Azerbaijan Mobile Registration: Surviving the 30-Day CEIR Rule
Azerbaijan runs a centralised national system for tracking mobile phones, the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR). It works as a strict whitelist: every mobile device that connects to an Azerbaijani network is monitored from its very first connection.
Understanding the 30-day grace period
- The 30-day clock: phones bought abroad have a strict 30-day grace period, starting from the moment they first connect to a local mobile network (even briefly, through an international roaming handover).
- The penalty: if the phone is not registered within 30 days, all cellular services (calls, texts and mobile data) on local Azerbaijani SIM cards are permanently blocked for that IMEI.
How to register your foreign phone in Azerbaijan
If you plan to stay in Azerbaijan long term, or to use a local SIM beyond the first month:
- Keep track of your date of entry and when your phone first connected to a local network.
- Go to the official Azerbaijan Electronic Government portal or visit an ASAN service centre.
- Submit your passport details, proof of entry and your phone's IMEI number.
- Pay the state registration fee, which varies with the specification and market value of your phone.
