In a world where almost everyone has moved on from border regulations due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Azerbaijan is making a very weird decision. All land borders will remain closed until January 1, 2026, since the Baku government has once again extended its closure. Prime Minister Ali Asadov signed the decision on September 22, extending the “special quarantine regime” that started on spring 2020.
Air travel is open though, you can fly in and out and no negative test results or medical certifications are needed to fly in (since March 2023) but regular land-based entry and departure are still prohibited unless there’s un exception or approved case. Azerbaijan is essentially the only nation that has kept border closed because of COVID-19.
According to authorities, another possible pandemic is something to carefully take care of, so they are still trying to “avoid the spread of the coronavirus and its potential bad consequences.”
And to keep the country moving, at the same time the government makes small gestures of transparency, like reducing the visa requirements for Formula 1 spectators attending the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku, which Max Verstappen won on September 21.
The meaning of the extension and how it works
The most recent decree clarifies two points. First, it extends a set of regulations that have controlled mobility in Azerbaijan for more than 5 years by delaying over and over again the reopening, which was initially planned for October 1, 2025, and now, January 1, 2026.
Second, it keeps the roads closed but skies opened. At the same time regular land border crossings is still prohibited for either daily travel or tourism, foreigners are allowed to arrive by plane. If you want to get in by car, that is limited to exceptional trips, like authorized shipping or delivery.
For travelers, this is a rigid reality. If you have to enter the nation, you can fly, but that is pretty much it, if you wanted to do a road trip to the neighbors, that’s a no! And since the majority of countries were done with measures like this one between 2021 and 2022, this 2025 approach is unique. Azerbaijan has chosen to remain partially isolated under the pretext public health.
How is this still possible in 2025?
The policy’s foundation is COVID-19 control (on paper). But contextually, it also illustrates how border control can affect identity and stability. The long closure has become unusual worldwide and is now a reflection of Azerbaijan’s current security, selective, and cautious self-image.
References to the Republic of Artsakh and Nagorno-Karabakh are on the backdrop, as well as the nation’s sporadic conflicts and tensions. But this is not being discussed by official when talking about the border’s closing. The land perimeter stays hermetically sealed, regardless of how health justification or security symbolism are balanced.
For certain situations though, they have softened the entry to the country, which is what happened with the recent Formula 1 weekend, where visa procedures were expedited for spectators and employees of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku, which featured Max Verstappen as the winner. But even though that action kept the door open at the airport, it did not loosen land borders.
A policy that’s becoming an identity
Cross-border regulations related to the COVID-19 pandemic are history almost everywhere else. But Azerbaijan remains number one in category due to the decision to maintain all land borders closed until January 1, 2026.
What was a crisis measure in 2020, it’s becoming in 2026, part of the national profile.
Is it really a healthcare measure or a political excuse taking advantage of the situation? This is a difficult one to answer. For now, just know that you can fly in as you like, but unless you’re an exception, don’t expect to drive or walk across from next door, and hopefully January 26 will be the end of it.