How to Get an Azerbaijan Visa in Batumi, Georgia

azerbaijan visa in batumi

How to get an Azerbaijan Visa in Batumi, Georgia

I write this blog post on the Georgia to Azerbaijan train (Tbilisi to Baku), it’s been a busy and somewhat stressful few days in the travel lifestyle and I’ve been at a low ebb a few times, but we managed to get our Azerbaijan Visa in a short space of time and are now heading there. This is a guide on how to get an Azerbaijan Visa in Batumi, Georgia.

Where is Batumi, Georgia?

Batumi is a seaside resort in Georgia. It lies on the west coast, overlooking the Black Sea and not far north of the border with Turkey. Batumi is connected by train and bus to Tbilisi. In the Summer months Batumi becomes a very popular seaside resort. By October time, it shuts down . It’s a town with an international flavour about it – English menus in restaurants, a load of hotels and hostels, a German bar in a town with typical Georgian food, hospitality and charm.

batumi backpacking

Backpacking in Batumi – an awesome seaside resort in Georgia.

Getting to Batumi, Georgia

OK so the route we took to Batumi was from Tbilisi. From Didube Bus Station in Tbilisi there are frequent buses running to various parts of Georgia, one of which is Batumi. Get to Didube Bus Station in Tbilisi and just ask around. For sure you will easily find a bus heading for Batumi. There are no signs in English and not many locals who speak English, but getting the bus sorted was a breeze. You find the driver for Batumi and his bus – normally a white mini-bus like our one (pictured).

batumi bus

Sorting out our bus fom Didube in Tbilisi to Batumi.

You bargain with him – we paid 20 Lari for the bus, if you’re a hard bargainer or you speak a bit of Georgian you will get it for 15 Lari. You can buy some food and drinks at Didube bus station before you get on the bus. The bus will leave when it’s full or whenever the driver wants to. There is absolutely no online booking or advance booking for these buses. Just turn up, wait and you’ll be on your way. It took us about 7 hours to get to Batumi, which included a lunch stop. Batumi also has a seaport and an airport so these are two options you may also want to consider.

azeri visa in georgia

How to get an Azerbaijan Visa in Batumi, Georgia

Why get the Azerbaijan Visa in Batumi and not Tbilisi?

Good question and the short answer is that we were pushed for time and heard it would be quicker to sort from Batumi. This turned out to be correct, so if you are pushed for time, get the Azerbaijan Visa done in Batumi. It’s quicker, easier and less busy. You can of course, also get it in Tbilisi.

azerbaijan consulate batumi

Blame Apple computers for this image being sideways but this is the Azerbaijan Consulate in Batumi, Georgia

Where is the Azerbaijan Consulate in Batumi?

It’s very easy to find. It’s situated on the far side of Europe Square in the town centre. You can’t miss it with its Azerbaijan flag flying outside it. Officially it’s on Dumbadze Street. Europe Square is one of the main points of interest in Batumi and runs along Abashidze Avenue.

azerbaijan consulate

Europe Square in Batumi where you will find the Azerbaijan Consulate.

What are the opening hours of the Azerbaijan Consulate in Batumi?

You will have to check closer to the time as things always change, but in general it’s open from 10am – 4pm weekdays. There may be a lunch break from 12 – 2pm so factor that into your plans.

What do you need to get the Azerbaijan Visa in Batumi?

OK so here is what we took for our application in order to get it processed quicker (within 24 hours).

    • A valid passport with at least six months left on it

    • 2 passport photos

    • 2 completed and signed application forms (fill these in when you’re there, just in case you have any questions)

    • The money to pay for the Visa (this will vary depending on your nationality)

    • A photocopy of our passports

    • Proof of our hostel booking

batumi azerbaijan visa

How to get an Azerbaijan Visa in Batumi, Georgia

OK so arrived at the Consulate at 9.55am, we went inside at 10am, filled in the forms and handed them all the required documents. We got the opinion that proof of our hostel booking wasn’t really needed. As for why they needed two passport photos, again we don’t know why, or what they did with the photos, as you don’t even get a photo on your visa that goes in your passport. So make sure you have all those things above before you go there, except the application form which they will have. They will probably also ask for the reason for your visit. In our case we were mixing backpacking/tourism with a chance to watch a football match – Northern Ireland were playing Azerbaijan.

azerbaijan visa batumi

How to get an Azerbaijan Visa in Batumi, Georgia

How much does it cost to get an Azerbaijan Visa in Batumi, Georgia?

For the basis of this post, and for most of my visa and border posts, we’re talking about a tourist visa. The price of a tourist visa will depend on your nationality. As a dual national, I possess both a British and an Irish passport. For Azerbaijan, I used my Irish passport and it cost 150 Lari. I have found the Irish passport to be cheaper for most of my Visa applications, including China. The current price for an Azerbaijan Visa on a British passport is 210 Lari, while Australians can get it for as low as 100 Lari. Of course, like all things related to travel, the money won’t ever be wasted as you will cherish the memories of visiting a country such as Azerbaijan!

azerbaijan visa

How to get an Azerbaijan Visa in Batumi, Georgia

How to pay for your Azerbaijan Visa in Batumi, Georgia

The only way to pay for your Azerbaijan Visa in Batumi is by direct bank transfer. This means you don’t hand over any money at the Azerbaijan Consulate itself. They will give you a slip/piece of paper with your name on it and the amount you know as well as the Bank that needs to be credited. You then head to that bank – TBC – which is close to the Azerbaijan Consulate on Rustaveli Avenue. Wait in line, hand over the cash (in Georgian Lari) and get a receipt for it. Then present that receipt to the Azerbaijan Consulate and you’ll get your visa.

azerbaijan visa batumi

How to get an Azerbaijan Visa in Batumi, Georgia

How long does it take to get an Azerbaijan Visa in Batumi, Georgia?

Short answer and as a general rule, 3 days. However we were in a hurry and we asked if possible if it could be issued on that day (i.e. hand in the application at 10 am, pick up the visa at 4 pm). Despite our demands, they said no but that we could get it the very next day, which we obviously settled for. So we booked another night in the hostel, hung around in Batumi for another day and by 10.35 am the next morning we had our visa in our hand.

batumi azerbaijan visa

How to get an Azerbaijan Visa in Batumi, Georgia

The process of getting an Azerbaijan Visa in Batumi, Georgia

Day 1 – Turn up at Azerbaijan Consulate with everything you need. Hand in all the things they ask for. As they have a photocopy of your passport, you get to take your passport with you, ready for the collection on either Day 2 or Day 3 (depending on how lucky you are).

Day 2 – Turn up at Azerbaijan Consulate with your passport and the money. They’ll give you a piece of paper which you take to the TBC bank to pay in cash directly into their bank account. You will get a receipt for that. Take the receipt back to the Azerbaijan Consulate and they’ll give you your visa!

azerbaijan visa in batumi

How to get an Azerbaijan Visa in Batumi, Georgia

How many days is the visa valid for?

To be honest, this really depends. We weren’t sure how long to stay in Azerbaijan so we just put down 10 days, and they granted us a 10 day visa. If you write down 30 days, they’ll probably give you 30 days, but I’d imagine that’s the limit.

All in all, Batumi is a friendly and easy place to get your Azerbaijan Visa sorted, so if you’re in Georgia trying to get that visa, head on over to Batumi, get your visa and get ready to explore Azerbaijan!

batumi getting azerbaijan visa

How to get an Azerbaijan Visa in Batumi, Georgia

azerbaijan visa batumi georgia

How to get an Azerbaijan Visa in Batumi, Georgia

Safe travels.

A few videos of the Azerbaijan Visa experience will follow when time, internet and decent computers (avoid APPLE at all costs they’re shit) allows me.

22 thoughts on “How to Get an Azerbaijan Visa in Batumi, Georgia

  • I was 24 hours begging Jonnie but it was a pleasure to meet him.
    My experience broadly the same however just a couple of other observations.
    I applied on the Tuesday AM just after a relived Jonnie got his. I tried to plea for the day after but was told the consulate was closed on a Wednesday so it would be Thursday before I could get it. As I was. It overly pushed for time that was fine. I did not check if it was closed on Wednesday as it was now staying out of town. I went back on Thursday at 1215 and was told they were closed till 1500. I walked around had a coffee and went back for 1500. No queue. Went in and a different guy who had just arrived was in the chair of authority. Phi explained it was three working days so would not be available till Friday! Remaining relaxed but explaining i had the night train out if batumi booked (not strictly true but was the plan!) he said ok and I did the bank payment etc and job done 🙂 seem nice guys but make rules up a bit 🙂

  • Thanks for the extra info Keith – I agree they seem to make the rules up. Nice to meet you in Batumi and maybe see you around somewhere – don’t miss Xineleq if youre in Azerbaijan – stunning! Safe travels. Jonny

  • Heya I’ve read you need an invitation letter for an Azerbaijani visa, is this the case? I’m on an NZ passport.
    Thanks 🙂

  • Hi Esther, it depends which embassy or consulate you use to get your visa. I used the one in Batumi in Georgia as we heard it was easier to get the visa there, and we didn’t need a letter of invitation. So I’d recommend going to Batumi in Georgia to get your visa. Safe travels. Jonny

  • I really enjoyed reading your blogs and thanks for the info.
    As I will be travelling to that region myself soon, I have a few inquiries.
    Is it really a lot harder to get your Azeri visa sorted out in Tbilisi? As I would probably not want to head over to Batumi unless it is absolutely necessary.
    Also, will you really get to hang on to your passport while the embassy is processing your visa application?
    Thanks in advance.

  • Hi Pierre, Thanks for the comment – if you read the article hopefully I explained the situation. We had only 2 days to get our visa (we were in a rush to make it to a football match) so we went to Batumi as they are more laid back, less strict and do it quicker. The Tbilisi office is much more strict and slower. If you’re not in a hurry then do it in Tbilisi if you want but I don’t think you’ll get it same day, or the day after. All the backpackers we met got theirs in Batumi – easier and they didn’t ask for any strict documents either. As for holding onto the passport, I can’t remember exactly but until they put the visa inside the passport (the visa is merely a sticker), there is no reason for them to hold onto the physical passport – they’ve taken photocopies. Batumi is a beach town and a great resort plus they have real Adjarian Khachapuri there so I would say it is worth a trip! If you need some tips on Azerbaijan, check out my article on Xinaliq – splendid place – Safe travels. Jonny

  • Hey Jonny,

    I m planning to travel, Azerbaijian & Georgia (Twice in just 2 months time, great country) in a couple of weeks
    the Visa process is not clear at all,

    According to the Azerbiajian embassy Website

    http://www.azembassy.ge/?options=content&id=38

    – 2 photos
    -your passport
    -filled in application form
    -letter of invitation.

    Invitation from an Azerbaijani company
    b) Invitation from a foreign company based in Azerbaijan
    c) Confirmation from a travel agency (based in Azerbaijan)
    d) Invitation from an Azerbaijani citizen, accompanied by a photocopy of his/her passport or national identification card

    Should I go there (embassy or Consulate) without taking notice about of the invitation letter
    what do you think ?

    I m going to visit Baku and Mud Volcano

    How did you manage to have any invitation letter, is it compulsary….

    Do you know other travellers who did azerbaijian in 2014 et 2015 ?

    Thnaks for sharing your experience

    Ethan
    FRance

  • Hi Ethan, thanks for the comment and good luck with the visa. I’m also just a tourist like you, not an embassy but if you follow the procedure in the above article you should get your visa in Batumi easily enough. I still think Batumi is the easiest place to get an Azerbaijan visa. I’d recommend Xinaliq in Azerbaijan though – best spot in the country. Safe travels. Jonny

  • thanks for giving us good information regarding visa to Azerbaijan. If you want to go to Azerbaijan. You can also visit at sinotour.

  • Hi Mark, thanks for the information but always cooler, cheaper and easier to go to the Embassy for it, as mentioned in the article. Safe travels. Jonny

  • Hi Werner, thanks for the comment. Sadly I haven’t been back to Batumi in the last 2 years, so I am no idea. If not, then I’d suggest Ankara, Istanbul or Tbilisi for the Azerbaijan visa. Best of luck. Jonny

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