Entrepreneurs, professionals and families are choosing to move to Azerbaijan: entry rules are clear, there are several legal routes to residency, and Baku makes a convenient base for work and business. Relocating goes much more smoothly when you know the order of steps in advance.

Short answer: Moving to Azerbaijan follows this order: enter on an ASAN Visa e-visa or visa-free, register at your place of stay if staying over 15 days, choose a residence permit ground — employment, business, family, property, deposit or investment — and apply to the State Migration Service. The permit runs up to 1 year with extensions; permanent residence follows after 2+ years.

Step 1. How do you enter Azerbaijan?

Citizens of the countries on the ASAN Visa list apply for an e-visa at evisa.gov.az: it is single-entry, valid for 90 days and allows a stay of up to 30 days. Citizens of countries with a visa-free regime can stay in Azerbaijan for up to 90 days, unless an international agreement provides otherwise. The e-visa gives no right to paid work, and taking a job in Azerbaijan requires a work permit in any case, unless you’re exempt. Your first trip is a good time to look around — but your residence permit ground is best worked out before you travel.

Step 2. What should you do in your first weeks after arrival?

If you stay in the country for more than 15 days, you need registration at your place of stay. Within 15 days of arrival, the hotel management or the property owner registers you through the State Migration Service. If you move to another address, the registration must be renewed within 5 working days of arriving there. Keep an eye on your permitted stay as well: if it hasn’t been extended and no residence permit application has been filed, you must leave the country.

Step 3. Which residence permit ground should you choose?

Immigration to Azerbaijan for the long term runs through a temporary residence permit, issued on a specific ground. The main options:

As a general rule, a temporary residence permit is issued for up to 1 year and each extension can be for up to 2 years. The application must be filed at least 30 days before your permitted stay ends, and processing takes 15 or 20 working days, depending on the state fee paid. The State Migration Service makes the decision.

Step 4. How do you sort out housing, banking, work and business?

• Housing. Renting is an easy start: the owner registers you at your place of stay, and documents on your place of residence are part of the residence permit package. Buying property worth at least 100,000 manats can become a ground to apply for a residence permit.
• Banking. Each bank sets its own list of documents for foreign clients — check it in advance.
• Work. Employment requires a work permit: the employer applies, and it is issued for 1 year or for the term of the employment contract if that is shorter. Exempt categories include, among others, permanent residence holders and spouses of Azerbaijani citizens registered at their place of residence in the country.
• Business. Business activity is a residence permit ground in its own right. How to set up a company is covered in our guide to company registration in Azerbaijan.

Step 5. How do you bring your family, and what comes next?

Family members of a foreigner with temporary or permanent residence can obtain a temporary residence permit as family members. This covers a spouse, children under 18 and, under certain conditions, adult children and parents who are dependants. Marriage and birth certificates issued abroad are submitted with a translation and notarised copies; for documents from CIS countries and Türkiye, treaties provide simplifications.

The long-term goal is permanent residence: it becomes available after at least 2 years of temporary residence and is issued for 5 years. Permanent residence requires knowledge of the Azerbaijani language and the basics of the country’s legislation, with certain exemptions.

— SME: A mistake that’s easy to avoid is starting a move by buying an apartment or opening a company before you’ve thought through your residence permit ground. Decide first on what basis you’ll live in Azerbaijan — then plan your housing, business and timeline around it.

Frequently asked questions

Can I move to Azerbaijan by buying property?
Property worth at least 100,000 manats is a ground to apply for a residence permit, but not an automatic right of residence. The State Migration Service decides.

How long can I stay in Azerbaijan without a residence permit?
Up to 30 days on an ASAN Visa e-visa. Under a visa-free regime, up to 90 days, unless an international agreement provides otherwise.

Can I bring my family?
Yes. A spouse, minor children and, under certain conditions, other family members of a foreigner with temporary or permanent residence can obtain a residence permit as family members.

When can I get permanent residence in Azerbaijan?
After at least 2 years of temporary residence. Permanent residence is issued for 5 years and requires knowledge of the Azerbaijani language and the basics of the legislation, with certain exemptions.

This article is for general information and does not replace individual advice. Migration rules can change — check current conditions on the official portals or talk to SME.

Planning your move to Azerbaijan? Build your residence permit ground, documents and timeline with SME.

Full overview: How to Get a Residence Permit in Azerbaijan (2026)

Sources

ASAN Visa portal, evisa.gov.az — e-visa conditions. State Migration Service, migration.gov.az — rules of stay and registration for foreigners, “Duration of stay” page (updated 20.01.2023), “Temporary and permanent residence”, “Temporary residence” and “Work permit” pages (updated 06.11.2025), FAQ section. Migration Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Articles 21 and 49 — e-qanun.az.
Last reviewed: October 2026.