Urgent e-visa service offers 3-hour processing

IMPACT – MEDIUM

What is the change? Azerbaijan has launched an urgent e-visa service that allows eligible travelers to obtain a visa within three hours.

What does the change mean? Effective immediately, nationals of countries that are eligible for Azerbaijani e-visas may use the urgent e-visa service for a visa fee of $20 plus a $30 service fee. The new service is available on holidays and weekends, though applicants should anticipate that the service operates on local Azerbaijani time. Applicants should leave at least one business day whenever possible.

• Implementation time frame: Immediate and ongoing. The service was added Aug. 30.
• Who is affected: Nationals of designated countries in urgent need of a visitor visa.
• Impact on processing times: The three-hour processing offers a significantly faster turnaround than the standard three-day processing time.
• Next steps: Additional details are available on the government’s E-visa website.

Background: Azerbaijan launched its E-visa program in January and recently announced that the visa validity period would be extended from 30 to 90 days. E-visas are valid only for a single entry and the permitted length of stay in Azerbaijan is 30 days.

BAL Analysis: The new service provides a welcome option for those with urgent travel needs to Azerbaijan. Whether using the standard or urgent e-visa service, travelers are reminded that productive work activities are not permitted and require a work permit.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group. For additional information, please contact your BAL attorney.

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