Baghdad: In recent days, there have been circulating claims in mass media that Iraqi citizens wishing to travel to Azerbaijan for tourism are encountering difficulties. However, the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Iraq has stated these claims are unfounded.

According to Azeri-Press News Agency, to enhance the visa application process and prevent fraudulent applications, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and ‘VFS Global,’ a leading international company in visa services. This agreement, aimed at improving service quality for Iraqi citizens, has been in effect since July 10, 2024. The ‘Azerbaijan Visa Application Center’ at VFS Global’s Baghdad office is now responsible for accepting and processing tourist visa applications.

The procedure for processing these applications is aligned with Azerbaijan’s legislative requirements, and all services at the center adhere to a unified service fee structure as outlined in the memorandum. Both the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Iraq and VFS Global’s head office closely monitor the center’s activities to ensure compliance and transparency.

Furthermore, tourism companies in Iraq with negative reputations are prohibited from submitting applications, ensuring only credible entities can facilitate travel to Azerbaijan. Despite challenges such as the absence of direct flights and airspace closures in 2025, the Embassy received 5,904 visa applications by October 27, 2025, and issued 5,650 visas.

Notably, companies that lodged media complaints, like ‘Alkaither,’ have not submitted any applications to the Embassy or the Visa Center. ‘Alkaither’ also confirmed that the complaints attributed to them were fraudulent and affirmed there were no issues with the visa process for Iraqi citizens.

All applications and complaints are thoroughly reviewed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy, with corrective actions taken if necessary, according to the information provided.