If you are an entrepreneur, you have a chance to move to Azerbaijan by incorporating a local company and starting a business.
Whole procedure takes 2-3 months, a bit longer than investor visa case, but this scheme is cost efficient with limited initial expenditure. The frequent misunderstanding entrepreneurs makes is that they enter into Azerbaijan under Travel visa / Visa on arrival. If you take this route, an additional trip will be required. (Schedule I) Once you enter into Azerbaijan under Travel visa, you can incorporate local company, but you have to leave Azerbaijan after company incorporation. Then, your own company arranges an invitation letter for your Labor visa. Once you get Labor visa at Azeri embassy, you can re-enter into Azerbaijan under Labor visa and make TRP application. An efficient alternative way is that you enter into Azerbaijan under Business visa (including e-visa for business purpose). If you almost decide to establish your company and have a plan to visit Azerbaijan, you may want to firstly arrange Business visa. (Schedule II) Once you enter into Azerbaijan under Business visa, you can finish all company incorporation / TRP application procedure during your visit. (Let me know if you are from non e-visa countries and want to obtain business visa through agency. Some agencies undertake this role.) Please find below the TRP application conditions on application form. 11.6-1 grants TRP by company incorporation. (https://eservice.migration.gov.az/assets/docs/muveqqeti-yasamaq-ucun-icaze.pdf) 11. Cases for issuance of a permit for temporary residence in the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan 11.1. family relationship with the citizen of the Republic of Azerbaijan (father: mother, spouse (wife), children, brother, sister and their children, grandfather, grandmother, the father and mother of the grandfather (grandmother), grandchild, mother-in-law; father-in-law. brother-in-law and sister-in-law 11.2. to make investment in the amount of at least 500.000 manats in the economy of the country 11.3. to possess real estate which is worth at least 100.000 manats on the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan or funds in the same amount in the banks of the Republic of Azerbaijan 11.4. to be highly qualified specialist in the spheres of economy, industry, defense, science, culture, sports, etc. 11.4-1. A specialist in one of the categories established by the President of the Azerbaijan Republic who has been invited by citizens of the Azerbaijan Republic or legal entities of the Azerbaijan Republic in order to work or provide services in one of the fields of activity determined by the President of the Azerbaijan Republic 11.5. to be family member of foreigners and stateless persons temporarily or permanently residing on the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan 11.6. to hold position of the head or deputy head in the branch or representations of a foreign juridical person in the Republic of Azerbaijan 11.6-1. To hold a post as head and or deputy head of a legal entity established in the Azerbaijan Republic, of which the founder or at least one of the founders is a foreign legal entity or physical person 11.7. to engage in entrepreneurship activity in the Republic of Azerbaijan 11.8. to obtain work permit for carrying out paid labor activity on the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan 11.9. to get full-time education in the institutions higher and technical school and to get education at secondary schools in the Republic of Azerbaijan 11.10. to carry out professional religious activity at officially registered religious institutions 11.11. in case there are grounds envisaged by the international agreements of the Republic of Azerbaijan
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As already mentioned, you can establish local company under Travel visa, but you have to apply Temporary Residence Permit under Labor visa or Business visa on this scheme. So, there are 2 schedule types based on your visa type of 1st entry, i.e. Travel visa vs. Business visa. Schedule I – 1st visit under Travel Visa Many entrepreneurs take this route, despite this schedule needs additional transportation.
Schedule II – 1st visit under Business Visa Alternative way is that you enter into Azerbaijan under Business visa first (including e-visa for business purpose). In this case, you can finish company incorporation and TRP application at your 1st visit.
Let me quickly explain each procedure. Business Visa For entrepreneurs from non e-visa countries, visa arrangement is time-consuming work. Required documents for visa arrangements are passport (2 blank pages / 3 months validity), photo (3.5cm * 4.5cm / white background), application form and invitation letter. (Additionally, hotel confirmation voucher, proof of residence (utility bill, etc.), health check or bank certificate, etc. may be required, case by cases.) Recommend to check required documents in advance. Company Incorporation The major legal form for foreign entrepreneur is Limited Liability Company (LLC), in which foreigner can own 100% stake. Minimum paid in capital is 0. It will take at most 1 week for documentation, application and incorporation approval. So many documents / procedures are required for LLC incorporation as follows... Some documents have to be notarized. However don’t worry, lawyer has standardized templates and will draft documents on behalf of you. You just need to have passport and sign some documents. Legal address of the LLC is also provided by lawyer. And major part of procedure can be outsourced to lawyer under notarized Power of attorney.
TRP application Once you incorporated LLC and enter into Azerbaijan under Labor visa or Business visa, you can apply TRP as head of LLC. Note that you have to make rent contract with apartment / hotel and have health check. It will take 2-4 weeks for an approval of TRP. Please see below list of required documents. My another post should be useful to understand the detail of required documents. It is about documents for investor visa, but almost same as company incorporation case. (https://moving2azerbaijan.weebly.com/investor-visa/category/3-required-documents)
Your Labor/Business visa may be expired if you keep staying in Azerbaijan during TRP review period, but don’t worry, you don’t need to leave the country while your TRP application is under review. Moving Once your TRP is approved, Temporary Residence Card (TRC) is issued. This is used as an ID card in Azerbaijan and also as an Residential Visa when you cross the border. The issuance of TRC takes a few weeks after approval of TRP. Actual moving schedule is pretty different by entrepreneur, like following examples:
Supporting lawyer is the most important part for your successful migration. Lawyer takes following roles:
Let me know if you want to contact lawyers. I know some lawyers who have balanced strength in both corporate & migration fields. Good news is that head of the LLC, I mean you, does not need to obtain Work Permit to engage in business activity in Azerbaijan. This exemption will reduce your administrative burden.
However, if your company wants to invite any foreign employees (like your friends), their status will be paid labor. In such case, your company has to arrange their Work Permit, in addition to Temporary Residence Permit. This point has to be considered, if you want to establish your company jointly with your foreign friends, etc. And this difference of status affects after 2 years stay, if you want to apply Permanent Residence Permit. Permanent Residence Permit Basically, foreigners who has stayed in Azerbaijan for 2 years under Temporary Residence Permit (TRP) have a right to apply Permanent Residence Permit. However, if you (head) operates your company with your foreign friends (labor), there will be discrepancy.
If you consider to establish your business with your foreign friends, be careful on Permanent Residence Permit conditions. |