The Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan

MAİN PASSPORT, REGİSTRATİON
AND MİGRATİON DEPARTMENT

News

All questions on regular passports were answered –Official interpretation

13.09.2018

Nargiz Maharramova: "Sometimes people become cheerfully for “We go abroad”, but in border entry point it turns out that the term of the passport has expired”.

Nargiz Maharramova works in Internal Affairs Bodies from 1997. She worked as an inspector in the Cases Department of Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), chief of staff in Main Investigation and Inquest Department, section head on acceptance of the documents in Main Passport, Registration and Migration Department (MPRMD), chief deputy of Passport Office. Currently she is head of the Passport Office of MPRMD.

Head of the Passport Department of the Main Passport, Registration and Migration Department - Police Colonel Nargiz Maharramova,  

-How is the regular passport-foreign passport issued to the citizens?

— Generally, any age limit was not specified in the legislation for issuing the regular passport. Each Azerbaijani citizen can receive the regular passport.

- Whom may not the foreign passport be issued to?

— The people who have any obligation to the state are not issued the regular passport. As well as people who are called up for actual military service and prosecuted, etc. It is adjusted by Article 9 of the Migration Code. The citizen can be provided with the foreign passport after the reason causing the objection is eliminated.
-How long before expiration must a citizen change his/her foreign passport?


- Generally such a case was not specified in the legislation. A citizen may change his/her foreign passport at any time. Sometimes a citizen comes to change the passport 2 years left before the expiration. That is to say that there is no limit in this case. Additionally the regular passport must be changed in the event that its validity is expired or surname, name, patronymic of the citizen are changed or the passport as well as its chip are damaged.

—How long before expiration of foreign passport aren’t citizens allowed to cross border entry point?

— Sometimes the citizens do not pay attention to expiration of their passports. A short while ago the citizen bought a ticket from travel agency, but then it turned out that his/her passport was expired in the previous year. Mostly travel agencies do not pay attention to it. Any case related to it was not specified in the Legislation of Azerbaijan. In our country a passport of citizen can be used until the day that it is valid. But some countries do not allow the people from border entry point 6 months left until expiration of the passport. In our border entry points they just warn.

A while back a citizen bought a ticket and went to Antalya with his kid. They crossed our border entry point, but Antalya border entry point made them come back because 6 months left before the expiration of the child’s passport. The citizen applied to us and we explained that the passport was still valid. However we gave a regular passport to this citizen. Even some countries do not allow the people from the border entry points or issue a visa for 1 year left before the expiration of the passport.

-What must a citizen do when he/she loses the passport aboard?

— In this case he/she applies to the diplomatic representative office or consulate of Azerbaijan in this country. The citizen is given a Emergency Travel Document to be used once for returning to the country. The citizen returns with these documents to the country and then, applies to obtain a new passport. I must note that Azerbaijani citizens living abroad can obtain a new regular passport or change by applying to our embassy or diplomatic representative offices with relevant documents in those countries.

- At what age can citizens obtain regular passport?

— Any age limit was not specified to issue a regular passport. A child has a right to obtain the passport as soon as he/she is born. The children are issued a foreign passport: 1-year for under one year old, 3-year for 1-3 years old, 5-year for 3-18 years old and 10-year for the citizens over 18 years old. The regular passport is issued within 1, 5 and 10 days depending on state duty that the citizen pays. Along with main departments and regional sectors, ASAN service centre does it.

-Please give information about duties.

—Duties are different. As such 10 manat for under 1 year old children, 20 manat for 1-3 years old, 30 manats for 3-18 years old, 40 manats for 18 years old citizens are specified in the event  that it is issued or changed within 10 working days. 20 manat for under 1 year old children, 40 manat for 1-3 years old, 60 manats for 3-18 years old, 80 manats for 18 years old citizens are specified in the event  that it is issued or changed within five working days. 40 manat for under 1 year old children, 80 manat for 1-3 years old, 120 manats for 3-18 years old, 160 manats for 18 years old citizens are specified in the event  that it is issued or changed within one working day.

- Which penalties are applied in the event that the regular passport is lost?

— According to the last changes, previously a citizen was held administrative liable in the event that he/she lost the passport. Meanwhile he/she was fined at the amount of 30 manats. Currently this penalty is not applied. If the citizen has lost the passport, he/she can obtain new passport by paying in addition at the amount of 10 manat for the state duty. For example, if the citizen is 18 years old and wants to obtain a passport within 10 days, he/she pays duty at the amount of 40 manats. If other citizen has lost and wants to obtain the passport, he/she does not pay duty at the amount of 40 manats, just 50 manats. Change to the law on the state duty was made on January 1, 2018.

- Ms. Maharramova, in which problems do you face most in working process?

— Our work is hard, responsible and honourable. Our work is mainly to ensure citizen satisfaction. Citizen must satisfy from us. We try to help a citizen within the framework of the law. We have difficulties in case of unawareness of citizen in the terms of law. Thus it is difficult to explain legal problems to the citizens. Sometimes citizen says that he/she has been restricted for going out from the country. We have difficulty until explaining it to a citizen. But he/she demands the passport persistently. Or he/she says: “I have paid for duty; why do not you issue my passport?” So we explain that they can regain the payment made. There are no serious problems.

- To my knowledge, your regional sectors and main departments operate without a break on holidays.

— Yes, the regional sectors and main departments operate in enhanced work mode on holidays. Passports are issued every day and on rest-days as well as without dinner break. Every day the department is open and the citizens can apply.

- How is the passport issued to children?

— The parent of the citizen who is under 15 years old must participate while applying for the passport according to the legislation. The citizen who is over 15 years old can apply himself/herself. Sometimes there are some problems in healthy of a child, and the child must go to examination together with parents. But as he/she is at one of the parents, other parent does not let. In these events this case shall be settled in a judicial procedure. The trial makes a relevant decision. After this resolution comes into force, we can give the foreign passport to the child without permission of that parent. In the event that there is reference in which information about the father has been written according to the mother’s words, in the birth act issued by the Ministry of Justice of Azerbaijan Republic the permission of that parent is not required.

Or out-of-wedlock child is born, but the father gives his surname to this child. In this case there must be claim of paternity. If this document is available, the father must either participate while the passport is issued to the child or submit a letter of consent notarially.

- In which case can the passport be changed duty-free?

— In the event that name, surname and patronymic have been written wrongly on the passport or any mistake is detected in electronic chip, the regular passport is changed duty-free.

- What distresses the citizens more while the passport is changed?

— Sometimes a citizen applies with an old passport having visa. The citizen wants to take the old passport while obtaining new one. It was not specified in the Legislation of Azerbaijan Republic. According to the legislation, the passport can be given back to a citizen if the term of visa is long in the regular passport. In other cases the passport is a property of Azerbaijan Republic and in no case passport is given back to a citizen. Citizens often note that embassies demand old passport from them. It happens because of unawareness of a citizen. But all data are recorded in bases of the embassies. We try to please citizen as much as possible. Copies of visas expired in the passports are submitted to a citizen in order to ensure citizen satisfaction.

- In what age is fingerprint captured?

— Capturing a citizen’s fingerprint, as well as taking a photo in accordance with requirements of International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) are carried out in the body that issues the passport. The fingerprint is not captured from the citizens who are under 15 years old. The fingerprint is captured in the process of acceptance of documents. Previously the citizens used to bring ready photos. Currently the photo is taken in the period of acceptance of documents.

- Is there any difference between our and other countries’ regular passports in the terms of safety?

— I would say that the passport issued in Azerbaijan Republic is in the first places in the world for its safety. It is impossible to fake it. There are national attributes on the sheets of the passport. Data of the citizens were placed in the electronic chip. Faking it is impossible. New passport have lots of sheets, as well.

- What would you recommend to the followers of our site in order not to face with problems?

—Principally I would say that you must pay attention regularly to the expiration of the passport. Sometimes people become cheerfully for “We go abroad” and don’t pay attention to the passport. But in border entry point it turns out that the term of the passport has expired. It causes cost in any amount. That is why they must be attentive.

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