I am in correspondance with a 59 year old woman in Baku, Azerbaijan. I am 62 and we have been writing to each other for several months. I have entertained the idea of meeting her in neutral territory but I have no problem with meeting her in Baku. I asked her if there was any way she could come to the states and she seems to think it will be no problem. She has said if I write a letter of invitation and send a copy of my passport and statements from my bank she can get a visa with no problem as "Azerbaijan has good relations with America". Is Azerbaijan any different than Ukraine or Russia? I think not. I am not a "newbie" having been to Ukraine, Russia aand Latvia and I was married to a woman I met in Odessa which ended in divorce. It was a terrible and very expensive experience but that is another story. I guess I have not learned my lesson but I am hoping that I just got a bad apple and I can still realize my dream.
Also do any of you gentlemen know if you can secure a visa at the airport in Baku? I have heard this is the case and it would save me alot of trouble if this was the case.
I'm not sure about the visa to America, but I went to Baku and got a visa at the airport .... and I'm Australian.
But I hated it :) I was simply travelling through the region and stayed with an Aussie guy who was teaching English there. But I did not like Baku at all .... but if you are going for this purpose, then why not! Go for it :)
I don't have specific info on Azerbaijan, but as far as I know, it is generally quite difficult to get a visa to America from any former Soviet country -- mainly, the U.S. assumes that people from these countries want to get a job in America and stay illegally.
But you can always try -- the State Department can surprise!
I contacted to some people in Baku, getting visa for Azerbaijan citizens is the same procedure as for other FSU countries. If it were so easy I can bet nobody would live in Azerbaijan)))