On the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York, two nations separated by thousands of miles — Azerbaijan and the Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda — have marked a major milestone in their diplomatic relationship with the signing of two landmark agreements that establish full mutual visa exemption for all passport types. The deals, covering holders of diplomatic, official/service and ordinary passports, were formalized in a signing ceremony between Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and Everly Paul Chet Greene, Antigua and Barbuda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Barbuda Affairs.
During the bilateral meeting leading up to the signing, the top diplomats from both countries conducted a comprehensive review of the current trajectory of Azerbaijan-Antigua and Barbuda relations, and mapped out a strategic path for future cooperation. The talks prioritized two core priorities: deepening high-level political dialogue and increasing the frequency of official and informal mutual visits between the two states. Beyond bilateral collaboration, the pair also explored opportunities to expand joint work outside their existing cooperation frameworks within multilateral bodies, including the United Nations and the Non-Aligned Movement, where both nations hold active memberships.
The confirmation of the signing was shared publicly by Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry via an official post on the social platform X, which clarified that the two agreements were signed as separate documents: one covering diplomatic and official/service passport holders, and a second standalone agreement extending the visa waiver to ordinary passport holders for travel purposes.
Per official immigration data from Antigua and Barbuda, the Caribbean nation had already unilaterally granted visa-free entry to Azerbaijani citizens prior to the new agreement. The newly formalized mutual arrangement is projected to unlock a wide range of benefits for both countries: it will streamline travel for official government delegations, remove barriers to informal people-to-people exchanges, and create more favorable conditions for growth in bilateral tourism and cultural connections.
This signing is part of Azerbaijan’s broader diplomatic push during this year’s UN General Assembly session, where the country has prioritized advancing a slate of bilateral agreements and expanding its global diplomatic network. Just days before the deal with Antigua and Barbuda, on September 23, Minister Bayramov also signed a reciprocal visa exemption agreement with Bangladesh that applies to holders of diplomatic, official and service passports, marking another step forward in Azerbaijan’s efforts to deepen its international ties.