Mail Delivery In Baku, Azerbaijan: What You Need To Know

Mail is delivered in Baku, Azerbaijan, by the postal service provider Azərpoçt, which covers all territories of the country. The company was founded in 1999 by the Ministry of Communication of Azerbaijan and has over 1,500 post offices. Azərpoçt offers traditional postal services, such as receiving and sending letters, parcels, and express mail, as well as non-traditional services like banking, insurance, and electronic payments. Baku has a long history of postal communication, dating back to the early 19th century when it was part of the Russian Empire. The first post office in the region was established in 1818 in Ganja, and Baku organised its first post expeditions in 1826. Today, international mail services to Baku are provided by various carriers, including Royal Mail, USPS, and UPS, with delivery times ranging from 3-5 working days for priority services to up to 12 weeks for economy services.

Azərpoçt is the national postal operator in Azerbaijan

Mail is delivered in Baku, Azerbaijan, by Azərpoçt, the national postal operator in Azerbaijan. Founded on September 29, 1999, by the Ministry of Communication of Azerbaijan, it replaced the "Azərpoçt İstehsalat Birliyi" (Azerpost Production Union), which had been created following the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991.

Azərpoçt became the national postal operator in 2004 and covers all territories of Azerbaijan. The company has 4 affiliated branches: sorting and technical support services, express mail, and special communication. There are about 1,500 post offices of Azərpoçt, which provide postal services and some commercial services to customers.

The history of postal communication in Azerbaijan dates back to 1501 when Ismail I, the shah of Safavid Iran, created the first systematized postal system within the modern borders of the country. The modern post system was introduced in the early 19th century when Azerbaijan was part of the Russian Empire. The first post office was opened in 1818 in Yelisavetpol (now called Ganja). Post expeditions were later organized in Baku in 1826 and in Nakhchivan in 1828. The development of railway transportation in the late 19th century played a significant role in improving postal services, with the first railway post route established between Baku and Tbilisi in 1883.

In addition to traditional postal and parcel services, Azərpoçt also offers non-traditional services such as banking, insurance, and financial services. They also provide e-government e-services, including the issuance of various certificates and documents, as well as facilitating the payment of taxes, duties, and other fees to local and central executive bodies.

Postal services in Baku include traditional and non-traditional services

The traditional postal services that "Azərpoçt" offers include sending and receiving small packets, wrappers, letters, and parcels. The company also provides express mail services, which are faster than the standard physical postal items. Additionally, they offer telegraph services, allowing people to send and receive information in the form of telegrams.

"Azərpoçt" also provides special communication services, including courier, postal courier communication, and special postal services. They sell public postal payment symbols, such as postal stamps, postal marks on envelopes, and postal cards. These symbols are used to pay for postal services and are considered a form of payment.

In addition to these traditional services, "Azərpoçt" has expanded to offer non-traditional services as well. These include financial services, such as electronic payments for pensions, social benefits, and money transfers. They also offer the collection of payments for public utilities and taxes. "Azərpoçt" has improved the existing money order system and issues debit cards based on customers' deposits.

The company also provides e-government e-services, which involve issuing various certificates and business or personal documents from local and central executive bodies. They facilitate the payment of taxes, duties, and other fees to these executive bodies.

"Azərpoçt" has approximately 1,500 post offices across Azerbaijan, ensuring widespread access to postal services for the country's residents.

There are restrictions on sending certain items to Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan has a range of restrictions on items that can be sent into the country. It is important to check the official customs page before sending goods to Azerbaijan, as the list of restricted items changes frequently.

Items that are prohibited from being sent to Azerbaijan include:

• Articles for smoking opium and hashish
• Coins, foreign currency, banknotes, credit notes, securities payable to bearer, checks, precious metals, precious stones, natural diamonds, jewels, and other valuable articles
• Films containing technology on the manufacture of narcotics, psychotropic or toxic substances, explosives, arms or ammunitions, or promoting immorality, violence, or terror
• Firearms, ammunition, cutting and stabbing arms, and other articles designed for attack or defense (e.g. knuckledusters, stiletto blades, balls of paralyzing fluid), explosives, and war materiel
• Narcotics and psychotropic substances, as well as articles for their use
• Printed matter (books, newspapers, pictures, manuscripts, typescripts, and plans) promoting immorality, violence, or terror
• Radioactive materials
• Rare plants listed in the Red Book of the Republic of Azerbaijan, antlers, and horns of the species Cervidae
• Articles subject to customs duty may not be sent in ordinary or registered First–Class Mail International items, First-Class Package International Service items, Priority Mail International Flat Rate Envelopes, or Priority Mail International Small Flat Rate Priced Boxes

Additionally, certain items require prior authorization from relevant authorities in Azerbaijan. These include:

• Biological and veterinary products used in veterinary medicine and raw materials of animal or plant origin
• Hunting weapons and ammunition
• Medicaments and vitamin preparations
• Radio-electronic media and high-frequency apparatus
• Seeds, plants, root tubers, bulk and other plant parts, fruits, legumes, and fresh vegetables

Royal Mail offers an International Signed service for items sent to Azerbaijan

Mail is delivered in Baku, Azerbaijan, by the postal service Azərpoçt, which was founded in 1999 and became the national postal operator in 2004.

The cost of the International Signed service to Azerbaijan starts from £10.95 online and £15.30 at a branch. The maximum weight for this service is 2kg, and the package dimensions must not exceed L 90cm x W 46cm x D 46cm.

It is important to note that there are restrictions on what can be sent to Azerbaijan. For example, coins, foreign currency, precious metals, and jewels are prohibited. It is the sender's responsibility to ensure that the items being sent are permitted and comply with the regulations of both Royal Mail and the destination country.

Azerbaijan's postal history dates back to the early 19th century

The first postmarks with city names and dates soon followed the initial postmarks. Azerbaijan's postal history is closely tied to its political history, having been part of the Russian Empire, briefly independent in 1918, and then a part of the Soviet Union from 1920 until 1991. During this time, the country's postal system underwent various changes, reflecting the political shifts.

The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, which existed from 1918 to 1920, established the Ministry of Post and Telegraph in 1918. During this period, the country issued its first stamps, consisting of a set of ten pictorial designs with a value of 50r. Two distinct printings were made, with the first being on white paper with whitish gum and the second on buff paper with yellow gum or no gum. The first printing is considered scarcer, and forgeries of it exist.

In 1920, the country became the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic (ASSR) after the Red Army entered its capital, Baku. The ASSR issued its first stamps in 1921, depicting local and political scenes, including an oil well and a mosque. The country's postal system continued to develop, with the interchange of postal items, money orders, and valuable letters and parcels organized between Azerbaijan and Georgia in 1919. Post-telegraph relations were also established with Iran in 1920.

During World War II, the need to improve the economy and social conditions led to a significant expansion of postal services in Azerbaijan. The postal communication network increased by nine times during this period, with a large proportion of post offices located in rural areas. The International Post Expedition was held in Baku in 1945 to facilitate the movement and protection of international parcels.

In the 1950s, compared to the 1940s, the interchange of letters increased by 140%, parcels by 80%, money orders by 237%, and periodicals by 80%. The total length of postal routes also expanded, reaching approximately 8,668 km. The use of air and sea transportation further enhanced delivery capacity.

In 1991, with the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Azerbaijan regained its independence and established the national postal service, Azərpoçt, in 1992. Azərpoçt underwent restructuring in 1999 and became the national postal operator in 2004, providing postal services to all territories of Azerbaijan. The company has over 1,500 post offices and offers both traditional and non-traditional services, including financial and electronic government services.

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