Going to the country of Icheri Sheher, which is also the old city where the “Diamond Hand” was filmed, it is important to understand whether a passport, a visa are necessary in Baku and what conditions must be met in order to freely and quickly enter the country.
Visa-free regime between Azerbaijan and Russia
Before finding out whether a passport is needed in Baku, you should find out whether it is mandatory to apply for a visa.
Since 2005, a visa-free regime has been operating between Azerbaijan and Russia, thanks to which citizens of both countries can visit each other without previously issued permits and stay here for up to 90 days.
Do I need a passport to Azerbaijan? Yes, in order to take advantage of visa-free entry into the country, you must present a valid passport when passing through customs control.
After 90 days, the Russian must apply for a permit or extend his visa-free stay in the country. To do this, you need to contact the Migration Service of Baku, presenting a number of necessary papers.
Documents for entry
The first and most important document for visiting Azerbaijan is a passport. Therefore, if you doubt whether a passport is needed in Baku, do not hesitate, they won’t be allowed to enter the country without it.
Instead of a passport, you can present a certificate of a sailor or crew member, a diplomatic passport or an official passport. These documents, like the passport, prove the identity of the citizen and allow him to visit foreign countries. Traditionally, they are available to people who travel for business purposes.
Passport at the entrance to the country must be valid. There are no specific requirements for the validity period of the document after entry. However, it is recommended to take care of this moment yourself and not to enter the country with documents that are about to cease to operate. The citizen’s plans may change, perhaps he will want to stay here longer. With an invalid passport, you won’t be able to return to your homeland without additional papers. You will have to contact the consulate or embassy, take a certificate of return to Russia, which, most likely, will cost money. It is also not possible to apply for a visa or extend your stay with such a document.
At the entrance to Azerbaijan, a customs checkpoint officer puts a stamp on the foreigner’s passport with the date of entry. The stamp serves as a reference point for the term during which the Russian stays in the country.
In addition to the current passport, no more documents are required for a trip to Baku.
Is a passport to Azerbaijan necessary for stateless persons? No, since they cannot have a passport, they must have with them and present at the customs checkpoint any document that could identify their identity.
Conditions of entry into the country with minors
Despite the small list of documents required to enter Azerbaijan, special requirements are put forward for traveling with children.
Does Baku need a passport for children? Yes, minors must also have a valid passport to travel to Azerbaijan.
Documents that should be with the child or him:
- passport (it can be obtained at any age);
- birth certificate;
- data of the child in the parent's passport and his photo, if the age of the minor has reached 6 years;
- a notarized power of attorney for the removal of the child with one of the parents or with any other person, while the document must contain the passport details of the authorized person and the duration of the trip.
If these documents are available, children can freely visit the country with other relatives or, for example, with teachers as part of a tour from Moscow to Azerbaijan.
Documents for entering the country by car
Do I need a passport to travel to Baku by car? Yes. Why can I say so? All citizens traveling by plane or as part of a tour from Moscow to Azerbaijan must have a passport with them valid for at least until the end of the trip.
In addition to the passport, the driver must present the following documents:
- driver's license;
- registration certificate for the car;
- general power of attorney, if the car does not belong to the driver;
- international insurance.
When traveling by car, it is recommended that you adhere to the general rules for entering and leaving Azerbaijan, in particular, do not transport more allowed foods and drinks, since you will not be allowed to go with them and you will have to leave them at customs.
Conditions for visiting Azerbaijan
Traditionally, the rules of transportation of permitted items are violated precisely by car drivers. It seems that having all the necessary documents for entry, customs officers will turn a blind eye to non-compliance with the general rules and will let the cunning traveler pass. However, it is not. In order not to make a mistake, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with the list of conditions that must be observed when entering and leaving Azerbaijan.
What should I refuse when visiting the country:
- from tobacco products (no more than 10 packs are allowed to be imported);
- from alcoholic beverages (however, 1 liter of strong alcohol and 2 liters of wine are allowed);
- from products with a total value of more than $ 10 thousand;
- from objects that could constitute a threat to someone's life;
- from fresh fruits and vegetables;
- from drugs;
- from media materials that are contrary to the mentality of the country's population;
- from handicraft products without authorization papers.
Who may be denied entry
Even with all the necessary documents, a trip to Baku may not take place in the following cases:
- If a Russian visited Armenia or Nagorno-Karabakh. In connection with the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the latter reserves the right not to admit to its territory persons who could cause a threat to the country, since they visited these places, and therefore their travel goals are dubious.
- Persons who have allowed themselves unflattering reviews of Azerbaijan or a discussion of the political situation in this country.
- The person’s international passport has expired or is expiring soon.
- At the entrance from Armenia to Azerbaijan.
- If the Russian by ethnicity is Armenian or was born in Armenia (there is no official ban on entry for such persons, but in practice, customs officers can afford this liberty).
Permitted tenure and conditions of stay in Azerbaijan
Without a visa, a Russian can stay in the country for up to 90 days. If the trip takes more than 10 days, you need to make a temporary registration in the department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs before the end of this period. Registration is made by the receiving party, it can be the hotel where the tourist stayed.
If a Russian plans to stay here longer than 90 days, before the end of this period you need to contact the Migration Service and apply for a permit, or apply for an extension of a visa-free stay.
Total
If you doubt whether a passport from Russia to Baku is needed, be sure: despite the duration of your stay in Azerbaijan, a passport is needed.