Attachment 8 - TDY Briefing.pdf

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED

U.S. EMBASSY

BAKU, AZERBAIJAN

Updated 02/24/2026

TEMPORARY DUTY (TDY) SECURITY BRIEFING

http://www.theodora.com/maps/azerbaijan_map.html

Greetings and welcome to Baku! The following is a brief overview of the security environment in Baku and recommended precautions for a safe and enjoyable visit. If you have any security concerns during your visit, please do not hesitate to contact the Marine

Security Guard at Post One, your first point of contact for security assistance.

Preparation for travel

Do not travel with any prohibited items (see below). There have been incidents in which prescribed medications were deemed unlawful and prevented entry of the traveler. Below are the general categories of prohibited items, the detailed 50+ pages of prohibited items can be made available upon request.

• Service and civilian weapons, all articles of military purpose, explosives, military equipment, ammunition, the circulation of which is forbidden by the Republic of

Azerbaijan.

• Radioactive substances.

• Narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and their precursors, supplies for their use.

• Materials advertising immorality, violence, terrorism.

• Materials on technology of production of narcotic, psychotropic, poisonous, explosive substances; and,

• Drones or drone components.

Please contact U.S. Embassy Baku’s Regional Security Office (RSO) with any questions before traveling (BakuRSO@state.gov).

Crime

Baku is rated as low threat for crime. Most incidents reported to the Embassy involve petty thefts which occur in areas frequented by tourists (Fountain Square, Old City, Park

Bulvar). A few precautions to consider before you head out to explore:

• Sanitize your wallet/purse of unneeded items.

• Carry a photocopy of your passport and visa.

• Use a money clip or keep your wallet in your front pocket.

• Street crimes and scams may begin with a stranger approaching in benign conversation as a distracting technique. A simple question (ex: “What time is it?”) on the street may be a prelude to an ulterior motive. If approached, ignore the subject and walk away.

There have been isolated incidents where Embassy employees and other Western visitors to Baku have been physically assaulted and threatened with knives. Almost all these mailto:BakuRSO@state.gov incidents involved excessive alcohol consumption late at night. A few precautions to consider before a night out on the town:

• Avoid clubs oriented towards adult entertainment as patrons are frequently presented with enormous bills and intimidated into paying them.

• Do not leave drinks unattended for someone to slip something in it.

• Do not travel out at night alone.

Prostitution is illegal in Azerbaijan. All U.S. employees must follow the U.S.

Government’s policy on human trafficking. All employees and contractors under Chief of Mission (COM) Authority are prohibited from soliciting prostitution. COM personnel in violation can be subject to disciplinary actions ranging from admonishment, reprimand, suspension, to separation from Federal service.

Political Demonstrations

Baku is rated as low threat for political violence. Personnel should avoid any large, spontaneous gatherings and demonstrations because they have the potential to quickly become violent. All demonstrations must be approved in advance by the Government of

Azerbaijan and are generally only allowed in designated areas on the outskirts of the city.

Terrorism

Baku is rated as high threat for terrorism. Both transnational and indigenous terrorist threats remain elevated in Azerbaijan and throughout the entire region. Using good judgment and maintaining a low profile is important. Here are a few basic precautions which can greatly reduce vulnerability to a terrorist attack:

• Avoid having a predictable schedule - Vary your routes and time of departure.

• If you suspect that you are the target of surveillance, locate a safe area and call Post

One.

• Maintain a low profile and do not advertise your U.S. Embassy affiliation.

• Call Post One to report any unusual or suspicious events or persons immediately.

Counterintelligence and Contact Reporting

In accordance with 12 FAM 262.1, all U.S. citizen employees of the U.S. Government, civilian or military, whether permanently assigned or sent abroad on a temporary duty

(TDY) basis, including contractors of the U.S. Government, who are under COM authority, as well as Department employees on the staffs of international organizations must report the following:

• Unofficial contact with a national from a country with critical HUMINT threat posts listed on the Department’s SETL if the employee and/or critical threat foreign national suggest, agree to, or actually have a second meeting after an initial encounter.

• Contact and/or association with a person or organization whom the employee knows or suspects advocate the unlawful overthrow of the U.S. Government.

• Contact and/or association with a person whom the employee knows or suspects is a member or supporter of foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs), as designated by the Secretary of State (This list is available on the Foreign Terrorist Organizations page.)

• Unofficial contact with a person whom the employee knows or suspects is a member of a foreign intelligence agency, regardless of nationality.

• Illegal or unauthorized access that is sought to classified or otherwise sensitive information; or

• The employee is concern that he or she may be the target of actual or attempted exploitation by a foreign entity.

The term “contact” means all manner of personal or impersonal communication and includes, but is not limited to, written, telephonic, electronic mail, text messaging, chat room discussion or other social media, facsimile, wire, and/or amateur radio.

Report all contact events on the DS-1887 via the DS Reporting module. Contact Baku

RSO with any questions.

Embassy Access Procedures

All U.S. Government TDY personnel are required to obtain an approved eCountry

Clearance (eCC) before entering Azerbaijan on official travel. If Embassy compound or facility access is required, the traveler or Embassy sponsor should indicate “building access required” in the eCC request. The Embassy sponsor is responsible for ensuring

RSO has up-to-date information on the traveler’s access requirements.

For cleared American citizens requiring access to the secure areas of the building, the

Embassy sponsor must facilitate official verification of security clearance (official orders indicating level of clearance or confirmation email from Diplomatic Security’s

Office of Personnel Security and Suitability (DS/SI/PSS) Certification Unit). An eCC is not an acceptable clearance verification.

Visitors without a verified security clearance must be escorted by an Embassy employee while on Embassy/Annex property. Access to Controlled Access Areas will not be authorized for these visitors.

Protection of Classified Material

Classified information can only be discussed or processed in designated Controlled

Access Areas. No classified materials are authorized for removal from the Chancery without RSO approval.

Transportation

Due to the often-reckless driving culture, it is recommended that seat belts be always worn in Azerbaijan. Use of public transportation (taxis, metro and buses) is authorized, but these systems may operate on unreliable schedules.

Caution should be exercised when selecting a taxi. Bolt is the only RSO-authorized ride hailing mobile app in Baku. Mobile apps like Bolt generally operate with transparent pricing systems and facilitate transit across language barriers. However, Yango/Yandex are prohibited on U.S. Government-furnished devices. Official travel after dark by car is strongly discouraged outside of the Baku metro area (50 km radius from the center) due to increased risk of accidents and poor driving conditions.

Exercise extreme caution when crossing the street.

Baku has an extremely high number of injuries and deaths each year due to vehicle/pedestrian collisions.

Travel Restrictions

Prior COM, RSO, and host nation approval is required for official travel to formerly occupied territories in and around the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Personal travel to this area is prohibited. Entry into the region is highly controlled by the Government of

Azerbaijan. Land mines and unexploded ordinance also pose a threat in this region.

Due to longstanding risk presented by regional terrorist groups, COM personnel are not permitted to travel without COM and RSO approval to regions adjacent to the

Azerbaijan-Iran border.

Prior to travelling outside Baku, COM personnel must follow the Out-of-Town

Notification and guidelines below:

• Avoid roads near the former ‘line of contact’ and roads near the international border between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

• Personal Tracking Locator (PTL) devices, available at RSO, are required for official travel outside of Baku and are recommended for personal travel.

• Out of Town Notification (OTN) - myServices

1. All travel outside of Baku must be documented at least one business day prior to travel.

2. All travelers should be listed, including spouses and children.

3. Include cell phone numbers of additional travelers in the Emergency Contact

Information section.

4. Provide the name and phone number of any additional lodging in the Additional

Travel Information section.

Photography

Do not take photographs of government buildings, police, military, or oil installations.

U.S. citizens have been detained for long periods of time and questioned by the

Azerbaijani Security Services for photographing such installations. This includes photographing what seems to be rusting oil rigs outside Baku.

Money and Credit Cards

Cashiering services are available for currency exchange at the Chancery and the Annex.

ATMs located throughout Baku are a reliable source for cash withdrawals.

U.S. based credit cards are often declined at point-of-sale terminals – be sure to maintain an adequate supply of cash during your visit. It is notable the same credit card will often work when used via mobile phone “wallet apps” like GooglePay or ApplePay.

Earthquakes

Baku is in a seismically active region. The hotels and housing used by the Embassy are surveyed to provide sufficient protection in the event of a major quake. In the event of an earthquake:

If Indoors

• DROP to the ground; take COVER by getting under a sturdy table or other piece of furniture; and HOLD ON until the shaking stops. If there isn’t a table or desk near you, cover your face and head with your arms and crouch in an inside corner of the building.

• Avoid glass, windows, outside doors and walls, and anything that could fall, such as lighting fixtures or furniture.

• Do not shelter in a doorway - many interior doorways are lightly constructed and do not offer adequate protection.

• Remain indoors until the shaking stops and it is safe to go outside. Do not exit a building during the shaking.

• DO NOT use elevators.

If Outdoors

• Remain outside.

• Move away from buildings, streetlights, and utility wires.

• Once in the open, remain there until the shaking stops.

If you have any questions about the information contained in this briefing packet, please contact BakuRSO@state.gov.

Emergency Contact Information

RSO Office Management Assistant, can provide you with a wallet-sized card.

Contacts Number

Main Embassy +994 12 488 3300

Post 1 MSG 012-488 3333

RSO Omar Facuse 010-265-0304

ARSO Matthew Doerting 050-286-5284

ARSO Patrick Bashor 010-228-8023

RSO Duty Phone (After

Hours) 055-205-4793

24 Hour Medical Cell Phone 050-223-6390

Security Briefing Acknowledgement Form

TDY PERSONNEL

Regional Security Office - U.S. Embassy Baku

I, (print name) __________________________ attest that I have read and understood the RSO Baku Security Briefing Document for TDY Personnel which covers: Key RSO

Staff, Crime Information, Security Threat Ratings, Embassy Access Procedures, Protection of Classified Material, and Counterintelligence reporting requirements. I understand the security policies and my responsibilities relating to each of the above noted areas. If I require further information or have additional questions, I agree to consult with the Regional Security Office.

The US Government office/agency I am associated with is ______________.

I anticipate departing Baku on or around the date of / / .

Signature Date