The only country in the world that still has its borders closed due to COVID-19
The country is continuing the rules that began in 2020, despite the fact that most countries lifted restrictions years ago.
Azerbaijan once again finds itself isolated on the map. The government in Baku has decided to keep its land borders closed until January 1, 2026, extending a measure first introduced in spring 2020 to curb the spread of COVID-19. With this decision, the country becomes the only one in the world still keeping its borders shut because of the pandemic.
The decree, signed on September 22 by Prime Minister Ali Asadov, prolongs the so-called “special quarantine regime,” which has been in place for more than five years. Although most health restrictions were lifted in March 2023—allowing air travel without medical certificates or negative tests—land entry and exit remain prohibited except in exceptional cases, such as authorized freight transport.
The new extension pushes the previously planned reopening from October 1, 2025, to January 1, 2026, consolidating what has become an internationally unprecedented closure. In practice, foreigners and stateless persons may only enter Azerbaijan by plane, while land crossings remain shut to tourism and routine travel.
While countries around the world lifted their last coronavirus-related border measures long ago—most between 2021 and 2022—Azerbaijan has chosen to maintain partial isolation, a decision that is surprising to say the least.
At the same time, the government has attempted to balance this prolonged closure with gestures of openness. For instance, it recently simplified visa procedures for fans and staff attending the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Baku, won by Max Verstappen on September 21.
Authorities justify the border policy as necessary to “prevent the spread of the coronavirus and its potential negative consequences,” according to VisaNews. Yet in a global context where nearly all nations have abandoned pandemic restrictions, the decision only reinforces Azerbaijan’s image as a unique case of prolonged land isolation.
Azerbaijan's land border remains closed since spring 2020 because... there is still "raging COVID pandemic" in their country... lol
— Nara (@nmatini) September 24, 2025
The only "nice" exception was when they opened their border to let their troops invade Armenia in 2021/2022. Still there.pic.twitter.com/pTGI8kMJJJ https://t.co/nAa0J0hyDb
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What was once the norm in 2020 risks becoming, by 2026, part of Azerbaijan’s identity. This hermetic stance is partly shaped by the country’s intermittent armed conflicts, particularly in the Republic of Artsakh. For one reason or another, the physical closure promoted by Baku persists—even if now it serves more as a symbol of security than a public health measure.
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