Identification of foreigners’ SIM-cards to be accelerated

/By AzerNews/

By Nigar Orujova

Foreign citizens who arrive in Azerbaijan and purchase local SIM-cards will be instantly identified, according to the Information Computer Center of the Communications and High Technologies Ministry.

Azerbaijani legislation does not require registration in the State Migration Service of foreigners who stay in the country for only 10 days.

“Previously, it was not possible to identify foreigners who bought SIM-cards within the first 10 days of their stay in Azerbaijan. But after we receive access to the information systems of the competent authorities, this data will come to us online,” a center official said.

Thus, the identity of foreigners who arrived in the country, have completed passport control requirements and purchased SIM-cards, for example, at the airport, will be automatically recognized by the system, the center noted.

Further, a new method of selling SIM-cards was tested in the customer service centers of three mobile operators, Bakcell, Azercell and Azerfon, covering nearly all of the country, excluding the occupied territories.

New procedures in identifying foreign SIM-card purchases were carried out in accordance with the decision of the government of Azerbaijan to amend the procedure for the sale of SIM-cards.

According to the procedure, the sale of SIM-cards will be carried out in a centralized manner, and applying a single rule for all operators is meant to eliminate existing shortcomings in this field and organize the selling of the cards.

In practice, the activation of SIM-cards and determining the identification of its owner is carried out through the information system integrated into the electronic government portal.

Information about SIM-card owners is entered into the database of both mobile operators and the Information Centre of the Ministry.

Registration of foreigners can be carried out at the offices of the Migration Service, by mail or e-mail. The service is free and application forms are available at the Migration Service, post offices, and at www.migration.gov.az. E-applications must be sent to [email protected].

Azerbaijan, a country with just over 9.5 million people, has a mobile phone penetration rate of 112 percent.