Key takeaway
Polish travellers frequently stumble on the ASAN visa form. Here is how to sidestep the name, address, and photo errors that delay approvals.
Why Polish Travellers Hit Delays on the Azerbaijan e-Visa Form
The Azerbaijan electronic visa (e-Visa) is available to Polish passport holders, and the application process runs entirely online through the ASAN system. For most applicants, approval arrives within three business days for the standard tier. Yet a significant number of Polish travellers see their applications stalled, sent back for correction, or outright rejected — not because of eligibility issues, but because of preventable mistakes on the form itself.
At azerbaijan-visa.com, we process applications from Polish citizens every week, and the same errors surface again and again. This guide breaks down the three most common problem areas — name order, address fields, and photo issues — and shows you exactly how to sidestep them so your approval comes through without friction.
Start your application at /order-now.
Mistake 1: Name Order and Spelling Errors
Your full name on the Azerbaijan e-Visa application must match the machine-readable zone (MRZ) of your Polish biometric passport exactly, character for character. That means:
- Given name and surname go into separate fields. Do not combine them.
- All diacritical marks present in your passport must be included. A Polish passport lists characters such as Ł, Ń, Ś, Ć, Ó, Ż, Ź, and Ę. Omitting or replacing them with plain ASCII equivalents is a common error. For example, "Kowalski" is fine, but "Wiśniewski" must be written exactly as "Wiśniewski" — not "Wismewski."
- No nicknames or translations. Even if your travel companions call you by a shorter version of your given name, the application field must reflect the official name on your passport.
- Middle names, if present in the passport, belong in the designated middle-name field, not appended to the first name.
If you discover a spelling error after submission, you cannot edit a live application. You must cancel it and file a fresh one. That doubles your waiting time. Triple-check every character before you submit.
Mistake 2: Address Field Format
The ASAN form asks for your residential address in a way that does not map neatly onto how Polish addresses are written. The form uses a generic international address layout with separate fields for street, house number, apartment number, city, postal code, and country. Polish applicants frequently run into trouble in two specific ways.
1. Mixing up street and city in the city field. Polish cities like "Warszawa," "Kraków," and "Gdańsk" must be entered exactly as written, with the correct diacriticals. "Warszawa" — not "Warszawa" without the Polish characters, and not "Warsaw." The form does not accept English translations of Polish city names.
2. Entering the postal code in the wrong format. Polish postal codes follow the five-digit pattern XX-XXX (for example, 00-001 for central Warsaw). The field may be labelled generically. Some applicants enter a three-digit code, omit the hyphen, or paste the full address into a single text box. Use the hyphen exactly as shown.
Mistake 3: Photo Issues That Lead to Instant Rejection
The Azerbaijan e-Visa requires a digital photograph that meets ICAO standards. This trips up a surprising number of applicants, including seasoned travellers who assume any recent passport photo will work.
Here is what the ASAN system checks:
- Dimensions: 3×4 centimetres, which is a different ratio from the 3.5×4.5 cm used for Polish national IDs and passports.
- Background: Plain white or near-white. Patterns, shadows, or coloured walls disqualify the photo.
- Face positioning: Full face, centred, eyes level with the horizontal midline. The face should occupy 70–80% of the frame.
- Expression: Neutral, mouth closed, both eyes open.
- Glasses and headwear: Not permitted unless you have a current medical reason or wear a religious head covering consistently. Even then, frames must not obscure the eyes and the face must be fully visible.
- File format and size: JPEG or JPG, typically no larger than 240 KB. The system may reject files that are too large even if the dimensions are correct.
Do not scan a printed photo. A scanned print loses resolution and introduces shadows and colour casts. If your digital camera or phone can take a 3×4 cm photo against a plain white wall in good lighting, that is your best option.
What Happens After You Apply
Once your application is submitted and the photograph, name, and address all pass initial automated checks, the ASAN system routes your request to Azerbaijan's State Migration Service. Processing tiers work as follows:
- Standard: Up to three business days.
- Urgent: Typically within 24 hours.
- Super-fast: Same-day issuance, though fees are higher.
Most rejections at the automated stage are caused by photo format problems or name-character mismatches. Rejections at the manual review stage are rarer but can occur if your passport is within six months of its expiry date — Azerbaijan requires at least six months of validity beyond your intended departure date.
Check your email (and spam folder) daily after submission. If the migration service requests additional information, respond within 48 hours to avoid automatic application closure.
Supporting Documents and Polish Passport Specifics
Beyond the form itself, keep these Polish-specific points in mind:
- Passport type: Your Polish biometric passport (burgundy cover, introduced in 2021) is accepted without condition. The older green Polish passport is also accepted for e-Visa purposes.
- Purpose of travel: The e-Visa covers tourism and short business visits. If you plan to work, study, or stay longer than 30 days, you need a different visa category.
- Transit: If you are transiting through Azerbaijan and staying less than 72 hours, you may qualify for a simplified procedure, but the e-Visa still covers this scenario cleanly.
Always carry a printed or digital copy of your approved e-Visa confirmation. Border officials may ask to see it alongside your passport on arrival at Heydar Aliyev International Airport or at a land border crossing.
FAQ
1. Can I apply for an Azerbaijan e-Visa if I hold dual Polish citizenship? Yes, as long as you travel on your Polish biometric passport. Apply using the passport you intend to use at the border.
2. My Polish name contains special characters — will the ASAN form accept them? The form generally supports Latin-extended characters including Ł, Ń, Ś, Ć, Ó, Ż, Ź, and Ę. Copy them exactly from your passport's MRZ line. If the field rejects a character, try entering the closest standard ASCII equivalent and note the discrepancy in a covering statement.
3. My application was rejected. Can I reapply immediately? Yes, you can submit a new application. Before doing so, identify and correct the reason for rejection. Common causes are photo format, name mismatch, or expired passport details.
4. Does the e-Visa allow multiple entries for Polish citizens? The standard Azerbaijan e-Visa is a single-entry document valid for 30 days from the date of issuance. You must leave the country before the validity expires if you hold a single-entry visa.
5. What is the validity period once the e-Visa is approved? The e-Visa is typically valid for 90 days from the date of issue, with a permitted stay of up to 30 days. You must enter Azerbaijan within this window.
6. Can I use a Polish address proof or utility bill as supporting documentation? The standard e-Visa application does not require supporting documents. However, if your application is flagged for address verification, you may be asked to provide a recent utility bill or bank statement showing your name and Polish address.
Key Takeaways
- Copy your name and all special characters directly from your passport's MRZ line — no abbreviations, no translations, no nicknames.
- Enter your address using Azerbaijan's standard international field format; Polish-style formatting does not work on the ASAN form.
- Submit a photo that is exactly 3×4 cm on a white background; this is a different size from a Polish national ID photo.
- Choose the processing tier — standard, urgent, or super-fast — that aligns with your departure date before you start the form.
- Apply at azerbaijan-visa.com and double-check every field before submission to avoid the most common rejection triggers.
Azerbaijan Visa Editorial
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