Planning a business trip to Baku: timing, language, meetings

Before you book a business trip to Baku, you need to know which days offices actually work, what language your meetings will be in and when an interpreter or a certified translation is needed. The short answer: Azerbaijan’s Labour Code sets a five-day working week with two rest days and lists the holidays that are not working days, including 5 days for Novruz and 2 each for Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, and the dates of these three holidays are announced year by year¹. The state language is Azerbaijani², so do not assume your meetings will be held in English or Arabic.

Timing: the working week and official holidays

The Labour Code (Əmək Məcəlləsi) caps normal working time at 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week, and sets a five-day working week with two rest days. It allows an employer or the competent executive authority to set a six-day week depending on the nature of the production, work or service¹. The Code does not name the rest days, so ask your host which days their office works.

Days that are not working days

Article 105 of the Code lists the Republic’s holidays and states that the following are not working days, and Article 106 adds the national day of mourning¹:

The Code lists other occasions among the holidays, including State Sovereignty Day (20 September), Restoration of Independence Day (18 October), Constitution Day (12 November) and National Revival Day (17 November), but these are not non-working days¹.

Four rules that affect your travel dates

• The three moveable holidays are announced each year: the competent executive authority sets the days of Novruz, Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha for the following year and announces them before the end of December¹. For 2026, the Cabinet of Ministers issued Decision No. 362 on 2 December 2025³. For a trip in March or May 2027, wait for the official decision.
• A holiday can run longer: if a weekly rest day falls on a non-working holiday, the rest day moves to the working day immediately after the holiday. Working days and rest days may also be swapped by decision of the competent executive authority so that rest days run together¹. The actual break can therefore be longer than listed.
• The day before is shorter: the working day immediately before a non-working holiday or the national day of mourning is shortened by one hour, with exceptions set out in the Code¹.
• Not everything stops: the Code bars employers from calling staff in on rest days and these holidays, with exceptions that include continuous production, trade, public catering, communications, transport and other service sectors¹. Shops and restaurants may therefore be open while offices are closed.

Entry and registration: two checks before you book

Your entry route depends on your passport; our guide Azerbaijan e-visa: who needs one and how to apply explains the visa-free, e-visa and embassy routes.

If your temporary stay lasts more than 15 days (or more than 30 days for citizens of Kazakhstan), you must be registered at your place of stay, according to the State Migration Service (Dövlət Miqrasiya Xidməti)⁴; the details are in our guide Place-of-stay registration in Azerbaijan: who, when and how.

Language: when to plan an interpreter and when you need a certified translation

Article 21 of the Constitution states that the state language of the Republic of Azerbaijan is Azerbaijani, and that the state guarantees the free use and development of other languages spoken by the population².

In meetings (our practical suggestion)

We found no rule in the official sources we read on the language of private business meetings. Ask your host in advance what language the meeting will be in, who will attend and whether they will provide an interpreter. For negotiations or technical discussions, bring an interpreter you have chosen and send them the agenda and key terms beforehand.

At a notary

If you will sign a power of attorney or another document before a notary, the Law on Notariat (Notariat haqqında) provides that notarial work is conducted in the state language; if the applicant does not know it or asks for another language, the notary drafts the documents in that language where possible, or a translator translates the text⁵. We suggest asking the notary beforehand whether you need to bring a translator.

Under the same law, a notary who knows both languages may certify the accuracy of a translation; if not, a translator translates the document and the notary certifies the translator’s signature⁵. The law also lists certifying the accuracy of a translation among the acts performed by authorised officials of Azerbaijan’s consulates⁵, so before you travel, ask the consulate in your country whether it offers this service. In Baku, ASAN service centres offer this notarial service, listing as required documents the applicant’s attendance in person, the identity card of a citizen of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the diploma of a translator who knows the language concerned⁶.

Which documents need a certified translation depends on the receiving body; for company registration, our guide Registering an LLC in Azerbaijan as a foreign founder explains the legalisation, apostille and translation requirements.

Bodies that introduce foreign businesses to the market

Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Agency (AZPROMO). The agency says it was established in 2003 by the Ministry of Economy (originally as a foundation), and that its current charter was approved by a Presidential Decree of 23 July 2021⁷. Its page lists among its aims facilitating networking with local companies, supporting foreign companies that want to gather comprehensive information about the investment climate in Azerbaijan, and providing services to interested investors on a “single window” principle⁷. The page we read does not explain how to request these services or on what terms, so ask the agency well before your trip.

Trade exhibitions. Timing your trip around your sector’s exhibition in Baku may let you meet several companies in a few days (our suggestion). The calendar of Iteca Caspian, a private organiser, lists its Baku exhibitions by date, among them the Azerbaijan International Construction Exhibition, and links to a 2027 calendar⁸. This is a commercial calendar, not a government source, so confirm dates with the organiser.

A meeting plan: our step-by-step suggestion

Realistic expectations

We suggest treating a first exploratory trip as a chance to gather information and build contacts rather than to close deals. No one can guarantee that meetings will take place, that you will find a partner, or any particular commercial outcome. If you are offered a contract or a power of attorney during the trip, have it reviewed by a licensed lawyer in Azerbaijan before you sign.

When this guide may not suit you

• You intend to take up paid work in Azerbaijan: this guide does not cover working, so check the work permit rules with the State Migration Service before you travel.
• Your trip is to sign a contract or set up a legal entity: you will need a notary and a licensed lawyer in Azerbaijan, not just a meeting plan.
• Your activity needs a licence or involves public procurement: these are regulatory questions outside the scope of this guide.

Frequently asked questions