Living in Azerbaijan as a French National: Visa, Residence Permit, Baku, Daily Life and Official Advice

Azerbaijan is a South Caucasus country opening onto the Caspian Sea, whose capital, Baku, brings together most of the services, international companies and care establishments used by foreigners. France Diplomatie describes ordinary crime as low and Baku as a safe city, especially in the city centre, which is patrolled by the police. The advantages of settling lie in an urban setting in full transformation, a French presence organised around the embassy, the Institut français and UFAZ, and migration procedures largely accessible online.

The points of attention should be read before departure. France Diplomatie has advised against travel except for compelling reasons, mentioning a risk of arrest and detention that may affect tourists and business travellers alike, including dual nationals. Land borders are closed to all travellers: entry is by air. No social security agreement links France and Azerbaijan (CLEISS, the French centre for European and international social security liaison), which puts the choice of health cover at the centre of preparation; the guide healthcare system in Azerbaijan and the page healthcare reimbursement detail the options.

A visa valid for the whole length of the stay is obtained before departure, from an Azerbaijani embassy or online. The ASAN Viza e-visa has been available since 10 January 2017 to nationals of 81 countries, including France: online form and scan of the passport identity page, which must remain valid at least three months after the planned stay. It is limited to 30 days for a single entry. The fees are USD 20 for the visa and USD 5 service fee for standard processing (three working days), or USD 60 in total for urgent processing (three hours); service fees are not refunded in case of refusal. The e-visa is personal, is printed on A4 paper and is used with the passport entered in the application. Visas of more than 30 days are issued by Azerbaijani diplomatic and consular missions.

A foreigner staying more than 15 days registers with the State Migration Service within 15 days of arrival. The hotel, agency or owner generally takes care of it; failing that, the traveller does it themselves. Late registration results in a fine payable at the Baku airport office, and France Diplomatie recalls that non-payment may lead to an entry ban of one to five years. For a stay of more than 90 days, the Azerbaijani embassy in France is the contact indicated. In case of overstaying the authorised period, a fine is paid before a 48-hour exit permit, issued by the State Migration Service, is delivered. The service also specifies that an extension of stay of up to 60 days can be requested at least three working days before expiry, for reasons such as urgent medical care or the serious illness of a relative.

The temporary residence permit is issued by the State Migration Service for one year at most initially, then renewed; the renewal application is filed at least 30 days before expiry. The grounds listed by the service include in particular:

• carrying out employment, with a work permit;
• family ties with an Azerbaijani citizen or with a resident foreigner;
• full-time studies in a higher, technical or secondary establishment;
• entrepreneurship, management of a branch or a local company;
• an investment of at least AZN 500,000, real estate, a term deposit or government securities.

For real estate, the term deposit and government securities, the service displays a threshold of AZN 100,000 (about €52,650 at the Central Bank rate), but a note on the same page mentions AZN 200,000: the exact threshold should be confirmed with the service before any purchase. The file includes the form, the copy of the passport valid for more than three months beyond the new permit, notarised proof of the ground, a medical certificate, two photos, proof of housing (property register extract, accommodation certificate or lease) and the receipt for State fees.

After at least two years of temporary residence on certain grounds, a permanent residence permit can be requested: it is valid five years and renewable without limit, on proof of sufficient resources and after a test on the laws and the official language (people aged 65 and over are exempt). Residence remains continuous as long as the person has not been absent more than 90 days in 180. For employment, see the page working in Azerbaijan.

Baku is the city where most French residents settle: the French embassy, the consulate, the Institut français d’Azerbaïdjan and Campus France are established there, and the medical centres listed by the embassy are concentrated there. Outside the capital, France Diplomatie cites the mountain resorts of Shahdag and Tufandag, judged safe with the usual mountain vigilance; the rest of the territory is visited in compliance with the vigilance zones published by the ministry.

The State Statistics Committee publishes the average nominal monthly wage and the change in consumer prices. Rents and prices by district do not appear in the official sources consulted: a candidate for settling compares several listings and arranges a written lease, as proof of housing is required for the residence permit. To compare this budget with that of other countries, the “Economic indicators” block above updates the indicators continuously.

Baku does not appear among the cities on the map of establishments of the AEFE (Agency for French Education Abroad) network. Families who wish to follow a French curriculum contact the embassy (“Family” section) and the AEFE to learn about distance schooling or international school solutions; the choice is prepared before the posting, taking into account the children’s ages and the length of stay.

In higher education, the French-Azerbaijani University (UFAZ) was launched in 2014 on the initiative of the presidents of the two countries. Administered with the University of Strasbourg and the Azerbaijan State Oil and Industry University, it has several hundred students (bachelor’s, master’s, doctorate) and awards a double degree. The Institut français d’Azerbaïdjan and the Campus France area complete the cultural and guidance offering. Families settling with children will find details of cover in expat family insurance.

The France Diplomatie Safety sheet distinguishes several levels. The border areas with Armenia, including in Nakhchivan, and the former Nagorno-Karabakh with a large part of the former neighbouring districts are formally advised against, notably because of the presence of mines; a person who enters without authorisation is considered to be in an irregular stay. Most of the territory is classed orange (advised against except for compelling reasons), as are the borders with Dagestan and Iran. An alert formally advises against any travel to the border area with Iran.

Day to day, the ministry recommends keeping copies of identity papers and visas, avoiding certain poorly lit outlying districts at night in Baku and not driving at night outside the capital. Roads are judged generally satisfactory in Baku and its suburbs, but not in the rest of the country. The territory lies in a seismic activity zone. Photographing sensitive sites (military installations, police stations, ministries, embassies, airports, power plants) is prohibited, and the use of drones or satellite phones requires prior authorisation. Residents register on the register of French nationals established outside France, and visiting travellers on Ariane.

The climate is Mediterranean-type along the Caspian shore, humid and windy, especially in Baku: winters are relatively mild, with winds that can reach 130 km/h, and summers are hot, up to 40 °C between June and August. In the mountains, the seasons are more marked and winters harsher (France Diplomatie). A medical appointment is advisable before departure for people sensitive to heat.

Some practical formalities deserve to be anticipated. A phone bought abroad and fitted with a local SIM card is registered with Azercell, Bakcell or Nar within 30 days, failing which it is blocked; it is unblocked within three days after the formality. The French driving licence is accepted for a 30-day stay; beyond that, an international licence, requested from the ANTS (the French national agency for secure documents) before departure, is necessary. In Baku, France Diplomatie recommends official taxis fitted with a meter. Currency is declared on entry on a form to be kept until departure. The currency is the manat (AZN). For health cover for the whole family, the page expat health insurance presents comparison benchmarks.