How to Get Azerbaijan CitizenshipKey facts
- Residence for naturalisation
- 5 years
- Language
- Test or certificate
- Dual citizenship
- New citizens only
- Civic test
- Required, no test specified
- Criminal record
- A criminal record or good character condition applies
- Income condition
- Income or economic resources must be shown
- Dual citizenship in detail
- Partly accepted: for new citizens onlyNew citizens do not have to give up their previous citizenship.Authorities can withdraw citizenship from citizens who naturalise abroad.
- Available routes
- Region
- Asia
- Law in force as of
- 1 January 2024
- Last checked
- Not yet checked by our team
The rule text in the sections below was coded for the law on 1 January 2024. A November 2026 search found no later change for this country, but this has not been verified.
Naturalisation (residence)
This route covers foreign residents who seek citizenship after living in Azerbaijan, subject to the conditions below. Meeting the legal conditions does not guarantee approval, since authorities retain final discretion.
- Residence
- 5 years
Person has had 5 years of permanent and uninterrupted residence.
- Previous citizenship
- New citizens do not have to give up their previous citizenship
- Language
- Required, with a test or certificate
Knowledge of language (certificate) required.
- Civic knowledge
- Required, no test specified
Commitment to abide by the Constitution.
- Criminal record
- A criminal record or good character condition applies
Application is rejected if the person calls for forcible change of the state structure set by the Constitution of the Azerbaijan Republic, for disturbing its territorial integrity, performs activities that cause damage to state security, public order, the health and morality of the population, propagandises racial, religious and national hatred, or has relations with terrorist activities.
- Income or economic resources
- Income or economic resources must be shown
Legal source of income required.
Descent (citizen parent)
Descent from a citizen parent is the basis of this route in Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan grants citizenship by operation of law, requiring no decision from any authority.
Descent (born in country)
Person is born in Azerbaijan to a citizen.
Descent (born abroad)
Person is born abroad to a citizen.
Child of a new citizen
For children whose parent becomes a citizen of Azerbaijan, the rules below set out what applies. Meeting the legal conditions does not guarantee approval, since authorities retain final discretion.
Person is a child under 14 years old and both parents (or his/her one known parent) are acquiring citizenship. If one parent is acquiring citizenship and the other parent is a foreigner, the child acquires citizenship upon the request of the parent acquiring citizenship, provided that the other parent consents. If one parent is acquiring citizenship and the other parent is a stateless person, the child acquires citizenship, provided that s/he lives in the country. If one parent is acquiring citizenship and the other parent is a stateless person, a child who does not live in the country acquires citizenship upon the request of the parent acquiring citizenship, provided that the other parent consents.
Adoption
Adoption by a citizen of Azerbaijan is the basis of this route. Azerbaijan grants citizenship by operation of law, requiring no decision from any authority.
Person is adopted by parents who are both citizens. If only one parent is a citizen, the child will acquire citizenship by consent of the adopters. Child's consent is required if s/he is between 14 and 18 years old.
Former citizens (reacquisition)
For former citizens of Azerbaijan, the rules below show when citizenship can be reacquired. Meeting the legal conditions does not guarantee approval, since authorities retain final discretion.
Person has previously been a citizen of the Azerbaijan Republic, or his/her citizenship has been terminated. No conditions, but application will be rejected for the reasons listed under the rules for ordinary naturalisation.
Refugees
For recognised refugees in Azerbaijan, the rules below set out what applies. Azerbaijan grants citizenship by operation of law, requiring no decision from any authority.
Person is a refugee who was settled in the territory of the Azerbaijan Republic from 1 Jan 1988 until 1 Jan 1992.
Stateless persons
This route covers stateless people and children who would otherwise be stateless, subject to the conditions below.
Foundlings
Person is a child living in Azerbaijan and of unknown parentage.
Otherwise stateless (born in country)
Person is born in Azerbaijan to parents who are both stateless.
Stateless persons
Person is stateless. Other conditions: see the rules for ordinary naturalisation.
Special achievements
Special achievements, or a national interest in granting citizenship, are the basis of this route in Azerbaijan. Meeting the legal conditions does not guarantee approval, since authorities retain final discretion.
Person has high achievements in the sphere of science, technics, culture or sport, or the person represents a special interest for the country. No conditions, but application can be rejected for the reasons listed under the rules for ordinary naturalisation.
Public or military service
For people with public or military service for Azerbaijan, the rules below set out what applies. Meeting the legal conditions does not guarantee approval, since authorities retain final discretion.
Person has rendered great service to the country. No conditions, but application can be rejected for the reasons listed under the rules for ordinary naturalisation.
Not available in Azerbaijan: Marriage or civil partnership, Birth in the country, Other family members of citizens, Citizens of specific countries, Ethnic or cultural affinity, Residence during childhood, Very long residence, Investment. This follows the GLOBALCIT coding, with in-force changes applied.
Dual citizenship
The two directions differ in Azerbaijan: new citizens are treated differently from citizens who naturalise abroad.
- New citizens
- New citizens do not have to give up their previous citizenship
- Citizens who naturalise abroad
- Authorities can withdraw citizenship from citizens who naturalise abroad
Person voluntarily acquires citizenship of another country.
Compare with neighbours
Across Western Asia, the most common requirement is 5 years, and Azerbaijan sets the same period.
Check where Azerbaijan sits in the full residence ranking
| Country | Residence | Language | Dual citizenship |
|---|---|---|---|
 Armenia | 3 years | Required, no test | Accepted |
 Jordan | 4 years | Required, no test | Citizens abroad only |
 Lebanon | 5 years | None | Accepted |
 Saudi Arabia | 5 years | None | Not accepted |
 Syria | 5 years | Required, no test | Accepted |
 Türkiye | 5 years | Required, no test | Accepted |
Official sources
This page was located by search and has not yet been checked by our team.
Naturalisation provisions: Nationality law: Art. 14.
Cite this page
TravelDecl. (n.d.). How to Get Azerbaijan Citizenship. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://traveldecl.com/citizenship/azerbaijan/
<a href="https://traveldecl.com/citizenship/azerbaijan/">How to Get Azerbaijan Citizenship</a> (TravelDecl, retrieved 5 November 2026)
Sources and licence
Vink, van der Baaren, Bauböck, Džankić, Honohan, Manby (2025). GLOBALCIT Citizenship Law Dataset v3.1. Global Citizenship Observatory, https://hdl.handle.net/1814/73190. CC BY 4.0. Modified by TravelDecl.
Modified by TravelDecl: updated with changes after 1 January 2024.
GLOBALCIT codes the law as written. Fees, processing times, quotas and how officials apply the rules in practice are not in this dataset: check them with the official authority.
FAQ
How many years to become an Azerbaijani citizen?
Ordinary naturalisation in Azerbaijan requires 5 years of residence, plus the other conditions in the law.
Does Azerbaijan allow dual citizenship?
Partly. Azerbaijan accepts it for new citizens, but not generally for citizens who naturalise abroad.
Do I need a language test for Azerbaijani citizenship?
The law of Azerbaijan requires language ability, shown by a test or certificate.
Is there a civic knowledge test for Azerbaijani citizenship?
Demonstrating civic knowledge is necessary for Azerbaijani citizenship, yet no test format is specified.
Do I have to give up my current citizenship to get Azerbaijani citizenship?
Your current citizenship does not need to be given up to get Azerbaijani citizenship. The law of your current country may have its own rules on this.
Can I get Azerbaijan citizenship by marriage?
No separate marriage route is coded for Azerbaijan. Other routes on this page may still apply to a spouse.
Can I get Azerbaijan citizenship by descent?
Yes, Azerbaijan has a descent route. Procedure: automatic.
Can I get Azerbaijan citizenship by investment?
No. The data codes no citizenship-by-investment route for Azerbaijan.
Related pages
Also see: Azerbaijan passport, visa-free access and entry rules. Latest law changes.
Corrections to this page are handled by Sarah Kim, Fact-Checker.