  We perform a feasibility study to search for axion-like particles (ALPs)
using vector boson fusion (VBF) processes at the LHC. We work in an effective
field theory framework with cutoff scale $\Lambda$ and ALP mass $m_{a}$, and
assume that ALPs couple to photons with strength $\propto 1/\Lambda$. Assuming
proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV, we present the total VBF ALP
production cross sections, ALP decay widths and lifetimes, and relevant
kinematic distributions as a function of $m_{a}$ and $\Lambda$. We consider the
$a\to\gamma\gamma$ decay mode to show that the requirement of an energetic
diphoton pair combined with two forward jets with large dijet mass and
pseudorapidity separation can significantly reduce the Standard Model
backgrounds, leading to a $5\sigma$ discovery reach for $10 \text{ MeV}
\lesssim m_{a} \lesssim 1$ TeV with $\Lambda \lesssim 2$ TeV, assuming an
integrated luminosity of 3000 fb$^{-1}$. In particular, this extends the LHC
sensitivity to a previously unstudied region of the ALP parameter space.
