The basic concepts used in this Law have the following meanings:

The IDP status can be granted according to decision of appropriate executive authority to the citizen of the Republic of Azerbaijan, being forced to leave the place of the permanent residence in the other country and came to the Republic of Azerbaijan by the reasons, indicated in part 1 of this Article.

The status of refugee is not granted to the following persons:

Political asylum shall be granted to the foreigners and stateless persons in accordance with Article 70, part 1 and Article 109, clause 21 of the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Person seeking the refugee status on the territory of Republic of Azerbaijan shall pass the border control posts in compliance with the legislation of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

The person, arrived to the Republic of Azerbaijan without valid travel document due to the reasons indicated in the Article 1 of the present law and applied to the relevant governmental body as soon as possible shall stay exempt from the responsibility, provided by the legislation of the Republic of Azerbaijan based on the grounded reason of that body.

According to the reasons set forth in the Article 1, part 1 of present Law the refugee can no way be sent or forcibly expelled to the country, where there is a dangerous for his life and freedom.

Unless otherwise is provided by the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan, present Law and other legislative acts, the refugees use the rights and duties of the citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan and have the same duties with them.

The person, obtained the status of refugee or IDP (person displaced within the country), is provided with the following guarantees in the established order:

Foreigners and stateless persons holding a refugee status in the Republic of Azerbaijan may exit from the Republic of Azerbaijan on the basis of the "Travel document" issued to them to exit from the Republic of Azerbaijan and return back to the Republic of Azerbaijan without obtaining a visa.

A person, who has been granted the refugee status, uses the rights and has the duties, provided by the legislation of the Republic of Azerbaijan for the foreigners and stateless persons.

A person holding a refugee status can be voluntarily placed in the detention center of illegal migrants of the relevant executive authority in accordance with the procedure established by the Migration Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan, until being employed or acquiring place of residence by him, or for a period not exceeding three months.

The conditions for adaptation, naturalisation, studying of the language, familiarisation with the rights and duties shall be created.

Refugee can use the humanitarian aid.

Refugee can acquire the citizenship of the Republic of Azerbaijan in accordance with the law of the Republic of Azerbaijan «On Citizenship of the Republic of Azerbaijan».

The persons, who couldn’t acquire the status of the refugee and asylum in accordance with the Present Law, can be expelled to the other country in compliance with the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan «On the legal position of the foreigners and stateless persons».

Decisions on granting the refugee and IDP (person displaced within the country) status and depriving the refugee status shall be made by the appropriate executive authorities of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

The persons willing to acquire the status of refugee shall apply to the appropriate executive authority of the Republic of Azerbaijan with the statement for obtaining the status of refugee. Persons, willing to acquire the status of IDP (person displaced within the country) shall be registered in the appropriate executive authority of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Order of submission of solicitation for acquiring the status of refugee is established by the appropriate executive authority of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

The person applied for the refugee status granting has a right to:

A person who applied for the refugee status is required to:

The status of refugee shall not be granted to the applied person, who refuse to give full information of himself or premeditatedly provide with false information of reasons for acquiring the status of refugee.

The decision on granting the refugee and IDP (person displaced within the country) status is made by the appropriate executive authority of the Republic of Azerbaijan within 3 months from the date of registration of applications for the refugee status and 1 month from the date of registration of applications for the IDP (person displaced within the country) status.

The person acquired the refugee status and members of his family are provided with the certificate of refugee status and the travel document, entitling to move out of the borders of the Republic of Azerbaijan in compliance with the Convention of 1951 «On the status of refugees», approved by the relevant executive authority of the Republic of Azerbaijan. For the issuance of a refugee certificate and a travel document, a state fee is levied in the amount established by the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan "On State Duty".

The certificate of refugee, issued in prescribed manner is the document, identifying the personality of refugee, his registration at the place of residence and entitling him staying in the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

A person, whose claim for refugee status has been rejected, shall receive a written notification of the decision with indication of reasons of rejection and procedures of appeal to the Court within 5 days after the decision officially taken by the competent body.

The organization of the person's departure from the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan, in respect of which the decision on rejection of granting the refugee status has been taken, shall be made by the relevant executive authority.

The decision on rejection of granting the refugee status can be appealed administratively and (or) in the court.

Unless otherwise provided by law, submission of compliant by the person shall postpone the activity regarding his expulsion out of the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Refugee and IDP (person displaced within the country) status will cease in the following cases:

When the refugee leave the borders of the Republic of Azerbaijan for permanent residence, obligations of the Republic of Azerbaijan regarding this refugee become void on passing the state border of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

IDP (person displaced within the country) status will cease in the following cases:

Person may be deprived refugee status in the following cases:

The person, applied for the granting of the refugee status, can’t be expelled or compulsory returned to other country during making decision on his matter by the appropriate executive authority.

Decision of deprivation of refugee status, expulsion or compulsory returning of the refugee or the person willing to acquire the refugee status to the other country is made by the Court according to the statement of appropriate executive authority. The relevant executive authority does not take a decision to expel foreigners and stateless persons who have been granted a refugee status outside the Republic of Azerbaijan, as well as political asylum from the part of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

The appropriate executive authorities render the assistance to the refugees and IDPs (persons displaced within the country) with the aim of choosing job.

Recovery of continuous working length of service is carried out at the new working place in the order provided in the legislation.

During without continuing working period, related to the improvement of qualification or acquiring new occupation the refugee and IDP (person displaced within the country) shall receive the average salary at the new working place according to his/her occupation. The salary difference for the whole production period, occurred in connection with changing of profession without discontinuation of work, shall be paid to the refugee or IDP (person displaced within the country) by the institution, enterprise or department, which concluded the labour agreement.

Foreigners and stateless persons applying for refugee status, or having been granted refugee status or political asylum, are not required to receive a work permit to engage in paid employment in the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Provision of refugees and IDPs (persons displaced within the country) with temporary and resident living space is carried out by the appropriate executive authorities of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the order, provided by the legislation.

Expenses occurred in connection with movement of refugee and IDP (person displaced within the country) from the temporary place of residence to the permanent place of residence or to the working place shall be paid to him in established order and amount.

Upon desire of refugee or IDP (person displaced within the country) he/she can be provided with special purpose 10 years interest-free loan, as well as with land plot for using depending on his/her place of residence in the order and amount, established by the legislation.

Refugee and IDP (person displaced within the country) are exempt from payment of notary duties for the apartment or house buying-sale transactions.

Refugees are subjected to the payment of taxes and duties, imposed on the citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Part I of this Article is not applied to the duties, related to the submission of appropriate administrative documents.

Citizens and officials violating this law shall be made answerable in the order, provided by the legislation of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

The Republic of Azerbaijan is collaborating with other states, international bodies and organisations and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees firstly for the purpose of eliminating the reasons causing the problem of refugees and IDPs (persons displaced within the country), improving the financial situation and developing legal status as well as return of the refugees to their country of permanent residence.

The current law is entering into force since the day of official publication.