Why does Azerbaijan require visas from Turkish citizens?

According to the current rules, Turkish citizens can now travel to Azerbaijan for up to ninety days without a visa. Turkish citizens do not need a visa to spend up to 90 days in Azerbaijan over a 180-day period for tourism and business purposes. Sometimes, people are confused about visa rules because old knowledge is clouding the issue.

Historical context

Before, Turkish citizens were required to have a visa to enter Azerbaijan, though the visa was easy to apply for either online or when arriving at the airport. Such a requirement was set due to regular visa procedures, not political issues; in fact, these countries have a close political, cultural, and economic relationship usually called “one nation, two states".

Visa-free travel agreement

Last year, Azerbaijan and Turkey made an agreement that allows citizens of both countries to visit one another without a visa. Following the changes, people with a Turkish passport in any of these categories don’t need a visa to go to Azerbaijan.

It mirrors the strong regional and strategic partnership existing between Azerbaijan and Turkey, especially after both countries stood together in the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh crisis.

Entry requirements for Turkish citizens

While no visa is required, Turkish citizens must still:

Ensure that your passport is up-to-date and is valid for at least 6 months after you enter the country.
Travelers staying more than 15 days must register their place of residence with the State Migration Service or via their hotel — this is not a visa but a residency registration requirement.
Follow all customs and health rules, paying special attention to COVID-19 regulations, if they are in place during your trip.

Common misunderstanding

Some travelers might believe that a visa is still required due to:

Old online sources that have not been changed or updated since they were made.
Third-party visa agencies that are still showing Turkish people how to get Azerbaijani visas, but you have to pay for this service.
Confusion of visa rules when going through Azerbaijan to get to another country.

HOW CAN WE HELP?

All information entered on this form will be kept strictly confidential and subject to our privacy policy once received by us. Your transaction will be secured using SSL/TLS encryption.