The Milli Majlis (National Assembly) of the Republic of Azerbaijan has approved, in the first reading, legislative amendments aimed at digitizing administrative procedures for extending the temporary stay of foreigners and stateless persons in the country.
According to the Operative Information Center-OMM, the draft amendments to the Migration Code, as well as the laws "On Registration at the Place of Stay and Place of Residence" and "On State Duty," were discussed during today's plenary session of the parliament's extraordinary session.
Officials stated that once the state duty is paid, the decision regarding the extension will be uploaded to the applicant's electronic cabinet within the E-Government Information System and simultaneously sent to their registered email address. The initiative also ensures the formalization of these decisions via electronic signatures and clarifies the legal framework for providing such electronic services.
The proposed changes to the Migration Code introduce an additional ground for refusing an extension of stay: the failure to provide one or more of the documents required under Article 41.1 of the Code. Furthermore, amendments to the law "On State Duty" specify that no additional fee will be charged for the re-issuance of a decision regarding the extension of a temporary stay.
The draft law also includes transitional provisions. Decisions on the extension of temporary stay issued before the law enters into force will remain valid until their expiration. In cases where such documents are lost, destroyed, rendered unusable, or if the personal data of the foreigner changes, the decisions will be re-issued electronically, uploaded to the E-Government Information System, and sent to the applicant's email without requiring an additional state duty.
Following the parliamentary debate, the draft law was put to a vote and adopted in the first reading.
Context: This legislative move is part of Azerbaijan's broader strategy to modernize public administration and enhance the efficiency of migration services. By transitioning to electronic platforms, the government aims to reduce bureaucratic hurdles, improve transparency, and provide more accessible services for foreign nationals residing in the country, aligning with the nation's ongoing digital transformation agenda.
