Visa policy of Turkmenistan

The visa policy of Turkmenistan is among the most restrictive of any country in the world. Citizens of all countries (except Uzbekistan in certain cases) require a visa to enter Turkmenistan unless they have special passports. To obtain a tourist visa for Turkmenistan, all foreign citizens must supply an invitation letter issued by a travel agency licensed in Turkmenistan. ^[1] Holders of a letter of invitation issued by a company registered in Turkmenistan with a prior approval from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs may obtain a visa on arrival valid for 10 days, and extendable for another 10 days. ^[2]

There are plans to introduce electronic visas and abolish the requirement of a letter of invitiation. With the goal of allowing smoother business visits and boosting foreign tourism, President Serdar Berdimuhamedow signed a decree on 18 April 2025 that will introduce these changes. The types of electronic visas that will be available, how they will be issued, and how long they will be valid for have yet to be decided. ^{[3] [4] [5]}

Visa exemption

• United Nations Laissez-Passer — from 2023, foreign citizens with UN passports were allowed up to 30 calendar days from the date of arrival in Turkmenistan without a visa to come to Turkmenistan, stay in it, travel outside it, cross the border, and cross the territory in transit the territory of Turkmenistan. Foreign citizens who are employees of the United Nations or its specialized agencies accredited by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, as well as members of their families, were exempt from visa issuance during the period of work in Turkmenistan. ^{[6] [7] [8]}

• Uzbekistan — from November 2025 citizens of Uzbekistan can visit the Shavat-Dashoguz Border Trade Zone without a visa. ^{[9] [10] [11] [12]}

Non-ordinary passports

  Turkmenistan

  Visa not required for holders of diplomatic and service passports

  Visa not required for holders of diplomatic passports

  Visa on arrival for holders of diplomatic passports

  Visa required for holders of diplomatic and service passports

Visa required for ordinary passports of all foreign countries

Holders of diplomatic, official and service passports of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, China, Georgia, Hungary, Iran, Japan (90 days), Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Mongolia, Malaysia, ^[13] Romania, Russia, Switzerland, ^[14] Singapore, Slovakia, South Korea, Tajikistan, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates and holders of diplomatic passports of Estonia, India, Pakistan and Uzbekistan do not require a visa to visit Turkmenistan for up to 30 days (unless otherwise stated). ^[2] Holders of diplomatic passports of Canada and the United States may obtain a free visa on arrival. ^[2]

Special permit

A special permit, issued prior to arrival by Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is required if visiting the following places: Kerki, Hazar, Dashoguz, Serakhs and Serhetabat. ^[15]

Admission restrictions

Entry and transit is refused to holders of passports of the following jurisdictions, even if not leaving the aircraft and proceeding by the same flight:

Abkhazia Northern Cyprus Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic

Somaliland South Ossetia Transnistria

Visitor statistics

Ashgabat International Airport

Turkmenistan is among the least visited countries in the world. Very few foreigners are granted a Turkmenistani visa. After gaining its independence in 1991, Turkmenistan was a slightly more open country than it is now. For example, 300,000 foreigners visited the country in 1998. Between 2000 and 2013, however, the number of visas issued decreased significantly, due to isolationist policies and a totalitarian regime. ^[16]

Year	Visitors
1992—1994	No data
1995	218,000 [17]
1996	217,000 [17]
1997	257,000 [17]
1998	300,000 [17]
1999	No data
2000	3,256 [18]
2001	5,200 [17]
2002	10,800 [17]
2003	8,200 [17]
2004	14,800 [17]
2005	11,600 [17]
2006	5,600 [17]
2007	8,177 [18]
2008	9,777 [18]
2009	7,628 [18]
2010	9,631 [18]
2011	8,687 [18]
2012—2013	No data
2014	More 110,000 [19]
2015	More 110,000 [19]
2016	More 130,000 [19]
2017	More 130,000 [19]
2018	More 130,000 [19]
Total (1995-1998, 2000-2011 and 2014-2018)	More 1,700,000 [19]

Country	2018	2017	2016	2015	2014	2011 [18]	2010 [18]	2009 [18]	2008 [18]	2007 [18]	2000 [18]
Uzbekistan	108,288 [20]	105,269 [21]	98,176 [22]	96,604 [23]	77,387 [24]	No data	No data	No data	No data	No data	No data
Iran	No data	No data	No data	No data	No data	3,874	3,397	2,391	2,355	2,133	122
Germany	No data	No data	No data	No data	No data	1,143	1,277	1,392	1,576	1,338	270
United States	No data	No data	No data	No data	No data	531	660	535	663	566	430
Italy	No data	No data	No data	No data	No data	277	392	412	595	600	340
Japan	No data	No data	No data	No data	No data	253	388	344	508	537	282
Netherlands	No data	No data	No data	No data	No data	245	238	296	439	160	95
France	No data	No data	No data	No data	No data	212	230	315	232	682	650
Other	No data	No data	No data	No data	No data	2,080	2,799	1,803	3,313	2,081	999
Total	No data	No data	No data	No data	No data	8,697	9,631	7,628	9,777	8,177	3,256

Citizens of the Russian Federation

Country	2021 [25]	2020 [25]	2019 [25]	2018 [25]	2017 [25]	2016 [25]	2015 [25]	2014 [25]	2013 [25]	2012 [25]	2011 [25]	2010 [25]
Russia	6,096	11,322	30,504	28,127	27,490	29,047	28,470	29,530	34,494	36,387	42,664	45,052

Transit

Passengers transiting through Aşgabat International Airport do not require a visa. ^{[26] [27]}

See also

• Visa requirements for Turkmen citizens
• Turkmenistan passport
• Ashgabat International Airport
• Turkmenistan Airlines

References

1. "Visa information".
2. "Visa and passport". Timatic . International Air Transport Association through Emirates . Retrieved 1 April 2017.
3. turkmenportal (2025-03-29). "Turkmenistan introduces electronic visas for foreigners | Tourism". Turkmenistan, an Internet portal on cultural, business and entertainment life in Turkmenistan. Retrieved 2025-04-22.
4. "One of the world's most closed countries has just made it easier to visit". The Independent. 2025-04-21. Retrieved 2025-04-22.
5. "Turkmenistan adopts law to allow electronic visas and make it easier for foreigners to enter". AP News. 2025-04-18. Retrieved 2025-08-05.
6. "The President of Turkmenistan has simplified the visa regime for UN staff | Politics". 8 June 2023.
7. "Turkmenistan opens visa-free regime for UN staff". March 2021.
8. "Официальному представителю ООН вручена вербальная нота о безвизовом въезде в Туркменистан | Политика". 8 June 2023.
9. "Туркмено-узбекский центр приграничной торговли – символ дружбы и сотрудничества".
10. "До 15 дней без визы: правила пребывания в зоне приграничной торговли «Шават – Дашогуз»".
12. "Срок пребывания до 15 дней без визы в зоне Шават – Дашогуз | Туризм".
13. https://www.kln.gov.my/web/guest/-/joint-statement-between-malaysia-and-turkmenistan-on-the-occasion-of-the-official-visit-of-his-excellency-serdar-berdimuhamedov-president-of-turkmenis.{{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
14. Relations between Turkmenistan and the Swiss Confederation are developing
15. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-03-14. Retrieved 2016-01-11.
16. "В Туркмении сейчас диктатура? А как там живут люди? Можно ли приехать в Ашхабад туристом? Стыдные вопросы про одну из самых закрытых стран в мире". Meduza.io. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
17. "International tourism, number of arrivals: Turkmenistan". data.worldbank.org. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
18. "Statistical Yearbook of Turkmenistan (Page 280)" (PDF). stat.gov.tm. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 March 2014. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
19. Approximate numbers
20. "Распределение по странам числа граждан Республики Узбекистан, выехавших из Республики Узбекистан в 2018 году". stat.uz. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
21. "Распределение по странам числа граждан Республики Узбекистан, выехавших из Республики Узбекистан в 2017 году". stat.uz. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
22. "Распределение по странам числа граждан Республики Узбекистан, выехавших из Республики Узбекистан в 2016 году". stat.uz. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
23. "Распределение по странам числа граждан Республики Узбекистан, выехавших из Республики Узбекистан в 2015 году". stat.uz. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
24. "Распределение по странам числа граждан Республики Узбекистан, выехавших из Республики Узбекистан в 2014 году". stat.uz. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
25. "fedstat.ru". Archived from the original on 2017-10-19. Retrieved 2022-03-17.
26. "Ещё больше транзитных рейсов в Таиланд из Казани". Kazan International Airport (in Russian).
27. Стыковка в Ашхабаде

Links

• State Migration Service of Turkmenistan Archived 2017-02-28 at the Wayback Machine