Aliyev orders to ease visa rules ahead of Eurovision 2012
President Ilham Aliyev has enacted a decree to simplify visa issuance for foreign nationals to arrive in the Azerbaijani capital Baku for the Eurovision 2012 song contest.
According to the decree, citizens of the Eurovision participating countries and stateless persons permanently residing in those states will be able to obtain visas at the divisions of the Foreign Ministry’s consular department in the country’s international airports.
The decree lists the main documents to be submitted with the visa application. These include a formal letter of invitation from the Eurovision 2012 organizing committee, a document confirming European Broadcasting Union accreditation or a ticket to the concert or a document indicating it has been purchased.
Visa applications will be accepted from April 15 to June 1.
The final of Eurovision 2012 is scheduled to take place on May 26, following two semifinals on May 22 and 24. The 57th Eurovision Song Contest will be held in Baku Crystal Hall, which is under construction near the National Flag Square.
Over $63 million will be allocated from Azerbaijan’s state budget to conduct the song contest.
Azerbaijani duo Eldar Gasimov and Nigar Jamal (Ell/Nikki) with their pop-ballad "Running Scared" won the Eurovision contest last year in Dusseldorf, Germany.
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