AZERBAIJAN GOVERNMENT REVIEWS ITS MIGRATION LAWS

The Azerbaijan immigration laws are undergoing a major review recently and come 1^st July, a new set of laws would be put in place for all persons coming into Azerbaijan for different purposes.

Monitoring the UK website Azerbaijan, migrants will observe that UK citizens will now require obtaining VISA from the Azerbaijan embassy in London before they are granted entrance into the country. This has not been the case before, as VISA can previously be granted from the point of entry.

The same new measures also apply to the US citizens and the EU citizens. Irrespective of purpose of entry to Azerbaijan, all migrants are expected to be dully granted entrance permission from respective country embassies. Additionally, the VISA durations is fixed for no more than 30 days, and can only be extended upon prove that persons need to stay beyond the 30 days.

Other nations, such that has not fallen into EU, UK or US, who had not in the past enjoyed the privilege of obtaining VISA at point of entry, the situation remains unchanged as they will still be required to obtain VISA from the nearest Azerbaijan Embassy to their country of origin or resident.

It should be noted that over time, the Azerbaijan government continues to review its general laws. The reason is because at the commencement of its democracy in 1992 so many loopholes were created due to the haste at which the government of that time seeks to stabilize the nation. The war with Armenia over the Azerbaijan occupied territory was also a big diversion.

There are various other measures to be implemented with the new migration law. Areas such: as work permit, number of extension of VISA, total years permitted to reside in the country, mode of VISA renewal, etc.

However, not all foreigners presently residing view the law as very favorably. There is a school of thought among expert workers that the laws are means to discourage more migrants into the nation. Whatever is the case, the issue is that the new migrations laws would be a more stringent process than the previously existing laws.

Azerbaijan located in the Caspian shores is a striving nation due to the large revenue derived from the sales of its large deposit of Oil and Gas. The total population of the nation is estimated at approximately 8 million persons.