Indian Tourist Stranded at Azerbaijan Border After Escaping Iran Missile Strikes

Falguni Dey, an Indian tourist, is stranded at the Azerbaijan border after escaping missile attacks in Iran. Visa issues and migration code delays block his return home.

Astara, Iran – June 18, 2025 : An Indian tourist, Falguni Dey, who narrowly escaped missile attacks in Tehran, now finds himself stranded at the Astara border between Iran and Azerbaijan, caught in a bureaucratic nightmare that has halted his journey home. Despite surviving a perilous 500-kilometre road trip from conflict-torn Tehran, the relief of reaching a border town has turned into an agonizing wait for Dey, who is now stuck due to visa and migration code issues.

A Harrowing Escape from Conflict

Dey, a college professor from Kolkata and an amateur mountaineer, had arrived in Iran on June 5 to summit Mount Damavand, a popular volcanic peak in the Alborz range. However, his plans were derailed after Iran’s capital, Tehran, came under Israeli missile attacks amid escalating geopolitical tensions.

Trapped in the city for nearly two weeks, Dey made a desperate escape on June 17, traveling more than 500 kilometers by road to reach Astara, near the Caspian Sea, with hopes of crossing into Azerbaijan and flying back to India from Baku. But his journey hit another roadblock—this time, bureaucracy.

The Visa Trap: Why Falguni Can’t Cross the Border

Despite holding a valid e-visa for Azerbaijan, Dey has been denied entry at the border checkpoint. The reason? A mandatory “migration code”—a unique permit issued by Azerbaijani authorities that is especially required for Indians crossing by land.

“No one informed me in Tehran that an e-visa wouldn’t be enough to enter Azerbaijan through the land border. I only found out here that I also need a migration code, which takes 15 days to process,” Dey said in a voice message to PTI.

Faced with rejection from border guards and nowhere to go, Dey is battling physical exhaustion, emotional trauma, and financial hardship, all while being surrounded by other foreign nationals who are able to cross over smoothly with different types of visas.

A Cancelled Flight, A Cancelled Hope

While his family in Kolkata booked a hotel room in Baku and purchased a Mumbai-bound flight ticket for him, both arrangements have been cancelled. The dream of reaching safety and returning home remains distant.

“I feel crushed. My flight is gone. My hotel room is gone. I am stuck in a land I cannot leave, despite having risked my life getting here,” said Dey, almost breaking down.

Adding to the challenge is Iran’s ongoing fuel rationing, which made his journey from Tehran to Astara all the more difficult, with multiple stops required to refuel along the way.

Support from Home and Abroad

Amid the darkness, however, there are glimmers of hope. Calcutta University Vice-Chancellor Santa Dutta has been in constant touch with Dey, helping coordinate with Indian embassies in Tehran and Baku. Renowned mountaineer Debasish Biswas and Indian embassy official Balaram Shukla have also stepped in, working on diplomatic channels to speed up the process.

“The embassies have already sent my documents to Azerbaijani authorities. I’m told they are working on a war footing to get me out of Iran,” Dey confirmed.

Even strangers have extended support. A local driver couple, arranged by his travel agency, not only drove him to the Astara border but also provided him food, tea, and emotional support through the journey.

A New Hope: Armenia Border Crossing?

With no timeline for the migration code to arrive and the Astara checkpoint sealed for now, Dey is now contemplating another exhausting and risky option—an 8-hour road trip to the Armenia border, in the hope that crossing into Yerevan might offer a quicker exit from the region.

“I have no choice. Waiting here for two weeks is not viable—financially or mentally. I’m considering making a fresh journey to try my luck elsewhere,” Dey said.

Indians Stranded Abroad: A Wake-Up Call

Dey’s experience highlights a growing concern for Indians traveling abroad during global conflict situations. As war zones shift and diplomatic rules change, lack of timely information and country-specific visa complexities can quickly turn a vacation or expedition into a nightmare.

His case calls for better coordination between travel agents, embassies, and visa authorities, especially during wartime, to avoid putting citizens in such vulnerable situations.