Mailing To Azerbaijan: Local Name Required Or Not?

Azerbaijan is divided into 66 or 67 rayons, which are administrative districts. The term rayon is used in several post-Soviet states to refer to a type of subnational entity or division of a city. In Azerbaijan, the rayon names are not used in addresses. However, if you are mailing something to a small town or village in Azerbaijan, including the rayon name can help to avoid confusion, especially if there are multiple places with the same or similar names.

Azerbaijan's address format

Recipient's name, house number, street name, village/town, postal code, and city. The postal code is made up of two letters, "AZ", followed by four numbers; for example, "AZ 1000". When written in Azeri, house numbers are often written after the street name.

British Embassy, 45 Khagani Street, AZ1010, Baku

Azerbaijan has 66 rayons, 12 cities, and 1 autonomous republic. However, rayon names are not included in addresses.

Postal codes in Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan's postal code is a six-character alphanumeric code that consists of a space followed by a letter and four digits. The current format is AZ NNNN or AZ-NNNN, with the first two characters representing the region, the next two the district within that region, and the final character the town or village. Each district has its own specific postal code, with the first character representing the region: A for Absheron, B for Baku, C for Gobustan, and D for Nakhchivan.

Azerbaijan's postal code system was inherited from the Soviet Union and consisted of a six-digit block. After gaining independence, the country switched to the current four-digit system. On April 1, 2003, Azerbaijan updated its postal code format, and while codes now usually follow the AZ-NNNN format, they may also be written without the hyphen. The first two digits of the postal code indicate the regions of Azerbaijan, including the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic and Nagorno-Karabakh.

Azerbaijan has 66 rayons, 12 cities, and 1 autonomous republic, but these rayon names are not used in addresses.

Restrictions on mailed items to Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan has a number of restrictions on mailed items and postal services. The country's postal service, Azərpoçt, provides mail services within the country and internationally. Here are the restrictions to be aware of when mailing items to Azerbaijan:

Rayons and Administrative Divisions:

Azerbaijan is administratively divided into 66 rayons (rayonlar), 12 cities (saharlar), and one autonomous republic (muxtar respublika). When addressing mail to Azerbaijan, it is important to know that rayon names are not used in addresses. Instead, the city or settlement name is used, followed by the postal code.

Postal Codes:

Azerbaijan changed its postal code system in 2003, moving away from the six-digit code used during the Soviet era. The current postal codes in Azerbaijan are in the format "AZ 9999" or "AZ)9999," where the first two letters indicate the country, and the numbers represent a specific area. The first digit can range from 0 to 7 or 8, and each area has a unique set of numbers.

COVID-19 Entry Restrictions:

As of March 28, 2023, Azerbaijan lifted COVID-19-related travel restrictions for incoming travellers. Proof of vaccination, recovery, or negative tests is no longer required for entry into the country. However, travellers should still check for any updates or changes to these restrictions before planning their trip.

Visa Requirements:

Most foreign citizens need a visa to enter Azerbaijan, which can be obtained through the Azerbaijan e-Visa system or at an embassy. The e-Visa allows for a stay of up to 30 days and is valid for a single entry. Certain countries are exempt from visa requirements, allowing their citizens to stay in Azerbaijan without a visa for up to 90 days.

Restricted Areas:

Foreign citizens are prohibited from visiting the Nagorno-Karabakh region and its surrounding territories. Additionally, the Azerbaijani exclaves of Karki, Yukhari Askipara, Barxudarlı, and Sofulu require special permission from the Azerbaijani government to visit.

Customs Regulations:

Azerbaijan customs regulations restrict the import of certain items and limit the quantity of others. Alcoholic beverages are limited to 3 litres per person, and goods for personal use must not exceed $1,500 USD in value. Precious metals and jewellery must be declared upon arrival, and currency import restrictions apply. Non-residents can carry up to $10,000 USD into the country, while departing travellers can take up to $50,000 USD if declared on arrival.

Azerbaijan's administrative districts

Azerbaijan has a total of 66 to 67 rayons (rayonlar, singular rayon), 11 to 12 cities (şəhər, singular şəhər), and 1 autonomous republic (muxtar respublika). The rayon names are not used in addresses.

The rayon is a type of administrative unit used in several post-Soviet states. The term refers to both a type of subnational entity and a division of a city. The word is derived from the French rayon, meaning 'honeycomb, department'. In Azerbaijan, the rayon is a standardised administrative entity, usually a subdivision two steps below the national level.

The districts or rayons of Azerbaijan are further divided into municipalities (bələdiyyə). Additionally, the districts are grouped into 14 Economic Regions (İqtisadi Rayon).

• Abşeron/Abseron/Absheron Rayonu
• Ağcabədi/Agcabadi/Aghjabedi/Aghabadi Rayonu
• Ağdam/Agdam/Aghdam Rayonu
• Ağdaş/Agdas/Aghdash Rayonu
• Ağstafa/Agstafa/Aghstafa Rayonu
• Babək/Babek/Babak Rayonu
• Balakən/Balakan/Belokan Rayonu
• Bərdə/Barda Rayonu
• Beyləqan/Beylaqan Rayonu
• Biləsuvar/Bilasuvar Rayonu
• Cəbrayil/Cabrayil/Jabrayil/Jebrayil Rayonu
• Cəlilabad/Calilabad/Jalilabad Rayonu
• Daşkəsən/Daskasan/Dashkasan Rayonu
• Füzuli/Fuzuli Rayonu
• Gədəbəy/Gadabay Rayonu
• Gəncə/Ganca/Ganja Sahari
• Göyçay/Goycay Rayonu
• Göygöl/Goygol Rayonu
• Hacıqabul/Haciqabul/Hajigabul Rayonu
• İmişli/Imisli/Imishli Rayonu
• İsmalıllı/Ismayilli Rayonu
• Kəlbəcər/Kalbacar/Kalbajar Rayonu
• Kəngərli/Kangarli/Kengerli Rayonu
• Kürtəmir/Kurdamir Rayonu
• Laçın/Lacin/Lachin Rayonu
• Lənkəran/Lankaran Rayonu
• Lənkəran/Lankaran Sahari
• Masallı/Masalli/Massali/Massaly Rayonu
• Mingəçevir/Mingacevir/Mingachevir Sahari
• Naxçıvan Muxtar Respublikası/Naxcivan Muxtar Respublikasi §
• Neftçala/Neftcala/Neftchala Rayonu
• Oğuz/Oguz/Oghuz Rayonu
• Ordubad/Ordoubat/Ordubat Rayonu
• Qax/Qakh/Gakh Rayonu
• Qazax/Gazakh/Qazakh Rayonu
• Qəbələ/Qabala/Gabala Rayonu
• Qobustan/Gobustan Rayonu
• Quba/Guba/Kuba Rayonu
• Qubadlı/Qubadli/Gubadly/Kubately Rayonu
• Saatlı/Saatli/Saatly Rayonu
• Şabran/Shabran Rayonu
• Şahbuz/Shahbuz/Shakhbuz Rayonu
• Şamaxı/Samaxi/Shamakhi/Shamakhy Rayonu
• Sədərək/Sedarak/Sadarak/Sederek Rayonu
• Şəki/Saki/Shaki Rayonu
• Şəki/Saki/Shaki Sahari
• Şəmkir/Samkir/Shamkir Rayonu
• Şərur/Sherur/Sharur Rayonu
• Şirvan/Shirvan Sahari
• Siyəzən/Siyazan/Siazan Rayonu
• Sumqayıt/Sumqayit/Sumgayit Sahari
• Şuşa/Susa/Shusha Rayonu
• Şuşa/Susa/Shusha Sahari
• Tərtər/Tartar Rayonu
• Xaçmaz/Khachmaz Rayonu
• Xankəndi/Khankendy/Khankendi Sahari
• Xocalı/Khojaly/Khojali Rayonu
• Xocavənd/Khojavend Rayonu
• Yardımlı/Yardimli/Yardymli Rayonu
• Yevlax/Yevlakh Rayonu
• Yevlax/Yevlakh Sahari
• Zəngilan/Zangilan Rayonu
• Zərdab/Zardab Rayonu

The importance of including rayon in an Azerbaijani address

Azerbaijan is divided into 66 or 67 rayons, also known as administrative districts or regions, which are further divided into municipalities. A rayon is a type of administrative unit in several post-Soviet states, usually a subdivision two steps below the national level. In Azerbaijan, the rayon is the primary level of administrative division.

The importance of including the rayon in an Azerbaijani address becomes clear when you consider that there are numerous places in Azerbaijan with the same or similar names. For example, there is a city of Aghdam and a rayon of Aghdam. The same is true for the city of Zaporizhzhia and a village of the same name. Including the rayon in an address helps to avoid confusion and ensures that mail is delivered to the correct location.

When writing an address in Azerbaijan, the format is as follows:

> number [ ] Thoroughfare name { [, ] Apartment or floor number postal code [ ] Settlement { [-] sorting code}

While the rayon names are not used in addresses, the postal code is an essential element of the address and helps to ensure that mail reaches its intended destination. However, if the destination is a small town or village, including the rayon in the address may be helpful, especially if the name of the town or village is not unique.

In conclusion, including the rayon in an Azerbaijani address can be important, particularly for smaller towns or villages with non-unique names. While the postal code may be sufficient for larger cities, including the rayon can provide additional clarity and help to avoid confusion, ensuring that mail reaches its intended recipient without delay or error.

Frequently asked questions