Today, I called the Embassy of Turkmenistan in Moscow to inquire about a transit visa. I’m planning a road trip through Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran, and Turkey. They asked me twice about traveling by car—I'm not sure why. They explained that when applying, you must already have an Iranian visa, and you can apply for the transit visa either in Moscow or Almaty. If approved, the visa will be valid for 5 days. The processing time for documents is 15 days, although I forgot to ask whether that’s 15 working days or calendar days.
thank you, that’s very useful information. But 15 days is quite a long time... Did they mention anything about the cost? I’m planning to apply in Kabul, but I’m not sure they’ll issue it since you can travel directly to Iran from Kabul.
I got mine visa last week through the Turkmen travel agency
Interesting, do these agencies require payment for the tour upfront or upon arrival?
You pay for the visa first. If you receive the invitation, then you pay for the tour. It depends on the agency and what you agree on (either you pay for the tour in advance after getting the visa or upon arrival).
Here’s the process: You contact an agency, provide them with the necessary documents, and they handle the invitation. With the invitation, you can obtain the visa upon arrival in airport in Ashgabat.
In theory, with the invitation, you can also get the visa stamped in your passport at the Turkmen embassy of your choice. For detailed information, check the "Visas for Turkmenistan" section on this website. You can also confirm specifics at the Turkmen embassy in your country.
We just returned from a trip to Turkmenistan.
Visas are handled by the travel agency. As far as I know, no one has managed to obtain the visa independently.
Upon arrival, you pay $50 for the visa. Russians, as far as I remember, are charged hefty 169$ for the visa. We flied from Moscow on S7 flight, there were about 7–8 tourists, and there were no lines.
Then, you pay $31 for a PCR test—though you don’t even need to take it. Just pay the fee, and you’re good to go through customs with the documentation!
And how was it, in a nutshell? The visa and tour aren’t cheap—was it worth it?
Overall, the experience was excellent.
Ashgabat is divided into old and new sections. The new part features thousands of buildings clad entirely in white marble, from foundation to roof.
There are excellent new hotels in the city center. The service isn’t always perfect, but everything is quite good.
Carpet prices are surprisingly affordable! Just make sure the purchase includes a certified export permit with a blue stamp, and the carpet is sealed for export.
In conclusion, I can’t say I’d return, but the impressions I got were absolutely outstanding.
@rewen455 How long does it take to process the visa?
And how far in advance did you plan your trip?
It depends on the capabilities of the receiving party! Personally, I submitted my documents to the tour agency two months before the trip.
I handled it through the local agency that arranged my tour. As far as I remember, they didn’t charge me anything for the application—I just filled out a form and emailed it to them.
About a month and a half later, I got approval. Upon arrival, I paid around $50 for the visa (for an Estonian passport) and $30 for the PCR test.
Nowadays, tourist visa refusals are rare. But there’s one condition: you must purchase a tour. Transit visas, however, follow different rules.
@elrycroft доброго времени суток, а не поделитесь контактами этого агентства? Хотим из Ирана на машине проехать через Туркменистан весной 🤪