That’s some catch, that catch 22 (or, how not to get into Azerbaijan)
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Richard Norman writes: I’m in Kiev, chilling out and reading Lonely Planets’ Azerbaijan forums before heading out to the airport, for what promises to be a delightful 2:45am flight to Baku. I see a new post mentioning rumors that Azerbaijan is about to stop issuing visas at the border like they’ve done for the last decade. If this is true, then my travel plans for the next few weeks are quite exploded.
It’s seven at night and, not being fluent in Ukrainian, Russian or Azeri there are no obvious places to call to find out what’s going on so I head to the airport and speak to the airline’s information staff. I tell them that I don’t have a visa for Azerbaijan and if I can’t get one at the border I don’t want to get on the flight (they’re obliged not to board passengers who won’t clear the border anyway). They make a few calls to their people in Baku and assure me that I’ll be able to get a visa and enter Azerbaijan so I check in and then wait, watching Ukrainians wrapping their luggage with stickytape for reasons unknown.
After a three hour flight and a bizarre 4:00am meal of pancakes stuffed with mashed potatoes I walk into the arrivals hall at Heydar Aliev airport and see that the visa counter is open and active. Following the signs, I go to passport control who put an entry stamp in my passport and direct me to the counter to fill in the relevant forms and pay for my visa.
The staff at the desk watch me fill in the visa application form- and attach two passport photos to it- and I present the documents and the necessary cash.
“I am sorry, no visas”. Fark.
“Why not?:
“From today we are not issuing visas on arrival to foreigners unless they have written authorisation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a letter of invitation.” Double fark.
“Did you inform anyone of this? The airline was told that visas would be issued on arrival.”
At this point the Immigration staff lose the ability to speak English. Fortunately I’m not alone- there at least a dozen of us in the hall, all being told the same thing. There’s a Russian speaker and four Azeri speakers amongst us although they can’t get any more information than I can.
The Immigration staff take our passports and allow us to collect our checked luggage, then escort us the the airport’s transit hall. They leave us there and disappear, passports and all.
About two hours later, one of them wanders over and asks us for our passports.
Another hour later, someone tells us we have a choice: buy a ticket out of the country or be deported (at the airline’s expense) back to where our flights originated. I ask if Ukraine will even let me back in- I had a single-entry visa and I’d already left the country. They lose the ability to speak english again. And Russian. And Azeri.
Then they ask to see our passports.
There’s a flight to Istanbul leaving in a couple of hours and it’s starting to sound pretty attractive. Another couple- DJs who had been booked for a gig in Baku that night- decide to try and get a flight to Dubai. We ask if we can buy tickets.
“You can buy tickets when you get your passports back.”
“Good, can we have them back then?”
“When you have bought your tickets we will give your passports back.”
That’s when we start calling our embassies. The nearest Australian one is in Ankara, Turkey. I speak to them and they promise to make a few calls and get back to me. In the meantime my fellow travellers are speaking to the American, British and French embassies; nobody’s hearing anything encouraging.
The embassy in Ankara calls and says they’ve spoken to Azerbaijan’s embassy in Turkey, who say there’s been no change in visa rules. They agree that getting a flight to Istanbul is probably a good idea and aren’t sure what would happen to me at the Ukrainian border. They put me in touch with our embassy in Vienna, which deals with Ukrainian matters. They’re not sure either but they suggest I get the flight back to Kiev and see what happens.
By this point I’ve been awake for 30 hours. The flight to Istanbul is gone, I haven’t seen my passport for six hours and I still don’t know what’s going to happen. I have visions of getting deported backwards and forwards between Kiev and Baku airports forever…
Finally, someone from The Azeri Immigration service who has half a clue speaks to us and tells me that I won’t have any trouble if I get deported back to Ukraine. Eventually it transpires that what he means is that if Ukraine’s border people won’t allow me to re-enter, they will deport me back to the country I originally entered from- Russia. To which I had an expired single-entry visa. I presume that Russia will deport me to Uzbekistan, which will send me back to Kyrgyzstan, which will bounce me to China.
Then he asks me for my passport.
I discover that there’s another flight to Istanbul leaving in three hours’ time and decide that I simply must be on it. A Canadian bloke I’m with is similarly resolved and we go to ask for our passports so we can buy tickets. Mr Abbas, head of the immigration service, says he will be back soon and one of his staff will escort us and our passports to the ticket counter (we’re in the transit hall; the ticket counters are on the other side of the frontier) to buy tickets. They’ll then hold on to our boarding passes and passports until the flight is ready to leave.
He’s disappeared and his staff have no interest in helping us; they say they airline staff will come to us and sell us tickets. So we wait. An hour later we’re still waiting and the flight’s opened for check-in.
We ask for Mr Abbas.
“He has gone home. I cannot help you. Goodbye.”
Two minutes later he walks out of his office and we run over to him. He directs us to another security point where one of his staff, Mr Nahil, will meet us. We drag our luggage over the the security point and ask for Mr Nahil.
“He has gone home.”
“Can someone else take us to the ticket counter? Mr Abbas has arranged it.”
“Mr Nahil will be here to help you in a minute.”
We wait another twenty minutes — the flight’s going to start boarding in less than an hour. Then the Canadian finds the magic words.
“Can you just let us buy our tickets? We want to get out of your fucking stupid country!”
Five minutes and US $300 later I have my passport and a boarding pass, my bag is checked in and we’re headed to the bar for an exceptionally well-earned beer. Another twenty minutes and I’m on the plane to Istanbul. By the time it touches down I’ve been awake for forty hours.
People I know who’ve been to Azerbaijan rave about how warm and welcoming its people are. Unfortunately, its government combines the friendly charm of a Ukrainian train station ticket counter lady with the efficiency and precision of a Cairo taxi driver.
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Dear Richard Norman I do not what hell happened to you in the airport and your government did not inform you in time about new visa rules but it does not give you the right to call any country “fucking”. There every where in this world fucker and your country also is not exception. Answer to me: Why the citizens of Azerbaijan wished to visit your country (I am not using “FUCKING”, though I could use it on the basis of reciprocity) have to to Ankara to your embassy? and wait there for one week whether or not to receive ok for their? Why EU countries does not allow for their airport to issue visas? why? do you know how many why’s I can ask from you?
So shut up before saying about country? U tell me u bribed them? Why you did not inform you Embassy (I am not using “FUCKING”, though I could use it on the basis of reciprocity)? Azerbaijan used to have this procedures for the decades? Yeah, you are right? But time has changed and we so that despite that we have been allowing “fucking” person like u entered Baku without problem, whereas our citizens were standing in the ques and waiting for you Embassy’s answer.
I wish that Canadian also reads it. They are also a part of this story.
Richard, you finished it saying “People I know who’ve been to Azerbaijan rave about how warm and welcoming its people are. Unfortunately, its government combines the friendly charm of a Ukrainian train station ticket counter lady with the efficiency …and precision of a Cairo taxi driver.”
If ALL those people RAVE about hospitality of Azeri people, then it’s most probably true. So it’s about the government, which is not perfect anywhere in the world.
And, speaking of getting pissed of: I live in Azerbaijan. I had to visit the Italian embassy 8 times and finally get my application accepted at the 9th trial – only to discover that I was refused the fucking visa, without ANY reason, and while having 2 American visas in my passport.
It’s the same thing about embassies of almost ALL European countries in Azerbaijan, which are TOO JUMPED-UP to move their asses in a more efficient and less insulting way.
Speaking of Australia: Azeri citizens have to fly to Ankara and wait for reply from the Australian embassy, whether their majesties will express the wllingness to let some Azeris visit their ennobled fucking continent.
Richard, it’s your problem, why YOUR own embassy didn’t inform you about our new regulations.
It’s a problem with the government, which DOESN’T give anyone a right to call the whole country “fucking” and “stupid”.
Daqli – I think you have misunderstood this story. There was no bribe involved here and there was no swearing by the Australian, so reciprocity would have required a much politer reply by you.
Of course Azerbaijan, like Australia, has the right not to issue visas on arrival – but it would be more acceptable if they told people about it before they landed in Baku.
Richard: I think your blog is super funny. It’s true how Azeri people may treat others, but of course the same goes to other countries, i.e., Russia, Ukraine, etc. I remember traveling to Moscow and meeting the worst customer service ever. Azeris were a bit better but still, it was all mean. Thanks for sharing your story with us. I think it is unfortunate that Azerbaijan created a new law where visas must be obtained before landing in the country…i mean, isn’t the whole point of a country to have more visitors/tourists is to make everything simplier, better, convenient for the travelers?! I guess NOT. It will be, in this case, very ANNOYING for anyone traveling to Baku, Azerbaijan. And no offence to Azeri communities/people.
This story made me smile indeed. And I thought – should I write a story through what non-EU people should go to obtain a Shengen visa. God knows how many times I had to travel to London from NW England (paying train which is quite expensive), stay on the queu from 7:30am, pay for the hotel over the week-end in London to come early morning on Monday, and again stay on the queu, and again hear “we accept only first 60 application” – all just to submit my documents for a single Belgian visa. There is only one visa application centre for the whole England which is in London. The queu line after Shengen visa starts may be from 6am, if not earlier. Only one Visa Application Centre for several Shengen countries. One should imagine the length of the queu.
I changed two non-refundanble flights because person on the phone of Visa Application Centre (VAC) said that I will get visa before particular date I stated on the application and all documents are OK. Then they came back and said the system doesnt work. They will issue me a visa on Friday. I canceled my Friday flight and booked flight for the weekend as the event was planned on Tuesday next week. Then on Friday they said there is a problem with the system of Embassy which persists for few days now. I started calling Embassy which, in general, I shouldnt contact as all communication is through Visa Application Centre. Embassy lady made me a favour and promised to issue me a visa manually as the system doesnt work, but I can come and collect it on Monday only. Means I have to cancel my non-refundanble flight booked for traveling on the weekend. Anyway, I arrived to London on Monday, booked this time my train (no flight) and what I hear at the Embassy is “sorry, the computer is not working and the person you spoke with is not our Embassy staff, but VAC. They shouldnt guarantee you a visa”. After I proved that the person was an Embassy staff they asked me to walk around Embassy and promised to get back to me on the phone. No guarantee that I will get a visa.
Carrying all the way long my suitcase I was sitting in the cafe not far from Belgian Embassy and waiting for 2 hours. They called me to come for visa collection slightly more than half an hour before my train time. I arrived at train station few mins before my train departed. I was just a happy bunny to lose so much energy, time and money and not to miss my train to Brussels
This happens to many non-EU citizens who apply for Shengen visa. Someone just gives up. For me the trip was really important. I couldnt give up.
Changes in Azerbaijan visa legislation have been made once since long ago.
Such a situation with Shengen visa never changes. Most of Shengen countries do not accept postal application and your are obliged to travel to different city, come and stay in the long exhausting line since almost 6am in the morning to be within first 60 applicants per day.
Before going to any country one should check not LonelyPlanet but website of the Consulate of that country. Especially when country is in the condition of war. Since first day the new legislation came in effect there are news on the website of MFA of Azerbaijan highlighted in bold red. If the guy who wrote this article is such a clever one – he had to double check everything before taking his flight and not rely on words of Ukranian airport staff who can not be responsible for legal visa procedures of totally different independent country (I guess airlines are only interested not to lose passengers). Of course, Baku airport staff shoudlnt waste their time for irresponsible approach of those foreigners. Be an airport staff, I would even take them to custody for the “magic words” they addressed to Azerbaijan. He forgot to thank Azerbaijan in his article for letting him get away with it.
Daqli, you are quite welcome to say bad things about Australia, swearing or not. We do it all the time.
The reason why my Canadian compatriot used that language was because of the incompetence and dishonesty of the many people we dealt with over the twelve hours we were stuck there. If I took your passport from you and then asked you for it several times you would probably think I was an idiot too.
Azerbaijan’s own embassies and airport border people didn’t know the rules had changed, how could anyone else know? If the border staff were not going to allow us to enter the country, why wouldn’t they let us leave?
The article doesn’t mention bribery at all, because there wasn’t any. Don’t know where you got that from.
As far as citizens of Azerbaijan getting visas to Australia, well, I wish it was easier too. Of course Azerbaijan is entitled to set its own rules, even if it is to stop journalists from covering the election. But these things work both ways. Do you know where Azerbaijan’s nearest embassy is from Australia? Do you think Australia is going to make things easier for your citizens if your government treats ours badly?
When i read posts like this it makes me happy to say that I am closed minded and un travelled. I can just turn on Foxtel and see everything I need to see without having to worry about dodgy food, dodgy accomodation, dodgy governments, being mugged or anything else. Much less having my passport taken from me copied and used by unsavoury third parties as part of an identity scam. Why travel if all you are going to do is complain about how bad it is ?
Loved this article Richard! Reminds me of my much shorter, but scarier, attempt to leave Poland where the armed border guard on the train almost threw me in jail for not having an application form that exactly matched my visa.
The mismatch was because back in Oz, no one had informed me that I needed to carry an application form with my visa. On arrival the Polish immigration official said no worries, just fill out another form while I hold onto your passport so you can’t see the exact details of what you’re supposed to fill out.
I also got in trouble when applying for a czech visa as I had folded my application form in half!
Gotta love that former-USSR bureaucracy.
Richard: As an American who has lived in Azerbaijan, I feel for you. It is very true that Azerbaijanis are some of the most lovely people on our planet. I have a strong attachment to the Azeri people and culture. I also, on the other hand, have a violent distaste for anything connected to transportation in Azerbaijan. The train station in Baku is quite possibly the worst place I’ve ever been. It seems the airport is just as bad. Here’s some food for thought: the employees are paid very little and work in a very stressful, environment. If they really hadn’t heard of the changes to the visa requirements, I imagine they were quite frustrated with their superiors and their government. That doesn’t excuse the way you were treated at all, but I felt it must be said.
Here’s an experience a friend of mine and her Azeri husband had trying to leave Azerbaijan to move to the US: http://raechellewatkins.blogspot.com/2010/10/getting-home-was-tricky-know-your-visa.html
Also, perhaps you misunderstood Daqli as if you HAD given a bride it is likely you would have been given a visa and been on your merry way…
Richard, i understand how you feel and im happy that people speak out about this nonsense happening in Azerbaijan right now. Im pissed off with the situation myself cause this damn thing happened to my husband recently, for no obvious reason. Looks like only those VIPs who coming to invest money in the country are able to get visas, all the rest including family members are not wellcomed.
For Daqli I should say being patriotic is a nice thing, we all are, deep inside, but being Azerbaijan citizen myself and knowing about the level of hospitality and warmth of ordinary local people and the level of corruption and lawlessness in the country i allow myself to call it a fucking stupid country cause SOME NASTY CREATURES WHO HAVE POWER MAKE ME FEEL THAT WAY
To all of you;
I am an Azerbaijan citizen and after reading what happened to Mr.Norman I really accept that it is a fucking and stupid country.Even we have been faced many stupid things and its not just in airports.I really feel sorry for what happened to foreigners.Just as a general information…Even if AUS government says ok Azeris can enter AUS visa free for 1 or 3 months still Azerbaijan government will not remove visa for AUS citizens ( exactly same process is still alive with Turkey ).
And for the airport in Baku I would like to say it doesnt even deserve `i` of international.
Regards.
Aziz
Hey man, as an Azeri, I am very sorry to what happened to you in my home country. As an American, I understand and share your frustration. It’s a small country, and their justification for this is, “They do it to us, we will do it to them.” Forgetting that “they” (The West, in general), have clearly posted rules of entry. “They” are a coveted destination for tourists, and economic migrants. “They” have to deal with millions coming in illegally. A small country has decided to enter the genitalia measuring contest with “THEM.” Good effing luck.
We, as the people, are kind, hospitable, generous, and, unfortunately, quite patient. I say “unfortunately”, because we put up with a lot of crap from the authorities. Rigged elections, no human dignity, rampant corruption, what have you. Runs the gamut, pretty much… Don’t mind my fellow Azeris lashing out on you. It’s national pride talking. Rationally, though, they understand, and share your indignation. And so do I. Respectfully,
AzeriUS
2 years on…now 2012, how does an Australian obtain a vosa to visit Azerbaijan? I am hoping to go there in October
Alfred et al, you might have already done it, if you check Azerbaijan in smartraveller.gov.au and follow link ‘Entry and Exit’. Also the link labelled ‘for foreigners to remember’ in http://www.migration.gov.az has Q&A’s with a specific answer to your question. If you are in Australia, they reckon the Azerbaijan Consulate at Jakarta, Indonesia will do the trick (?).
There is also a e-visa service that doesn’t work, funny eh.
Surprise, surprise, somehow the e-visa service is back online and I has created an application – still to be submitted though
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