Can I stay in Azerbaijan after graduation?

I have been here for four years. I have been here for four years and as a student resident, I am spending my time here. It’s a very good experience for me. For me, it has been a very good experience in this regard. As far as the journey you are asking about is concerned, first of all, the journey from Pakistan to Baku, if you want to call it that, involves a lot of things, including the reason why we came here. If you look at Azerbaijan’s scope in general, it is very good in terms of studies, and also very good from an investment point of view. And as you know, Azerbaijan is also a tourism hub.

So overall, it was a multi-purpose platform to select, and you can understand my parents’ suggestion in this, as they also advised, and I was willing myself. So when I visited Baku in Azerbaijan, I first visited as a tourist. After this, when I visited its different universities, I then selected that I should continue my higher education in Azerbaijan. At the moment, I am pursuing my higher education.

Which subject did you take admission in?

Yes, I am in Business Administration, Business, exactly. And my university is Odlar Yurdu University, and the teachers here are very good. The plus point I want to tell you about is that the people in Azerbaijan are very loving and caring. Regarding my fellows, they are very cooperative, loving, and caring. So coming to Azerbaijan, I never felt that the decision to select Azerbaijan was wrong. I never felt that at any time because coming to Azerbaijan day by day, I got a very good experience being a student resident, and in the future, I plan to do even better as a business.

A big question people have is, how much money did it take to come to Baku on a student visa?

Yes, I will tell you about this. Regarding a student visa, people are often misguided. First of all, I will make it clear that people have the concept that if you come as a student, you can openly do a job officially here, which is absolutely not possible. Many people are misguided about these things. First of all, if you come to Azerbaijan as a student, the government law of Azerbaijan does not allow you to work. You cannot do a job officially. Yes, you can work online, do freelancing, or you can register a company and work through the system, but an official job is not allowed.

Secondly, there are many scams where people misguide students and ask for excessive payments. The reality is that as a student, you can continue your study here on a very low budget. At minimum budget, whether for a language course or higher education, your semester-wise fees are very reasonable. Approximately, for my bachelor’s program, my per-year fee is $2000. For language students, it depends on the university, but in minimum budget, you can continue your study here. With just $2000 per year, you can do your batches here. I think this is slightly less than a good university in Pakistan. Plus, the exposure and what Baku offers is amazing.

Another question students often ask is about language requirements. Is IELTS 6.5 or something similar required?

No, I want to mention one thing here. First of all, as a student, the requirement is that your higher education documents should be attested. Attested documents are required, which can be done through the Foreign Affairs or Apostille. Without this attestation and IPC, your documents are not accepted in Azerbaijan. So if you plan to study in Azerbaijan, whether a language course or higher education, your documents need proper attestation.

Regarding visa cost, for tourist visa, it is 11,000 PKR. Is study visa the same or different?

All visas are the same. Only the category changes. Let’s suppose education visa, tourism visa, business visa, or personal visa. The cheapest visa, I think, is a study visa for 11,000 PKR. Yes, it is an easy-access visa country where you can apply for an e-visa online from home. Student visa too. Only the category needs to be changed. In 3-4 hours, your urgent base is done. If you apply for a normal visa, in 3-4 days, you get your normal visa.

Now let’s talk about a difficult question. First, tell our viewers, was there any requirement for a bank statement?

As I told you, as a student, first of all, your attested documents are required. Secondly, you don’t need any bank statement. Thirdly, you don’t need any IELTS. You only need your matriculation, intermediate, and higher education documents. Just attested documents with your passport scan copy, and you can come to Baku.

Now tell us, what problems did you face as a student here? What departments did you have to register with? Also, how difficult was it to find accommodation? Were there any scams? Share a true student life story with our viewers.

Regarding scams, they do not happen unless you invite them yourself. I have been in Azerbaijan for four years, and I haven’t faced any scams. The reason is that nothing is difficult here. Finding an apartment or dealing with accommodation-related matters is not a problem. The people of Azerbaijan are very friendly, caring, and loving. So as a student, I haven’t faced any difficulty. If you maintain your documents properly, your medicals, everything in a proper file, complete your university documents, and then get them approved at immigration or Asan Khidmat, do your TRC process, you won’t face any problems. It’s a very transparent system. After this, depending on your choice, if you want a hostel or apartment, you can easily find accommodation.

Regarding living cost, on average, how much is spent in a month?

In Azerbaijan, living cost and standard of living are very good, and the cost is very low. A student can cover all expenses, including rent, dormitory, food, traveling, and studies, in $200 to $300 per month. Maximum up to $300. A student can easily manage all expenses.

Another thing viewers often ask is about permanent residency. After how many years of study or minimum investment can you go for PR?

I want to make it clear that if you follow rules, it’s better. According to the law of Azerbaijan, minimum $60,000 investment in property also gives you residence, and with bank deposit too. These are the rules. With a minimum $60,000 investment, you can easily get property residence and migrate with your family. Similarly, bank deposit residence allows residence via bank deposit. There are different types of residence: property residence, bank deposit residence, business residence, and student residence. Among these, for many, the easiest residence to obtain is student residence. But some rules have changed, and the government has become strict regarding students. So I would advise everyone to avoid scams where they promise jobs on student visa, which is not allowed. Secondly, you can continue your studies on minimum budget.

What is the best way for international students to get a permanent residence?

The best way for international students to get permanent residence (PR) in Azerbaijan is to first get temporary permits through studies and then transition. However, the most direct routes usually involve getting a job after graduation, making a big investment, starting a business, or having close family members who are citizens or residents. There are also some financial limits for investment (for example, 500,000 AZN in the economy or 100,000 AZN in property or a bank account) after staying in the nation for two years.

Can you apply for residency with a student visa?

Yes, you can and should apply for a Temporary Residence Permit (TRP) in Azerbaijan while you are on a student visa. Your university will help you change from a short-term student visa to a one-year renewable TRP for studies, usually starting the process a month before your first visa expires so you can stay in the country longer.