- Azerbaijan opened visa on arrival for race-linked airport arrivals from August 25 to September 30, 2026.
- Eligible travelers must show ticket or accreditation for Baku F1 at the airport kiosk before passport control.
- Others still use the ASAN e-visa system, while separate visa-free rules continue for some Gulf travelers.
President Ilham Aliyev signed an order on August 25, 2026, simplifying entry for the 2026 Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku. The measure opens a temporary visa on arrival at Azerbaijan's international airports for race-linked arrivals. It is narrow. Not broad.
The special rule runs from August 25, 2026 to September 30, 2026. It applies only to foreign citizens and stateless persons arriving by air in connection with the event. Anyone outside that lane must use ordinary entry routes. Not everyone qualifies.
Free toolSchengen Short-Stay Visa Calculator
Access depends on race-linked documents. Fans heading to Baku F1 can use the airport channel only if they can show the right paper trail. The ticket can be electronic, and proof of ticket purchase counts too. Accreditation from Formula One Management Limited and the FIA works as well, along with accreditation from the Baku City Circuit Operations Company.
Travelers collect the visa through the ASAN self-service kiosk in the arrivals hall before passport control. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was also told to notify Formula One Management Limited, the FIA, IATA, foreign authorities, and Azerbaijan's embassies and consulates. The kiosk sits in arrivals. The process stays at the airport.
Everyone else still uses the ordinary system. The fallback stays open. It is the normal path for travelers without race papers.
Three entry paths remain beside the race channel
| Route | Who can use it | Key facts |
|---|---|---|
| Race-linked airport channel | Foreign citizens and stateless persons arriving by air for the race | Works with a ticket, proof of purchase, or accreditation from Formula One Management Limited, the FIA, or the Baku City Circuit Operations Company |
ASAN e-visa | Travelers without qualifying race documents | Single-entry visa valid for up to 30 days, USD 20, normal processing in three business days, expedited service in three hours |
| Standing visa-free or visa-on-arrival rules | Saudi, Omani, Bahraini, and Kuwaiti passport holders, plus some residence-permit holders from Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, or the UAE | Separate rules continue alongside the Formula 1 window |
Race documents, not passports, decide who gets the airport visa
The special rule is document-based, not passport-based. The airport desk looks first at what the traveler carries. The nationality check takes a back seat here. Documents do the work.
Those standing rules keep running beside the Formula 1 exception. The race order did not erase them. It simply added another airport path for eligible arrivals tied to the event.
The Grand Prix leaves a four-day buffer
The Grand Prix falls on Saturday, September 26, 2026. The airport facility remains open four days after race day, so the rule outlasts the weekend itself. Short buffer. The calendar is fixed.
British travel advice updated on September 15, 2026 to add the F1 visa procedure information. The policy is part of Azerbaijan's effort to simplify entry for race visitors and extend the event's economic impact beyond the circuit. The special airport channel remains tied to air arrivals and closes on September 30, 2026.
