Azerbaijan may expand the list of countries whose citizens can enter the country without a visa, State Migration Service (SMS) Chief Vusal Huseynov has said.
Speaking to journalists during a media tour on migration literacy, he made it clear that citizens of 17 countries currently enjoy visa-free access to Azerbaijan, Caliber.Az reports, citing local media.
In addition, nationals of 89 countries can obtain an electronic visa through the ASAN Visa system, while citizens of 11 countries are eligible to receive a visa on arrival at the airport.
He noted that over the past two to three months Azerbaijan has unilaterally introduced visa-free travel for several countries, including Japan, Oman, South Korea, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, adding that the list could be expanded in the future.
Huseynov also said the situation with illegal migration in Azerbaijan remains under control and is not a cause for concern.
He further stated that Azerbaijan's efforts to combat illegal migration compare favourably with those of neighbouring countries.
"Today, around 210,000–220,000 foreign nationals reside in the country. Against this backdrop, the number of foreigners staying illegally remains at a manageable level and is not a cause for concern. The fact that migration has not reached a problematic level in Azerbaijan is the result of the policy defined by the head of state and the coordinated work of the relevant institutions," Huseynov added.
He stressed that the number of foreign visitors arriving in Azerbaijan ranges between 160,000 and 250,000, with arrivals naturally increasing during the summer months.
By Bakhtiyar Abbasov
