Azerbaijan entrepreneur and company-owner residence

Company route (Article 45.1.6-1): you are the head of a legal entity registered in Azerbaijan with at least one foreign founder, or you own at least 51 percent of its shares. The paid-up charter capital must be at least AZN 50,000.

Entrepreneur route (Article 45.1.7): you carry out entrepreneurial activity in Azerbaijan. You must employ at least 5 people full time or 10 part time, and at least 80 percent of them must be Azerbaijani citizens or persons treated as such by the Code. Heads and deputies of branches of foreign companies have a separate ground (Article 45.1.6).

Company head: notarised charter and registry extract, the founders' decision appointing you (not needed if the extract names you) and, from the second year, a tax-authority document on turnover. Majority founder: notarised charter, registry extract and, from the second year, the turnover document.

Entrepreneur: notarised copy of the tax identification number (TIN), copies of employment contracts with at least 5 full-time or 10 part-time staff, and from the second year a document on your turnover. These come on top of the standard residence documents.

First permit on the company route: AZN 50,000 paid-up capital. After at least one year on this ground, a new permit or extension needs company turnover of AZN 100,000 in the last year. An individual entrepreneur needs AZN 50,000 turnover in the last year to renew after the first year.

The capital, staff and turnover requirements do not apply to businesses with an investment promotion document or a Startup certificate operating in the Karabakh and East Zangezur economic regions, to non-profit legal entities, and to residents of industrial parks, industrial districts and agroparks.

Adult temporary residence for up to 1 year: AZN 120 with a decision in 20 working days or AZN 160 in 15. For up to 2 years on extension: AZN 240 or 320. Children pay half.

Apply for each extension at least 30 days before the permit expires. A permit is cancelled if you spend more than 90 days abroad within 180 days.

After 2 years on these grounds you can apply for permanent residence. The Ministry of Economy thresholds are AZN 100,000 paid-up capital and AZN 200,000 turnover for the company route and AZN 100,000 turnover for an individual entrepreneur. Permanent residents on the entrepreneur ground are not caught by the rule that cancels permanent residence after more than 180 days abroad in a year.