension Credit and Housing Benefit cannot be paid if you are abroad for more than 4 weeks.

The UK has no social security contracts with Azerbaijan.

Pensions

Read State Pension assistance if you have actually resided in Australia, Canada or New Zealand and you are declaring or waiting to declare your UK State Pension.

If you retire in Azerbaijan, you can declare your UK State Pension or brand-new UK State Pension. Contact the International Pension Centre for additional info.

Read the Money and Pension Service’s Money Helper guidance on pension and retirement to learn more on cross-border pensions.

Life certificates for UK State Pensions

If you get a ‘life certificate’ from the UK Pension Service, you should react as quickly as possible. Your payments might be suspended if you do not.

Money and banking

The currency of Azerbaijan is the manat (AZN). All items and services are paid in regional currency. Pounds sterling, United States dollars and euros are quickly exchanged. Major hotels, grocery stores and dining establishments in Baku generally accept charge card. There are ATMs in a lot of significant towns and cities.

Take additional care when paying with charge card or withdrawing money from ATMs and let your credit/debit card company understand where you’re living beside prevent your card being obstructed for anti-fraud factors. Report anything suspicious to your credit/debit card company as early as possible. If you presume you have actually been a victim of charge card scams you can discover assistance from the UK Card Association.

Accommodation and purchasing property

Foreign nationals can purchase property in Azerbaijan, however not land. You need to look for expert suggestions from a certified English-speaking lawyer in Azerbaijan prior to purchasing a property in Azerbaijan.

Driving in Azerbaijan

Read basic assistance on driving abroad. Read our travel suggestions for Azerbaijan for assistance on what actions you should require to drive lawfully in Azerbaijan.

If you are briefly or completely resident in Azerbaijan, after 1 month of your residence allow being released you will just have the ability to drive with an Azerbaijan-released driving licence. Driving licences are released through ASAN Service Offices.

There are a range of taxi alternatives available in Baku consisting of personal hire, app-based, and metered taxis. Some homeowners have actually reported being over-charged by regional taxis. When utilizing taxis you need to concur a fare in advance, or ensure the taxi meter is turned on. You need to likewise inspect that the taxi has working seat belts.

Drink driving laws are stringent and there is a no limitation on drinking alcohol and driving. Observe the speed limitation and ensure you have appropriate insurance coverage.

See the RAC guide on driving in Azerbaijan.

If you are requested a letter confirming, licensing or verifying your UK driver’s licence, you need to call your UK releasing workplace (eg the DVLA)

For assistance for taking a trip by roadway in Azerbaijan read our travel suggestions and Taking a vehicle out of the UK.

Disabled drivers

If you hold a UK Blue Badge and reside in Azerbaijan, you should return it to the initial UK releasing authority.

Read assistance: Disabled motoring.

Voting

You cannot enact Azerbaijani elections. You might have the ability to enact some UK elections. You can:

Births, deaths, marital relationship and civil collaboration

Births

If your kid is born in Azerbaijan you need to sign up the birth with the regional authorities. You can then sign up with the UK authorities and get a UK birth certificate.

If your kid has British citizenship, you do not require to sign up the birth with the UK authorities to get a British passport.

If you require to get your kid’s very first British passport from Azerbaijan, check out assistance on abroad passports.

Deaths

If a UK nationwide passes away in Azerbaijan, read our assistance on:

Marriage and civil collaboration

Find out how you can get wed or get a civil collaboration abroad.

Birth, death and marital relationship certificates are released in Azerbaijan in the Azerbaijan language. You might likewise require services of:

Pets

If you’re relocating to Azerbaijan and strategy to bring your animal, you should check out the assistance and guarantee you adhere to the guidelines: Taking your animal abroad.

You need to consult your airline company regarding the requirements for transferring family pets to Azerbaijan. It is most likely they will require to have a vet health certificate to get in the nation. Some information regarding constraints on size and weight of family pets being given Azerbaijan is on the Azerbaijan government webiste.

Emergencies (contact number)

• Fire 101
• Police 102
• Ambulance 103
• Gas 104
• Electricity 199
• State Migration Service 919
• Child Helpline (012) 480 22 80(050) 680 22 80

The Ministry of Emergency Situations is accountable for specific emergency situation circumstances, consisting of natural and manufactured catastrophes.

Ministry of Emergency Situations

Email: [email protected]

If you have actually been raped or sexual attacked in Azerbaijan, check out the Azerbaijan: info for victims of rape and sexual attack. See likewise the assistance on victim of rape and sexual attack abroad.

If you’re the victim of a criminal activity, have actually been jailed, or are impacted by a crisis, get in touch with the British Embassy Baku.

Read the assistance on global adult kid kidnapping if your kid might be at threat of this.

Returning to the UK

Read the assistance on going back to the UK completely that includes info on moving member of the family, tax and access to services.