Talent Visa
Highly Skilled Migrant Programme
🎓 Qualifications
Points-based assessment: applicants must score a minimum of 70 out of 100 points based on education, professional experience, and specialized achievements. No job offer required. Priority sectors include IT, engineering, oil and gas, healthcare, finance, science, culture, and sports.
- Academic degrees and professional certifications
- Length and relevance of work experience
- Patents, publications, or technical accomplishments
- Leadership roles and specialized achievements
⏱️ Duration
Highly skilled migrant status is valid for up to 5 years (renewable). The accompanying temporary residence permit is issued for up to 3 years, extendable for additional 3-year periods.
👪 Dependants
Yes
Spouses and children under 23 years of age may obtain residence permits. Work permits for dependants are issued outside the standard labour migration quota. Dependants benefit from shortened processing timelines for temporary and permanent residence permits.
Azerbaijan's Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP) is a talent-based immigration pathway that allows highly qualified foreign professionals to live and work in the country without a standard work permit or employer sponsorship. Established by Presidential Decree of 6 June 2024, with the legal framework codified through Migration Code amendments in December 2024 and the dedicated online portal launched in November 2025, the programme is administered by the State Migration Service through pass.gov.az. It targets professionals in priority sectors including IT, engineering, oil and gas, healthcare, finance, science, culture, and sports. A key benefit is that no pre-existing job offer is required — applicants can move to Azerbaijan and work independently in any field related to their specialty.
Requirements
- Foreign nationals or stateless persons who score at least 70 out of 100 points in the points-based assessment
- Points are awarded for: academic education (degrees, certifications), professional experience (length and relevance), and specialized achievements (patents, publications, leadership roles, technical accomplishments)
- No minimum income requirement for the initial HSMP application
- No job offer required
- Must work within the recognized field of expertise
Required Documents
- Valid passport (minimum 6 months validity)
- Authenticated diplomas and academic certificates (apostilled or notarized)
- Professional references and certifications
- Documentation of work history (previous 5 years)
- Evidence of specialized achievements (patents, publications, leadership roles)
- Medical certificate confirming freedom from contagious diseases (HIV, Hepatitis B and C)
- All documents must be translated into Azerbaijani or English
Duration & Renewal
Successful applicants receive an electronic certificate confirming highly skilled migrant status, valid for up to 5 years and renewable. Separately, a temporary residence permit must be obtained through the State Migration Service; it is issued for up to 3 years and can be extended for additional 3-year periods. Processing of the HSMP status evaluation takes 20–30 business days, and residence permit processing is faster than the standard timeline for regular applicants.
Family Members
Spouses and children under 23 years of age may obtain temporary residence permits. Work permits for dependants are issued outside the standard labour migration quota, so they do not count against annual industry hiring limits. Dependants also benefit from shortened processing timelines for both temporary and permanent residence permits.
Tax Implications
Tax residency is determined by physical presence: individuals present in Azerbaijan for more than 182 days in a 12-month period are taxed on worldwide income at progressive rates up to 25%. Non-residents are taxed only on Azerbaijan-source income, with employment income taxed at a flat 14%.
Application Process
The entire HSMP application is submitted online through the dedicated portal at pass.gov.az. Applicants create an account, upload required documents (authenticated and translated), and submit electronically. The portal operates on a single-window principle with real-time status tracking. Upon receiving highly skilled migrant status, the holder must separately apply for a temporary residence permit through the State Migration Service, via its electronic services portal (eservice.migration.gov.az) or ASAN Service Centers. Entry into Azerbaijan must be on a business visa. Upon arrival, the applicant must register their place of stay and submit the residence permit application.
Path to Permanent Residence
Highly skilled migrants may apply for permanent residence after the standard qualifying period. They are exempt from the Azerbaijani language proficiency test and the rights and obligations verification that normally apply, and proof of sufficient financial means is also waived for their permanent residence applications.
Other Visa Programs in Asia
Country↑ | Program↕ | Income↕ | Investment↕ | Funds Required↕ | Capital Required↕ | Duration↕ | Dependants↕ | Citizenship↕ | Compare | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
🇦🇿 Azerbaijan | Highly Skilled Migrant Programme | — | — | — | — | 3 years — 5 years | Yes | — | ||
🇦🇿 Azerbaijan | Investor Temporary Residence Permit | — | AZN 100,000 one-time | — | — | 1 year — 3 years | Yes | Yes (5yr) | ||
🇧🇭 Bahrain | Golden Residency Visa for Property Owners | — | BHD 130,000 one-time | — | — | 10 years | Yes | No | ||
🇧🇭 Bahrain | Golden Residency Visa for Talented Individuals | — | — | — | — | 10 years | Yes | No | ||
🇧🇭 Bahrain | Self-Sponsorship Residence Permit (Investor) | — | BHD 100,000 one-time | — | — | 2 years — 10 years | Yes | Yes | ||
🇧🇭 Bahrain | Self-Sponsorship Residence Permit (Property Owner) | — | BHD 50,000 one-time | — | — | 2 years — 10 years | Yes | Yes | ||
🇧🇭 Bahrain | Self-Sponsorship Residence Permit (Retired Foreigner) | BHD 500 / month | — | — | — | 2 years — 10 years | Yes | Yes | ||
🇧🇩 Bangladesh | Investor Visa | — | $75,000 one-time | — | — | 1 year — 5 years | Yes | Yes (5yr) | ||
🇧🇹 Bhutan | Digital Nomad Residence Programme | No minimum income thresho... | — | — | — | 1 year — 2 years | No | — | ||
🇧🇹 Bhutan | Investor Card | — | BTN 15,000,000 one-time | — | — | 3 years | Yes | Yes (20yr) | ||
🇰🇭 Cambodia | Cambodia My 2nd Home (CM2H) | — | $100,000 one-time | — | — | 10 years | Yes | Yes (5yr) | ||
🇰🇭 Cambodia | Retirement Visa (ER Extension of Stay) | $1,500 / month | — | — | — | 1 month — 1 year | No | Yes | ||
🇨🇳 China | Permanent Residence Permit (Investment Category) | — | $500,000 one-time | — | — | Permanent | Yes | Yes | ||
🇨🇳 China | Private Affairs Residence Permit (Entrepreneurship) | — | — | — | CN¥50,000 one-time | 1 year — 5 years | Yes | — | ||
🇬🇪 Georgia | Investment Residence Permit | — | $300,000 one-time | — | — | 5 years | Yes | Yes (10yr) | ||
🇬🇪 Georgia | IT Residence Permit | $25,000 / year | — | — | — | 3 years | Yes | Yes (10yr) | ||
🇬🇪 Georgia | Remotely from Georgia | $2,000 / month | — | — | — | 6 months — 1 year | Yes | — | ||
🇬🇪 Georgia | Short-Term Residence Permit (Property Ownership) | — | $150,000 one-time | — | — | 1 year | Yes | Yes | ||
🇭🇰 Hong Kong | Entry for Investment as Entrepreneurs | — | — | — | No fixed minimum; must de... | 3 years | Yes | — | ||
🇭🇰 Hong Kong | New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme | — | HK$30,000,000 one-time | — | — | 2 years — Permanent | Yes | — | ||
🇭🇰 Hong Kong | Quality Migrant Admission Scheme | — | — | — | — | 3 years — 8 years | Yes | — | ||
🇭🇰 Hong Kong | Top Talent Pass Scheme | HK$2,500,000 / year | — | — | — | 2 years — 3 years | Yes | — | ||
🇮🇳 India | Permanent Residency Status for Foreign Investors | — | ₹100,000,000 one-time | — | — | 10 years — 20 years | Yes | Yes | ||
🇮🇩 Indonesia | Golden Visa (Global Talent) | $2,000 / month | — | — | — | 5 years — 10 years | Yes | No | ||
🇮🇩 Indonesia | Golden Visa (Investor) | — | $350,000 one-time | — | — | 5 years — 10 years | Yes | Yes | ||
🇮🇩 Indonesia | Remote Worker KITAS | $60,000 / year | — | — | — | 1 year — 2 years | Yes | Yes | ||
🇮🇩 Indonesia | Retirement KITAS | $1,500 / month | — | — | — | 1 year — 5 years | Yes | Yes (5yr) | ||
🇮🇩 Indonesia | Silver Hair Visa | $3,000 / month | — | — | — | 5 years — 10 years | Yes | — | ||
🇮🇷 Iran | Investor Residence Permit | — | €100,000 one-time | — | — | 2 years — 5 years | Yes | Yes | ||
🇮🇷 Iran | Special Residence Permit for Non-Iranian Elites | — | — | — | — | 1 year — 5 years | Yes | Yes | ||
🇮🇶 Iraq | Investment Residency | — | No fixed minimum investme... | — | — | 1 year | No | Yes | ||
🇮🇱 Israel | B/5 Investor Visa | — | $220,000 one-time | — | — | 2 years | Yes | — | ||
🇮🇱 Israel | Innovation Visa for Foreign Entrepreneurs | — | — | — | No minimum capital requir... | 1 year — 2 years | Yes | — | ||
🇯🇵 Japan | Business Manager Visa | — | — | — | ¥30,000,000 one-time | 6 months — 5 years | Yes | Yes | ||
🇯🇵 Japan | Designated Activities (Long Stay for Sightseeing and Recreation) | ¥30,000,000 one-time | — | — | — | 6 months — 1 year | Yes | No | ||
🇯🇵 Japan | Digital Nomad Visa | ¥10,000,000 / year | — | — | — | 6 months | Yes | No | ||
🇯🇵 Japan | Future Creation Individual Visa (J-Find) | — | — | — | — | 6 months — 2 years | Yes | — | ||
🇯🇵 Japan | Startup Visa | — | — | — | No fixed minimum capital ... | 1 year — 2 years | No | — | ||
🇯🇴 Jordan | Annual Residence Permit Based on Bank Deposit | JOD 10,000 one-time | — | — | — | 1 year — 5 years | Yes | Yes | ||
🇯🇴 Jordan | Citizenship by Investment | — | JOD 500,000 one-time | — | — | 3 years — Permanent | Yes | Yes (3yr) | ||
🇯🇴 Jordan | Residency by Investment | — | JOD 200,000 one-time | — | — | 5 years | Yes | Yes | ||
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan | A6 Investor Visa (Golden Visa) | — | $300,000 one-time | — | — | 10 years | Yes | Yes (5yr) | ||
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan | C5 Business Immigrant Visa | — | — | — | No minimum capital for sm... | 90 days — 2 years | Yes | Yes (5yr) | ||
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan | Digital Nomad Residency | No minimum income require... | — | — | — | 1 year — 10 years | No | — | ||
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan | Neo Nomad Visa | $3,000 / month | — | — | — | 1 year — 2 years | Yes | — | ||
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan | Permanent Residence Visa for In-Demand Professions | — | — | — | — | 90 days — 10 years | Yes | Yes | ||
🇰🇼 Kuwait | Investor Residency Permit | — | No fixed minimum — KDIPA ... | — | — | 5 years — 15 years | Yes | Yes | ||
🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan | Digital Nomad Status | No fixed minimum income t... | — | — | — | 60 days — 10 years | Yes | Yes | ||
🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan | Investment Visa | — | KGS 10,000,000 one-time | — | — | 5 years — 10 years | Yes | — | ||
🇱🇦 Laos | Investor Visa (NI-B2) | — | No universal fixed minimu... | — | — | 3 months — 5 years | Yes | Yes | ||
🇱🇧 Lebanon | Annual Residence Permit (Cash Bond Deposit) | Cash bond of 1,500,000,00... | — | — | — | 1 year | Yes | Yes (5yr) | ||
🇱🇧 Lebanon | Permanent Residence Permit (Financial Independence) | Cash guarantee of 4,500,0... | — | — | — | 3 years | Yes | Yes (5yr) | ||
🇲🇴 Macau | Major Investment Temporary Residency | — | No fixed statutory minimu... | — | — | 18 months — 3 years | Yes | — | ||
🇲🇴 Macau | Talent Recruitment Residence Permit | — | — | — | — | 3 years — 5 years | Yes | — | ||
🇲🇾 Malaysia | DE Rantau Nomad Pass | $2,000 / month | — | — | — | 3 months — 2 years | Yes | No | ||
🇲🇾 Malaysia | Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) | — | MYR 675,000 one-time | — | — | 5 years — 20 years | Yes | No | ||
🇲🇾 Malaysia | Malaysia Tech Entrepreneur Programme (MTEP) | — | — | — | MYR 50,000 one-time | 1 year — 5 years | Yes | — | ||
🇲🇾 Malaysia | Premium Visa Programme (PVIP) | — | MYR 1,000,000 one-time | — | — | 20 years | Yes | — | ||
🇲🇾 Malaysia | Residence Pass-Talent (RP-T) | MYR 15,000 / month | — | — | — | 10 years | Yes | — | ||
🇲🇻 Maldives | Corporate Resident Visa | — | $250,000 one-time | — | — | 5 years | Yes | No | ||
🇲🇳 Mongolia | Investor Visa | — | $100,000 one-time | — | — | 1 year — 3 years | Yes | Yes (5yr) | ||
🇳🇵 Nepal | Residential Visa for Investors | — | $100,000 one-time | — | — | 1 year | Yes | Yes | ||
🇳🇵 Nepal | Residential Visa for Persons of Exceptional Merit | — | — | — | — | 1 year | Yes | No | ||
🇳🇵 Nepal | Residential Visa for Retirees | $20,000 / year | — | — | — | 1 year | Yes | No | ||
🇴🇲 Oman | Golden Residency Program | — | OMR 250,000 one-time | — | — | 5 years — 10 years | Yes | Yes | ||
🇴🇲 Oman | Retiree Residence Card | OMR 4,000 / month | — | — | — | 5 years | Yes | Yes | ||
🇵🇰 Pakistan | Business-Investor Visa | — | $50,000 one-time | — | — | 1 year — 5 years | Yes | Yes | ||
🇵🇰 Pakistan | Long-Term Residency (LTR) | — | $50,000 one-time | — | — | 5 years — 10 years | Yes | No | ||
🇵🇭 Philippines | Digital Nomad Visa | $2,000 / month | — | — | — | 1 year — 2 years | No | — | ||
🇵🇭 Philippines | Special Investor's Resident Visa (SIRV) | — | $75,000 one-time | — | — | Permanent | Yes | Yes (10yr) | ||
🇵🇭 Philippines | Special Resident Retiree's Visa (SRRV) | $800 / month | — | — | — | Permanent | Yes | Yes | ||
🇶🇦 Qatar | Mustaqel Visa (Entrepreneur) | — | — | — | QAR 250,000 one-time | 5 years | Yes | — | ||
🇶🇦 Qatar | Mustaqel Visa (Talent) | — | — | — | — | 5 years | Yes | — | ||
🇶🇦 Qatar | Real Estate Investment Residency | — | QAR 730,000 one-time | — | — | 1 year — 5 years | Yes | Yes | ||
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | Entrepreneur Residency | — | — | — | SAR 400,000 one-time | 5 years — Permanent | Yes | No | ||
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | Gifted Premium Residency | — | — | — | — | 5 years | Yes | Yes | ||
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | Investor Residency | — | SAR 7,000,000 one-time | — | — | Permanent | Yes | Yes | ||
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | Real Estate Owner Residency | — | SAR 4,000,000 one-time | — | — | 1 year | Yes | Yes | ||
🇸🇬 Singapore | EntrePass (Entrepreneur Pass) | — | — | — | SGD 100,000 one-time | 1 year — 2 years | Yes | — | ||
🇸🇬 Singapore | Global Investor Programme (GIP) | — | SGD 10,000,000 one-time | — | — | Permanent | Yes | Yes (2yr) | ||
🇸🇬 Singapore | Overseas Networks & Expertise Pass (ONE Pass) | SGD 30,000 / month | — | — | — | 5 years | Yes | — | ||
🇸🇬 Singapore | Tech.Pass | SGD 22,500 / month | — | — | — | 2 years — 4 years | Yes | — | ||
🇰🇷 South Korea | D-10 Job Seeker Visa | — | — | Must demonstrate sufficie... | — | 6 months — 1 year | No | — | ||
🇰🇷 South Korea | Immigrant Investor Scheme for Public Business | — | ₩1,500,000,000 one-time | — | — | 2 years — Permanent | Yes | — | ||
🇰🇷 South Korea | Permanent Residence for Overseas Pension Beneficiaries | $6,083 / month | — | — | — | Permanent | Yes | Yes | ||
🇰🇷 South Korea | Technology Startup Visa | — | — | — | No fixed minimum capital ... | 1 year — 2 years | Yes | — | ||
🇰🇷 South Korea | Tourism and Leisure Facility Investment Immigration | — | ₩1,000,000,000 one-time | — | — | 2 years — Permanent | Yes | — | ||
🇰🇷 South Korea | Workation (Digital Nomad) Visa | $6,083 / month | — | — | — | 1 year — 2 years | Yes | No | ||
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | Colombo Port City Investor Visa | — | $100,000 one-time | — | — | 5 years — 10 years | Yes | No | ||
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | Condominium Investment Visa | — | $75,000 one-time | — | — | 5 years — 10 years | Yes | No | ||
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | Digital Nomad Visa | $2,000 / month | — | — | — | 1 year | Yes | No | ||
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | Golden Paradise Residence Visa | — | $100,000 one-time | — | — | 5 years — 10 years | Yes | No | ||
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | Individual Investor Residence Visa | — | $100,000 one-time | — | — | 5 years — 10 years | Yes | No | ||
🇸🇾 Syria | Investment Residency Permit | — | No fixed minimum threshol... | — | — | 1 year — Permanent | Yes | Yes | ||
🇹🇼 Taiwan | Digital Nomad Visitor Visa | $40,000 / year | — | — | — | 6 months — 2 years | No | Yes | ||
🇹🇼 Taiwan | Employment Gold Card | — | — | — | — | 1 year — 3 years | Yes | Yes (3yr) | ||
🇹🇼 Taiwan | Entrepreneur Visa | — | — | — | NT$2,000,000 one-time | 2 years | Yes | — | ||
🇹🇼 Taiwan | Investor Resident Visa | — | $200,000 one-time | — | — | 1 year — 5 years | Yes | — | ||
🇹🇼 Taiwan | Plum Blossom Card (Investment APRC) | — | NT$15,000,000 one-time | — | — | Permanent | Yes | Yes | ||
🇹🇯 Tajikistan | Investor Visa (Category C) | — | $500,000 one-time | — | — | 2 years — 5 years | Yes | Yes | ||
🇹🇭 Thailand | Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) | THB 500,000 / funds | — | — | — | 180 days — 5 years | Yes | No | ||
🇹🇭 Thailand | Long-Term Resident Visa (Work-from-Thailand Professionals) | $80,000 / year | — | — | — | 5 years — 10 years | Yes | Yes | ||
🇹🇭 Thailand | LTR Visa (Wealthy Global Citizens) | — | $500,000 one-time | — | — | 5 years — 10 years | Yes | — | ||
🇹🇭 Thailand | LTR Visa (Wealthy Pensioners) | $80,000 / year | — | — | — | 5 years — 10 years | Yes | Yes | ||
🇹🇭 Thailand | Non-Immigrant Visa (Investment) | — | THB 10,000,000 one-time | — | — | 1 year | Yes | Yes | ||
🇹🇭 Thailand | Non-Immigrant Visa O-A (Long Stay) | THB 65,000 / month | — | — | — | 1 year | Yes | — | ||
🇹🇭 Thailand | Non-Immigrant Visa O-X (Long Stay 10 Years) | THB 3,000,000 one-time | — | — | — | 5 years — 10 years | Yes | — | ||
🇹🇭 Thailand | SMART Visa S (Startup) | — | — | — | THB 600,000 one-time | 6 months — 2 years | Yes | Yes | ||
🇹🇱 Timor-Leste | Business Visa Class II | — | — | — | No minimum capital thresh... | 6 months — 2 years | Yes | — | ||
🇹🇱 Timor-Leste | Investor Residence Authorization | — | $1,500,000 one-time | — | — | 2 years — Permanent | Yes | — | ||
🇹🇷 Turkey | Citizenship by Investment | — | $400,000 one-time | — | — | 5 years — Permanent | Yes | Yes | ||
🇹🇷 Turkey | Digital Nomad Visa | $3,000 / month | — | — | — | 1 year | Yes | — | ||
🇹🇷 Turkey | Short-Term Residence Permit (Tourism Purpose) | $1,200 / month | — | — | — | 6 months — 2 years | Yes | — | ||
🇹🇷 Turkey | Turkiye TechVisa (Startup) | — | — | — | — | 3 years | Yes | — | ||
🇹🇷 Turkey | Turquoise Card | — | — | — | — | 3 years — Permanent | Yes | Yes | ||
🇹🇲 Turkmenistan | Investor Residence Permit | — | $500,000 one-time | — | — | 5 years | Yes | Yes (7yr) | ||
🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates | Golden Visa (Entrepreneur) | — | — | — | AED 500,000 one-time | 5 years — 10 years | Yes | Yes | ||
🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates | Golden Visa (Investor) | — | AED 2,000,000 one-time | — | — | 5 years — 10 years | Yes | Yes | ||
🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates | Golden Visa (Talented Individuals) | — | — | — | — | 10 years | Yes | Yes | ||
🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates | Green Visa (Freelancer / Self-Employed) | AED 360,000 / year | — | — | — | 5 years | Yes | Yes | ||
🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates | Green Visa (Investor/Partner) | — | AED 1,000,000 one-time | — | — | 5 years | Yes | Yes | ||
🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates | Job Exploration Visa | — | — | Must prove sufficient fun... | — | 60 days | No | — | ||
🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates | Retirement Visa | AED 20,000 / month | — | — | — | 5 years | Yes | No | ||
🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates | Virtual Work Residence Permit | $3,500 / month | — | — | — | 1 year | Yes | No | ||
🇺🇿 Uzbekistan | Golden Visa | — | $250,000 one-time | — | — | 5 years | Yes | No | ||
🇺🇿 Uzbekistan | Investment Visa | — | $280,500 one-time | — | — | 3 years — Permanent | Yes | Yes (5yr) | ||
🇺🇿 Uzbekistan | IT Visa | $2,500 / month | — | — | — | 1 year — 3 years | Yes | — | ||
🇻🇳 Vietnam | Investor Visa (DT1-DT4) | — | ₫3,000,000,000 one-time | — | — | 1 year — 10 years | Yes | — | ||
🇻🇳 Vietnam | Special Visa Exemption Card | — | — | — | — | 5 years | No | Yes |