Azerbaijan Extends Land Border Closures Until 2026
Azerbaijan maintains its land border closures until at least January 2026 under a special quarantine regime, despite lifting most other COVID-era restrictions.
Azerbaijan has announced another extension of the “special quarantine regime” first imposed at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, keeping its land borders closed at least until January 2026. The decision—formalised by a prime minister decree from Ali Asadov and reported by the state news agency Azertac—comes even as most other pandemic-era health measures in the country have been lifted.
No specific justification has been provided beyond citing a desire to “prevent the spread” of COVID-19 and to anticipate “potential complications.” Other restrictions, such as mask mandates or vaccine certificate requirements, have already been removed.
Entering Azerbaijan
Travelers—neither citizens nor foreigners—may now enter Azerbaijan freely by air, without a PCR test or vaccination proof required. Since 28 March 2023, land entry and exit have been prohibited except with permission from the Working Group under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Authorities note that foreign and stateless travelers may still exit by land without prior authorization.
Electronic visa (e-Visa)
ASAN Visa is the government-backed electronic visa system designed to simplify visa applications for foreign tourists visiting Azerbaijan for purposes including tourism, visiting friends or family, business, volunteering, conferences, events or medical care. An ASAN Visa remains valid for 90 days from issuance and permits a stay of up to 30 days in Azerbaijan. Nationals from European, North-American and Asian countries qualify for the electronic visa route.
Economic impact
Land trade routes with Georgia, Russia, Iran and Turkey remain open for commercial traffic. The only notable exception continues to be the Nakhchivan exclave, where overland passage into Turkey remains possible.
This extended closure policy follows the May 2023 declaration by the World Health Organization that the global COVID-19 health emergency was over, and most countries have since rescinded their pandemic-related border controls. Critics argue the measure is exacting a heavy financial toll, especially on citizens unable to afford international airfares. Some observers further allege that the Aliyev presidential family benefits financially from the continuation of the closure through revenues generated by the national carrier, Azerbaijan Airlines.
En tant que chargée de relation client, mes missions sont la gestion et le suivi des demandes de visas. Je reste informée des actualités concernant les nouvelles formalités de voyage ainsi que les spécificités des nouveaux visas.
