Japan Citizens Get Visa-Free Entry to Azerbaijan Three Times From July 2026

Japanese passport holders will be able to travel to Azerbaijan without a visa between 1 July 2026 and 1 July 2027, the Azerbaijan Tourism Board (ATB) said. Under the arrangement, visitors can enter up to three times and stay for a maximum of 30 days on each visit.

Key facts

• Who: citizens of Japan
• Window: 1 July 2026 to 1 July 2027
• Number of entries: up to three visits
• Length of stay: up to 30 days per visit
• Cost: no fee is stated in the announcement

What are the visa-free terms?

Japanese citizens may enter Azerbaijan visa-free during the one-year period, with a maximum of three visits and stays of no more than 30 days each. The ATB describes the arrangement as making the journey easier for Japanese travellers.

The announcement does not state what documents travellers must carry, whether the visits can be extended, or what rules apply after 1 July 2027.

Why is this being promoted now?

The visa-free window coincides with a tourism campaign built around the second season of the Japanese thriller VIVANT, produced with Tokyo Broadcasting System Television (TBS). The ATB began working with the production in 2025, helping the team scout filming locations in Azerbaijan with the aim of encouraging viewers to visit the country themselves.

More than 20 posts on VIVANT's official social media channels have featured the filming locations, alongside a dedicated Azerbaijan section on the drama's website. TBS programming, cast interviews and press coverage have also highlighted the country and the experience of filming there.

What travel options are being offered?

One Japanese tour operator is selling Azerbaijan itineraries that take in locations from the drama. An Azerbaijan feature is also planned for the official VIVANT guidebook, scheduled for publication across Japan in March 2027.

Beyond television, the campaign includes an Azerbaijan-inspired product with Japanese brand Koikeya and pomegranate flavours in the VIVANT Immersive Mission experience. International distribution through Netflix is planned, extending the promotion to audiences outside Japan.

What this means for travellers

Japanese citizens planning a trip to Azerbaijan can check whether their travel dates fall within the 1 July 2026 to 1 July 2027 window and how many of the three permitted visits they have used. The ATB says the campaign is intended to turn interest in the filming locations into actual visits.

The cooperation was marked at an ATB gala dinner in Tokyo on 11 November, held as part of a tourism roadshow in Japan. The event was attended by the VIVANT producer, Azerbaijan's Ambassador to Japan Farid Talibov and ATB chief executive Florian Sengstschmid, who discussed the next stage of the partnership.