To apply for asylum in Azerbaijan, follow the steps below ⬇️
What is asylum and who can apply for refugee status?
Please note that you must be in the territory of Azerbaijan, or at a port of entry (an airport, land border crossing checkpoint, or seaport) in order to apply for asylum in Azerbaijan.
If you are fearing return to your home country or the country where you lived previously, because of violence, persecution, war or you are in danger of suffering serious harm in that country, you can apply for protection in Azerbaijan. The first step to receiving international protection is to apply for asylum.
Applying for asylum is a fundamental human right and a person who is granted asylum (refugee status) in Azerbaijan cannot be deported to his/her country of origin.
Who can apply for asylum in Azerbaijan?
You can apply for asylum and be registered as an asylum-seeker if:
• You are outside of your country of origin – country of nationality or country of habitual residence (for stateless people) and;
• You wish to seek international protection in Azerbaijan due to fear of persecution or risk of suffering serious harm in your country of origin .
Who receives asylum applications in Azerbaijan?
In Azerbaijan, the government, through the State Migration Service, receives and decides on asylum applications.
The State Migration Service (SMS) of the Republic of Azerbaijan examines asylum applications individually according to the criteria set by the International Conventions and Domestic Laws of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
You may also visit the Migration to Azerbaijan webpage to find out more information for foreigners and stateless people in Azerbaijan.
Contact the State Migration Service for more information about the asylum process:
- In person:
202 Binagadi Highway, 3123 Block, Binagadi district, Baku city, the Republic of Azerbaijan, AZ1114 (close to “Azadlig Prospekti” metro station).
- By phone:
Call Centre: +994 12 919 / Landline: +994 12 565 61 18
- By e-mail:
What are my rights as an asylum seeker or a refugee in Azerbaijan?
All asylum-seekers and recognized refugees in Azerbaijan have the right to:
- Work without requiring a work permit
- Access free-of-charge public schools for children
- Access healthcare (in coordination with Refugee Status Determination Department of State Migration Service and State Agency on Mandatory Health Insurance (Call center: 1542; İcbari Tibbi Sığorta ), including medical assistance, specialized treatment, mental health, and psychosocial support
What are my obligations as an asylum seeker or a refugee in Azerbaijan?
All asylum-seekers and recognized refugees in Azerbaijan have the obligation to:
- Comply with the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan on the Status of Refugees and IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons) and other laws of the Republic of Azerbaijan;
- Respect the local culture, traditions and customs;
- State the truth and cooperate with the respective authorities in order to fully establish all the circumstances specified in your application on international protection;
- Inform the State Migration Service within 10 calendar days of any change of address of the place of actual residence in Azerbaijan;
- Have the photo and fingerprints taken and undergo relevant medical examination, if so required by the respective authorities;
- Obey the rules of the respective state accommodation facilities, if placed there.
Step 1. Register with the State Migration Service
If you are at border checkpoints and International Airports:
When entering the Republic of Azerbaijan, you can apply for asylum at any official border crossing point or International Airport through the State Border Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The State Border Service will send this application to the State Migration Service.
If you are already in Azerbaijan:
In case you have already entered the Republic of Azerbaijan, you can submit an asylum application through any official law enforcement body (such as the police) or directly to the State Migration Service. The application should be submitted as soon as possible after your arrival in the country.
If you are in a detention centre or prison:
In case you are in detention or prison, you can submit your application for asylum to the administration of the detention facility (prison) or via the post service available in the detention facility. Your application will be transferred to the State Migration Service for processing.
STEP 2. Registration interview
Within 15 days of your approach to the State Migration Service, you will be interviewed by a government official where an asylum application form will be filled in.
ATTENTION! You and all your family members must attend all interviews and appointments. Children under the age of 18 can be interviewed in the presence of parents or legal representative.
During the interview, the official will ask you and your family members (including persons under his/her custody or guardianship) and record on the form:
your name, place and date of birth, and other basic information
family composition, including marital status and
the reasons why you left your country of origin and why you believe you would be at risk if you return there
your contact details.
During the interview, you will need to present and submit your original travel and identification documents (passport, travel ID etc.) to the State Migration Service.
All travel and ID documents will be held by the SMS and returned to the owner when the final decision to the individual asylum application is announced.
It is important to provide all the documentation and any other materials relevant to the claim.
ATTENTION! You and your family members will have your photos and fingerprints captured during the registration.
Step 3. Receive a Temporary Certificate (TC)
Within 15 days of your approach to the State Migration Service, you will be interviewed by a government official where an asylum application form will be filled in.
ATTENTION! You and all your family members must attend all interviews and appointments. Children under the age of 18 can be interviewed in the presence of parents or legal representative.
During the interview, the official will ask you and your family members (including persons under his/her custody or guardianship) and record on the form:
your name, place and date of birth, and other basic information
family composition, including marital status and
the reasons why you left your country of origin and why you believe you would be at risk if you return there
your contact details.
During the interview, you will need to present and submit your original travel and identification documents (passport, travel ID etc.) to the State Migration Service.
All travel and ID documents will be held by the SMS and returned to the owner when the final decision to the individual asylum application is announced.
It is important to provide all the documentation and any other materials relevant to the claim.
ATTENTION! You and your family members will have your photos and fingerprints captured during the registration.
During the interview it is important to:
* Focus on facts and your personal experience, the reasons why it is not possible for you to return to the country of origin. General descriptions of the overall situation in a country of origin are not sufficient;
* Be open and frank. Although some questions may be difficult or feel embarrassing to discuss or disclose to others, it is important to respond to the best to your capacities. Remember, all information you share is confidential and the interviewer is there to help you capture your claim as best as possible. Nevertheless, you have the right to refuse answering such questions, but this will be reflected in the interview notes.
* Please be cooperative, and patient and make sure to understand all of the questions you are asked. If necessary, ask for the question to be repeated. Answer all the questions truthfully and in as much detail as possible.
* It is important not to try to hide certain facts or by adding false information to your application. Any serious discrepancies may negatively impact the decision.
* You have the right to an interpreter to facilitate your interview and to choose gender of interpreter, as well as of interviewer.
What can be the DECISION on my case?
Within 3 months from the day of the registration of the asylum application, the State Migration Service will decide to either reject or grant a refugee status.
How will I be informed about the decision?
Within 5 days after the final decision on your asylum application, you will receive an official letter from the State Migration Service containing the decision of the State Migration Service.
What happens if I am recognised as a Refugee?
If granted refugee status, the State Migration Service will provide you and your family members with Refugee identity documents. You will also be able to apply for a travel documents.
The refugee ID will serve as a proof of the right to legal residence in the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan and will allow refugees to exercise the rights and have access to the services available to them according to the legislation.
The travel document will allow you to travel outside the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
What happens if my asylum application is rejected by SMS?
If the SMS decides you are not a refugee, your rejection letter will be handed over to you in the SMS office within 5 days after the rejection. Once you received such decision, you have to leave the country in 10 days, unless you secure other reasons for your legal stay in the country, in accordance with the Migration Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan. You also have the right to appeal the negative decision within 30 days from the receipt of such decision.
Can I appeal a negative decision of SMS?
If you receive a negative decision (either on admissibility grounds or merits of the claim) but disagree with it, you can submit an administrative appeal to the Head of SMS or apply to the administrative court of first instance in accordance with the place of your residence within 30 days from the date when the rejection was handed over to you. You will be able to apply to the administrative court first instance in accordance with the place of your residence after the consideration of your appeal by the Head of SMS. You will be invited to the SMS to be informed about the results of the Head of SMS consideration. You can submit the appeals by yourself or with the assistance of a lawyer presenting in a written form your disagreement with the decision.
The court personnel will inform you about the communication procedures after you apply. You or lawyer will have to be presented in the court during the hearings and we encourage to participate to be able to articulate your claim.
What happens if my appeal is rejected at court level?
If the administrative court of the first instance rejects the appeal, further appeal may be lodged with the Appeal Court and, subsequently, with the Supreme Court.
If the final negative decision on an asylum application is received after exhausting all appeal stages, the rejected asylum seekers will have to leave the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan, unless they secure other reasons for legal residence in the country.
