Turkmenistan:Visa Requirements

TurkmenistanLearn the visa requirements for this country. Last check:Last update:

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Turkmenistan Visa Requirements Map

Turkmenistan: Visa Requirements

Visa requirements may change. Always verify the latest information through official government sources.

Visa-Free Entry Requirements

  • Foreign officials holding a valid United Nations passport may enter, stay in, exit from, or transit through Turkmenistan without a visa for a maximum of 30 calendar days from the date of arrival.
  • Foreign officials of the United Nations and its specialized agencies accredited by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, as well as their family members, are exempt from the requirement to obtain a visa for the duration of their assignment in Turkmenistan. Documents proving accreditation must be carried during travel.
  • Visa exemption for holders of diplomatic, service, or special passports under an international agreement applies according to the scope of the relevant agreement, the accepted passport type, and the permitted duration of stay. These persons must verify from the diplomatic mission before travel that the relevant agreement is in effect.
  • The minimum validity period and number of blank pages required in the passport for these limited visa exemptions are not explicitly specified in the central official source.

Visa on Arrival Requirements

  • To obtain a visa at the border or upon arrival, a valid invitation letter approved by the State Migration Service of Turkmenistan must first be obtained. The traveler must present a valid passport and the original or acceptable copy of the invitation letter at the border.
  • The invitation letter is obtained through the inviting individual, company, or organization in Turkmenistan. For tourist travel, the invitation letter process is carried out only by national tourism organizations registered under Turkmenistan legislation.
  • Some official mission pages state that after the invitation letter is obtained, the visa sticker can be issued at Turkmenistan border crossing points, including international airports. Another official mission page explicitly confirms the practice for Ashgabat International Airport. Therefore, whether the border crossing point to be used is authorized to issue visas on arrival should be verified separately before travel.
  • For visas issued at Ashgabat International Airport, an additional USD 50 is charged on top of the regular visa fee. A local service fee may also be collected for actual expenses related to visa issuance.
  • Whether the visa to be issued on arrival is single-entry or multiple-entry, its validity period and permitted duration of stay depend on the approved invitation letter and the decision of the competent authority.
  • Whether additional documents such as a photograph, application form, payment method, or blank passport page are required for a visa on arrival is not explicitly specified in the central official source. The traveler should verify the current list of documents through the border crossing point to be used and the organization issuing the invitation letter.

Consular Visa Application Requirements

  • A Turkmenistan visa is generally obtained in two stages. In the first stage, an invitation letter approved by the State Migration Service of Turkmenistan is obtained. In the second stage, the visa sticker is affixed to the passport by the authorized embassy or consulate of Turkmenistan.
  • The applicant must submit a valid and signed passport. Multiple official missions require the passport to be valid for at least six months beyond the planned departure date from Turkmenistan.
  • A color photocopy of the passport’s main page containing biographical information, photograph, personal details, and signature must be submitted. Some missions require the photocopy to be placed vertically in the upper portion of A4 or Letter size paper and signed by the applicant as a true copy. The original passport may also need to be presented.
  • The official visa application form must be completed in full for each applicant. The information on the form must match the information in the invitation letter file submitted to the State Migration Service. Dates may be required to be written in day-month-year order. Some missions use an application form with a QR code.
  • A recent photograph must be glued to the application form; the photograph should not be stapled. The number and size of photographs vary depending on the mission applied to. Some official missions require one photograph of 3 × 4 cm, some require two color photographs of 3 × 4 cm, and others require only a recent passport-type photograph. A single standard for the number of photographs, background color, date of capture, or digital file format applicable to all missions is not explicitly specified in the central official source.
  • The original or accepted copy of the invitation letter approved by the State Migration Service of Turkmenistan must be submitted. The invitation letter is valid for three months from the date of approval.
  • For tourist travel, the invitation letter must be obtained through a tourism organization registered in Turkmenistan. For business, investment, private visit, and other travel, the invitation letter application is usually made by the inviting company, organization, or individual in Turkmenistan.
  • For a private invitation application to be issued by an individual, three copies of the specified application form, passport copies of the inviter and the invitee, a document proving kinship, and, if available, a document proving the purpose of the visit are submitted.
  • For official or commercial travel, a written request from the inviting organization and documents proving the official duty or business trip are required. For employment travel, a work permit issued by the State Migration Service of Turkmenistan is required. For study travel, a written application from the educational institution is required; for medical treatment travel, a personal application and documents from a healthcare institution confirming the medical necessity of the trip are required.
  • For private visits, a personal invitation or application in the specified format; for tourist travel, a personal application or a written request from the accepting tourism organization; for crew of international transport vehicles, a personal application or a request from the accepting organization may be used as the basis for the visa.
  • For persons who are not citizens of the country where they apply, a legal residence document, residence permit, or a valid visa allowing them to return to the application country may be required. This requirement varies depending on the mission applied to and the applicant's residence status.
  • Some official missions require a separate proof of identity, such as a national identity card or driver's license, in addition to the application form. This requirement is not centrally standardized for all missions.
  • For family visa applications for a foreign spouse or child of a Turkmenistan citizen, a petition from the inviting person, copies of passport and residence document of the inviter, passport and residence document of the foreign spouse or child, birth certificate, marriage certificate, and other documents proving the family relationship may be required. Marriage or family documents issued in a foreign country may need to be certified or legalized by the foreign affairs authority, depending on the mission applied to.
  • For visa applications for stays longer than three months, some official missions require a health certificate showing the result of an examination for HIV infection. The application of this requirement should be verified according to the visa type and the diplomatic mission applied to.
  • Whether applications are accepted in person, by mail, or by appointment varies by mission. Some missions accept only in-person applications, while others allow applications by registered mail. Applications sent by email are not accepted at some missions.
  • Under the central tariff, the fee for a single-entry visa is USD 20 for up to 10 days, USD 30 for up to 20 days, and USD 40 for up to one month. An additional USD 30 is added for each subsequent month. The fee for a multiple-entry visa is USD 60 for up to one month; an additional USD 40 is added for each subsequent month.
  • Missions may add a service fee and other actual expenses to the central visa fee. The total fee may vary depending on nationality, visa duration, number of entries, urgent processing, country of application, and bilateral agreements.
  • The payment method varies by mission. Official sources show that bank transfer, bank payment in local currency, and money order are used. There is no single central payment method applicable to all missions. Fees paid may not be refunded if the visa is not issued or the application is canceled.
  • The central consular tariff states that normal consular processing will be completed within 10 calendar days from receipt of documents, and urgent processing within three business days. For urgent processing, the fee may be increased by 100 percent. Some missions publish 10 business days for normal processing and one to three business days for expedited processing. The time required for approval of the invitation letter by the Migration Service may not be included in this consular processing time.
  • The visa’s validity period, number of entries, and permitted duration of stay are determined based on the invitation letter, purpose of travel, and approval of the competent authority. There are visa types for different purposes, such as diplomatic, service, commercial, investment, employment, family, sports, humanitarian, private visit, student, tourist, medical, and vehicle driver visas.
  • The number of blank pages required in the passport, machine-readable or biometric passport requirement, period of bank statement, minimum financial means amount, hotel reservation, round-trip ticket, daily travel itinerary, travel health insurance, minimum insurance coverage, fingerprints, biometric data, interview, vaccination certificate, and how far in advance the application must be made before travel are not explicitly specified in the central official source. These documents may be additionally required depending on the visa type or the mission applied to.

Transit Visa Requirements

  • For a transit visa, the applicant must demonstrate that they have a genuine onward journey to a third country via Turkmenistan. A personal petition addressed to the consulate is submitted with the application.
  • The petition must include the applicant's first and last name, telephone number, email address, exact entry and exit dates, detailed transit route, entry and exit border crossing points to be used, place of issue, date, and signature.
  • The transit stay is a maximum of five days per entry. Exact dates not exceeding the five-day limit must be specified in the application.
  • Color copies of valid visas required for the country from which the applicant enters Turkmenistan and for the country to be visited after Turkmenistan must be submitted. For routes where visas are not required, which document will be accepted should be verified from the relevant mission.
  • A color photocopy of the passport's main page must be submitted. Some official missions require the passport to be valid for at least six months for a transit application.
  • The transit visa application form must be completed in full and a photograph glued to the form. Additionally, a separate personal information form containing the name, place and date of birth, citizenship, passport number, education, profession, place of stay in Turkmenistan, permanent address, and marital status may be required.
  • Some missions require the employer or supervisor section on the personal information form to be signed by the employer or human resources officer and confirmed with the organization's stamp.
  • The number and size of photographs vary by mission. Some official missions require two photographs of 3 × 4 cm, while others require a photograph to be glued to the application form and the personal information form separately. A single photograph standard applicable to all missions for transit visas is not explicitly specified in the central official source.
  • If applying from a country of which the applicant is not a citizen, a copy of the valid visa or residence permit in the application country may be required.
  • Under the central tariff, the fee for a single transit visa is USD 20 for up to five days. The fee for a double-entry transit visa, each entry up to five days, is USD 40. Missions may also charge a local service fee for the invitation or Migration Service approval application.
  • The official mission in London publishes a processing time of approximately one month for the evaluation of the transit visa invitation/approval application by the State Migration Service of Turkmenistan. Processing times may differ at other missions.
  • Whether the application is made in person or by registered mail, and the currency and method of payment, vary depending on the mission applied to.
Population
7,736,632(2026 est.)
Official language
Turkmen
Government type
Presidential republic
Continent
Asia
Capital
Ashgabat
Currency
Turkmenistani manat
Area
491,210 km²
Phone code
+993

Turkmenistan: Key Destinations

Ashgabat, the capital, serves as the primary gateway for international visitors. The city is known for its white marble architecture and monumental landmarks. Other key urban centers include Turkmenabat, Mary, and the port city of Turkmenbashi.

Turkmenistan boasts ancient Silk Road cities such as Merv, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Darvaza Gas Crater, often called the 'Door to Hell,' is a unique natural attraction. The Caspian Sea coastline offers opportunities for recreation and trade.

Travelers typically fly into Ashgabat and then explore the country by domestic flights or road. The Trans-Caspian railway connects Turkmenbashi to the capital and beyond. A common route includes visiting Merv, Darvaza, and the northern city of Dashoguz.