Questions and answers

Yes. You notarise and apostille a power of attorney in your country and send it to us with a passport copy. We draft the charter, file with the Tax Service and open the account. Your presence may be required only at the bank, depending on the bank's policy.

No. A foreigner may own 100% of the shares and be the director. The Tax Service only requires identity document copies of the founder and director; no residence permit is needed.

The law sets no minimum for an LLC — a company can be registered with nominal capital. However, if the founder plans a residence permit through the company, paid-in capital must be at least AZN 50,000.

Simplified tax is 2% of turnover, provided the company is not VAT-registered and turnover does not exceed AZN 200,000 over 12 months. Wholesale trade, property rental and licensed activities are excluded. Payroll taxes and social contributions are paid separately.

Our fee is quoted after a free consultation and depends on the number of founders and whether apostille, translations and a bank account are needed. State fees and notary costs are shown as a separate line in the quote.

No. Founders of any nationality can register an LLC. The only difference is document legalisation: documents from Hague Convention countries need an apostille; documents from CIS countries under the Chisinau Convention need only notarisation.

A branch can trade, sign contracts and earn revenue in Azerbaijan; it pays profit tax as a permanent establishment. A representative office does not sell — it represents interests, negotiates and markets.

No. Branches and representative offices are not legal entities and have no share capital. The parent company funds expenses from its own account.

An LLC is simpler to manage and shields the parent from liabilities; a branch is useful when a direct link to the parent matters (tenders, licences, contracting). We advise during the consultation, considering taxes.

Yes. A foreign national may head a branch or representative office. To live in Azerbaijan they need a residence permit; according to the State Migration Service, heads of branches and representative offices and their deputies do not need a work permit.

Buying property worth at least AZN 100,000 (≈ USD 59,000) is a ground to apply for a temporary residence permit, not an automatic status. The Migration Service reviews the application; you need ownership documents, housing for registration and certificates. The first permit is valid up to 1 year.

Yes, if you are the director or own at least 51% of a company with paid-in share capital of at least AZN 50,000 (≈ USD 29,000). For extension after the first year the company must show annual turnover from AZN 100,000. A separate ground is a work permit issued by the company for you as an employee.

You choose 15 or 20 business days when filing; the state fee depends on it. The clock starts when a complete file is accepted, so the file must have no gaps.

File for extension at least 30 days before expiry. Extensions are granted for up to 2 years each time, and the ground must remain valid. If the deadline is close, contact us — we prioritise the file.

Permanent residence can be requested after at least 2 years of continuous residence on a temporary permit (no absence of more than 90 days within any 180-day period); processing takes 35–60 days. For the real estate and deposit grounds the threshold is higher — AZN 200,000.

A temporary permit holder must not stay outside Azerbaijan for more than 90 days within any 180-day period (permanent residents: more than 180 days a year), otherwise the permit may be cancelled or not extended. If you plan long trips, tell us — we advise how to document them.

The main intake for bachelor's and master's programmes at state universities usually runs from June to the end of August, with classes starting in mid-September; preparatory courses have autumn and spring intakes. Private universities may accept applications longer. Start preparing documents 3–4 months ahead to allow for apostille and translations.

Yes. Azerbaijani universities offer programmes in Azerbaijani, Russian and English, and some in Turkish. Without a language certificate the university tests your level itself and, if needed, assigns a preparatory course (6 or 9 months).

School certificates, diplomas and transcripts from Hague Convention countries (Turkey, the EU, India, Pakistan and others) need an apostille. Documents from Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Belarus are accepted under the 2002 Chisinau Convention with notarisation only. All documents are translated into Azerbaijani by a notary-certified translator.

The temporary residence permit on the study ground is issued for up to 1 year and extended annually while the student is enrolled. The extension is filed at least 30 days before expiry with a university certificate of continued enrolment, a passport with sufficient validity and housing documents.

The permit is tied to enrolment: on transfer, the Migration Service must be notified and new admission documents provided; on expulsion the ground disappears and the permit is cancelled. Contact us immediately in that case — we find another ground (employment, business) or arrange a compliant departure.

Working during studies requires separate paperwork through the employer — we assess it individually. After graduation the student can switch to another ground: a work permit from an employer, their own company or real estate. We prepare the transition in advance so there is no gap in legal status.

Yes. For Hague Convention countries (EU, UK, Turkey, US) an apostille is required; UAE documents need consular legalisation instead. Documents from Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and other CIS countries need only notarisation and translation — the 2002 Chisinau Convention (which replaced the 1993 Minsk Convention) and the 1992 Russia–Azerbaijan treaty apply.

One year is enough for company registration and account opening. For managing a company, 3 years is more convenient — the maximum term under Azerbaijani law.

Yes, Azerbaijani consulates certify powers of attorney; such a document needs neither apostille nor translation.

A notarised translation has no expiry, but authorities may require the source document (extract, certificate) to be no older than 3–6 months.

Yes, by power of attorney. The founder signs the liquidation resolution before a notary in their country; we handle the rest.

Debts must be settled before removal from the register. We first reconcile with the Tax Service to avoid surprises at the audit and advise how to minimise penalties.

No: an abandoned company keeps accruing minimum taxes and penalties for unfiled reports, and the director and founder remain liable. Closing it properly is the right way.

In our practice 7–12 months, depending on the company's turnover: at least 60 days for creditors, then the tax audit and removal from the register.

Under the general regime: profit tax 20%, VAT 18%, payroll income tax in the private non-oil sector from 2026 — 3% up to AZN 2,500, 10% on the part from 2,500 to 8,000 and 14% above (state and oil sector: 14% and 25%). Under the simplified regime: 2% of turnover with no VAT or profit tax, if turnover is up to AZN 200,000 and the activity is eligible.

It depends on the activity: construction, education, healthcare, tourism, finance, transport are licensed. Trade, consulting and IT are not. We check during the consultation.

Yes. The employer obtains a work permit through the Migration Service, which is a ground for a residence permit. Directors and founders have separate grounds.

Yes: the Alat Free Economic Zone, technology parks with tax exemptions, investment promotion certificates (7-year incentives), agro-parks. Eligibility depends on the sector and scale.

The Entrepreneurship Development Fund issues subsidised loans through authorised banks and looks at fit with priority sectors, job creation and regional impact; the document structure is set by the Fund. A bank assesses repayment above all: cash flow, collateral, share of own funds. We prepare the document for the specific recipient, not a generic template.

The Ministry of Economy's incentive document grants 7 years of relief: 50% of profit tax, exemption from property and land tax, and exemption from VAT and customs duties on imported equipment. It is available to companies with an investment project in priority sectors; the minimum investment depends on the region and sector. The business plan is a mandatory part of the application, and we prepare it to the Ministry's requirements.

Not for LLC registration. You need it when opening a bank account with large turnover, bringing in a partner or investor, applying for incentives, or simply to understand the project's economics in Azerbaijan before investing.

For SIF, the Ministry and Azerbaijani banks — in Azerbaijani; for investors and the parent company — in English or Russian. We often deliver two versions: the official one in Azerbaijani and a working one in your language.

A standard project takes about 4 weeks from brief to final files. Manufacturing with several lines, construction and exports — 6–8 weeks. The timeline depends on how quickly we receive your input data.

Yes. We review the structure and figures, recalculate the model at current prices and exchange rates and bring it to the recipient's format. This is faster and cheaper than writing from scratch.

CE simplifies the review but does not replace national registration for most classes. For some categories import without registration is possible — we check for your device.

The manufacturer through an authorised representative in Azerbaijan, or a distributor holding a power of attorney from the manufacturer. We can act as the authorised representative.

Medical software and consumables are also classified as medical devices; the procedure depends on the risk class.

Yes. Foreigners and foreign companies may own apartments, houses and commercial property. The one restriction: land plots are not sold to foreigners, only leased.

We check the building permit, land rights, project status and the contract: deadlines, penalties, payment schedule. We recommend paying under the contract to the developer's account, not in cash.

Notary tariff, title registration fee, interpreter if needed. Property tax is paid annually based on area.

Yes, by apostilled power of attorney. We act as your representative, you confirm the terms, funds are transferred under the contract.