Residence Permits
Foreigners and stateless persons intending to reside temporarily on the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan should get a relevant permit for it and a permission card for temporary residence by the relevant executive authority. Permission card for temporary residence in the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan is a document authorizing foreigners and stateless persons to reside in the Republic of Azerbaijan temporarily and exit from the Republic of Azerbaijan and return back to the Republic of Azerbaijan under visa-free regime during its validity period, and certifying the identities and registration of those persons upon the place of residence.
Foreigners and stateless persons are issued permit for temporary residence in the Republic of Azerbaijan in the following cases:
- In case they are in close relationship with a citizen of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Parents and children, grandparents and grandchildren, sister and brothers having common parents are considered to be close relatives by law.
- In case they invest at least 500 000 manats (AZN) in the economy of the country;
- In case they possess real estate which is worth at least 100 000 manats (AZN) on the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan or funds in the same amount in the banks of the Republic of Azerbaijan; In such cases the price of the real estate in Azerbaijan is assessed by independent assessment agencies and the real contract price of the real estate does not taken into consideration by authorities.
- In case they are highly qualified specialists in the spheres of economy, industry, defence, science, culture, sports, etc;
- Special category of professionals invited by inividuals and legal entities for the purposes of specified by the executive body
- In case they are family members of foreigners and stateless persons temporarily or permanently residing on the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan;
- In case they hold positions of head or deputy head in the branch or representation of a foreign legal entity in the Republic of Azerbaijan;
- In case they hold positions of head or deputy head in thelegal entiry established in the Republic of Azerbaijan with at least one shareholder is a foreign individual or foreign legal entiry
- In case they engage in entrepreneurship activity in the Republic of Azerbaijan; This is only considered as a ground for issuance of a permit for temporary residence in the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan, when those persons work actually by concluding labour contract with at least 5 persons on full time employment or 10 persons on part-time employment. In this case, at least 80 percent of the workers are required to be the citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
- In case they obtain work permit in a way envisaged by this Code to carry out paid labour activity on the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan;
- In case they get full-time education at institutions of higher education and technical schools and in case they get education at secondary schools in the Republic of Azerbaijan;
- In case they are engaged in professional religious activity at officially registered religious institutions;
- In case there are grounds envisaged by the international agreements of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
Foreigners applying for the residency in Azerbaijan are asked to submit all documents necessary proving their identification and legal grounds for stay in Azerbaijan. Besides these documents foreigner should provide reference certifying that the person is not carrier of a virus of any disease included in the list of dangerous infectious diseases approved by the relevant executive authority.
The period of temporary residence permits varies depending on the grounds on which they are issued. For example, foreigners investing at least 500 000 manats in the economy of the country can get temporary residence permits for the period defined by the application but no more that 3 years and such permits can be extended each time up to 3 years. However, on other grounds of residency permits are granted for the first time up to 1 year and could be extended up to 2 years each time. State fees for issuance residency permit is calculated on 10 manats (AZN)per month bases, for example 120 manats (AZN) for 1 year residency.
Moreover, applicants should be informed that there are different grounds for rejection of granting residency permit or extension of period of residency permit. In these regards, foreigners who granted with residency permit should stay in Azerbaijan territory at least to 90 days within 180 days in Azerbaijan for extension of residency permit.
Additionally, foreigners and stateless persons intending to reside temporarily and engage in paid labour activity on the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan should obtain a work permit in addition to the temporary residence permit.
Foreigners and stateless persons temporarily residing at least 2 years on the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan on the basis of a relevant permit can submit application to obtain permit for permanent residence on the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan. A permanent residence permit in the Republic of Azerbaijan is entitled for the period of 5 years. At least 3 months before the expiry date of this permit, on the basis of an application of a foreigner or stateless person the permanent residence permit may be re-prolonged for 5 years. The number of prolongations shall not be limited and the state fee for issuance permanent residency card is 300 manats (AZN).
Work permit
Every able-bodied and over 18 years old foreigner or stateless person is entitled to perform labour activities within the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan after getting working permit through legal entities, individuals dealing with entrepreneurship activity not establishing legal entity and branch offices and representations of foreign legal entities that employed him in a way and at terms stipulated in this Code. Legal entities, physical persons engaging in entrepreneurship not establishing a legal entity and branch offices and representations of foreign legal entity shall get a working permit for every foreigner or stateless person they want to employ.
However below some of the categories of employees that are exempt from obtaining work permit:
- those who possess permanent residence permit in the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan;
- those engaged in entrepreneurship activity in the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan;
-employees of international organizations;
-managers of the organizations established under international agreements and their deputies;
-professors and tutors invited to universities (higher educational institutions) for delivering lectures and
lecturers;
-art workers, coaches and athletes invited to work in sport clubs and registered at relevant executive
authority;
- those who perform professional religious activities in the officially registered religious institutions;
-heads of branch offices and representations of foreign legal entities in the Republic of Azerbaijan and their deputies;
- Heads of legal entities and their deputies, established in the Republic of Azerbaijan and having at least one founder or one of the founders of a foreign legal entity or foreigner.
- those married with the citizen of the Republic of Azerbaijan, subject to registration of that citizen in the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan at the place of residence;
- those, who applied for IDP status, received IDP status or was granted a political asylum;
-those who patronize citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan under 18 years old or I group disabled
individuals.
Applications for a working permit should be reviewed within 20 days.A working permit is issued for 1 year or for a lesser period if the employment contract is signed for the period under 1 year. The duration of the working permit can be extended each time for maximum of 1 year. Official state fee of work permits are up to 3 month is 350 manats (AZN), up to 6 month is 600 manats (AZN) and up to 1 year is 1000 manats (AZN).