Registration Azerbaijan

[steven]

Read and post updates on registering your stay in Azerbaijan below.

We summarize all info on the Registration in Azerbaijan page.

[tom]

Many people travelling the silk road will pass through Azerbaijan, and I want to pass on details of the registration requirements. I knew them, tried hard to adhere to them, but thanks to a hotel's poor work I fell foul of them and was charged 300 Manat (280 Euros) to leave.

The rules:
http://www.migration.gov.az/index.php?s ... ageid=4315

In summary:
> You need to register by the end of the 3rd working day that you are in the Do not ignore the need to register, or underestimate the system that is tracking you. The computers are efficient. I have no idea how people slip through the net. I entered Azerbaijan via a land border, and the problem was found at both the rail shipping port, and the main airport. If you are registered properly you will be given a small slip of paper with a stamp on it.
> Do not take your hotel's word that you are registered. Since failing to register me, the Old City Inn have changed their story about the circumstances of my registration many times. Once there is a problem, expect everyone (hotel, police, border guards) to devote maximum energy to avoiding it being their issue. The facts of my situation are that the Old City Inn failed to register me, and I paid a 300 manat fine for their mistake/incompetence/lack of adherance to the rules. To avoid putting yourself in the same situation I suggest you find a different hotel for your visit to Baku.
> It is possible to register at the right-hand-most desk at the post office in Baku (and maybe other post offices). This is where the people carrying stamped slips of paper have got them from. I can't give you any more details because I didn't do this process.
> Avoid planning to leave the country at the weekend unless from the airport. If you have a problem you will have to visit the State Migration Service office in Baku, which is open on weekdays only. There is a payment kiosk at the airport, which is how I got out without overstaying my visa.

It turns out that the road sign in Georgia wishing you "Good Luck" just before you cross the border to Azerbaijan is appropriate, after all!

[tom]

Thinking about it, it could have been because I was on an e-visa. There was bar-code scanning going on, so perhaps the new e-visa system is better integrated with the immigration system.

There were 4 of us trying to board the boat who had not registered (I include myself in that number even though had the hotel done their work I *should* have been registered). I was the only one turned back and fined, but I was also the only one with an e-visa. The others had got standard passport-page visas in Tbilisi.

If this is the case I would steer clear of the e-visa next time. Not only did it take a long time to be granted, but it also meant I had no control of the time I was granted in the country (I was led to believe I would get 21 days, but was given just 15).

[Mikael]

It seems you have to register within 3 days at the hotel or po etc. or risk being fined 300 manats upon leaving the country. At least thats what the hostel owner and other guests told me. In Baku.

Bit of a pain as I guess it been 4 days for me.

[steven]

Hi Mikael,

did you have an e-visa? Did you get a fine?

[Mikael]

20 day evisa. Havent left the country yet so dunno about the fine. I shall try my very best dumb/indignant tourist act if I get problems.

[steven]

Am interested to see what will happen in your case. Have my fingers crossed.

[noflytripping]

My advice would be to try register at thw post office before you go even if it is over 3days since you arrived. A fellow traveller was prevented from bording the ferry because if a registration issue and told to register. This was obviously long after 3 days had past but the advice was still to go and register. Unfortunately his Visa ran out the next day (Sunday) so he was unable to and was charged the 300 manat fine (plus 1 manat processing fee).

[Mikael]

I came into the country Weds and registered Sat, so it might be okay. I had no trouble getting the slip at the central po.

[cloudy]

we did get our visa in tbilisi and had registration problems too. that's what happend tu us - and an option how you won't have to pay the fee:

in baku we found out that we have to registrate until the third day. too late. it was already our sixt day and weekend. so we went to the migration office on monday (atatürk street 189). we were told that we have two options: pay 300 manat and get registrated or go to the head migration office and tell them that we don't pay the fee. then we would get divoted. instead of the registration you get a paper which sayes that you have to leave the country within 48 hours. (in fact that means you have to leave until midnight of the next day). and you cannot come back to azerbajian for the next 3 to 5 years.

as we didnt know when the next ferry will go to aktau, we tried to involve the austrian embassy. they tried to help, but couldn't change the system of course. in the end we went to the migration office and got our devotion on the day our ferry was leaving.

on the border control they knew that we were not registrated. until then we were wondering if they would know, but they have the information on their computer. when we showed them our devotion everything was fine.

if you are not registrated, we would suggest go to the migration office twice. we think it's faster if you tell them in advance that you want a divotion. so they can get the paper ready and you don't have to wait extra long on the day you want to leave. then pick up the paper when you are sure that there is a ferry. if they got everything ready they just have to fill in the date. (at least that was what they told us. actually we waited another two hours for someone to sign)

we did everything at the migration office in atatürk street 189. the first time there they told us go to the head migration - that's nearer to the center. but as we involved our embassy as well, we had to go back to atatürk street.

good luck!
claudi and betti