The legal norms of visa-free travel between Armenia and Azerbaijan established by 1992 Bishkek agreement are de facto inoperative, Foreign Minister Spokesperson Anna Naghdalyan said in a statement.

The agreement on visa-free travel of citizens of the CIS member states, signed in Bishkek on October 9, 1992, establishes a regime of entry, exit and movement of citizens without a visa to each other’s territory, an opportunity to regulate those procedures under national law, as well as the right to impose restrictions on movement or to establish other internal regulations.

Later, the visa-free regime with a number of CIS member states was supplemented or replaced by bilateral agreements.

The legal norms of the above-mentioned agreement do not apply de facto to the citizens of the Republic of Armenia and Azerbaijan; in special cases the entry of citizens of both countries to the Republic of Armenia or Azerbaijan is allowed out on the basis of a special permit under the direct control of the competent authorities.

Pursuant to Article 6.1 of the Law on Foreigners, the condition for entry of foreigners to the Republic of Armenia is the permission of the state administration body (border guard service) authorized by the Government of the Republic of Armenia, which applies to any foreigner, regardless of the visa regime or visa requirement.

The above information has always been available on the website of the RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs.