UK Embassy launches new visa center in Baku
By Sara Rajabova
A new visa center for issuing visas to the Azerbaijani citizens for visiting the United Kingdom opened in Baku on April 24.
The opening of a visa center in Baku is the next step towards further strengthening of the ties between Azerbaijani and UK citizens, British Ambassador to Azerbaijan said at the center's opening ceremony.
Irfan Siddiq said the UK wants to provide more simplified, convenient conditions for Azerbaijani citizens' visits to the country.
He also pointed out that there was some misunderstanding regarding this issue.
"Some even said that the embassy will be closed, it will be impossible to get a visa and there will be need to go to another country for this. However, it is untrue. There are no changes in the procedure. Instead of the British embassy you simply come to this office and submit your documents; this procedure is more convenient in this center," Siddiq said.
He noted that the center has been created to render more qualitative services to Azerbaijani citizens, adding these services will be rendered promptly.
Siddiq went on to note that it will be possible to get a visa within 15 working days.
Also, representative of Visas and Immigration Center of UK Border Agency, Chris Veit said at the opening ceremony that in global context, this model is used in the whole world and visa centers operate in various countries.
Earlier, the embassy informed that UK's new commercial partner Teleperformance Ltd took over the running of the United Kingdom's Visa Application Centers in Baku from March 2014.
Teleperformance LLC started to manage the center on March 27, 2014.
The UK recognized Azerbaijan's independence in December, 1991. Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established in March, 1992.
Azerbaijan and the UK have benefitted from close bilateral partnership and cooperation since 1992, in the framework of international organizations such as the United Nations, OSCE, Council of Europe, and NATO. The relations have covered a wide range of issues, from high-level political dialogue to growing trade and investment, as well as strengthening cultural and humanitarian ties.
Economic cooperation between the two countries, especially in the energy sector, is at the core of the relations between Azerbaijan and the UK. The UK is the largest foreign direct investor in Azerbaijan, followed by the U.S. and Japan.
Azerbaijan cooperates with the UK in the exploration and transportation of oil and natural gas from the Azerbaijani part of the Caspian Sea.