Manama, Jan. 29 (BNA): Bahraini citizens will be granted visas upon arrival in Azerbaijan starting February 1, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry has said.

“From February 1, facilitation of visa procedures in all international airports of the Republic of Azerbaijan will be applied to the citizens of Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Japan, China, South Korea, Malaysia and Singapore,” the ministry said in a statement posted on its website.

The decision aims “to increase people-to-people contacts and promote tourist visits and business ties in regard with the tasks given by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan at the meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers dedicated to the results of socio-economic development of the first half of 2015 and objectives for the future,” the ministry said.

The new facilitation procedures have been applied to the citizens of the United Arab Emirates since November 10, it added.

Azerbaijan’s normal procedure requires foreigners to obtain a visa from one of its diplomatic missions ahead of traveling.