Turkmenistan visa in Uzbekistan?

Question

I'll be passing through Uzbekistan shortly, and am considering getting a Turkmenistan visa for a quick visit into there. What locations can I get this at, and any idea how long it will take to achieve? I'm on a New Zealand passport.

Answer 1

You can get your visa at any Turkmen consulate in the world.

Currently there is only one embassy in Uzbekistan, the address:

• Uzbekistan, Tashkent
• Telephone: +998 (71) 1205278,9
• Fax: +998 (71) 1205281
• Address: 1 Bol. Mirabadskaya 10 700090 Tashkent

For stays of up to 10 days you can (possibly - see edit) get your visa on arrival at the Ashgabat airport.

You can expect processing to take between 1-5 working days. If I were you I'd ring the consulate in Uzbekistan and check with them what their requirements are. Should be no problems for a New Zealander (unless you're a journalist). Note that you need to tell them upfront if you're planning on bringing in a vehicle, and you also need a permit to visit the nature reserves/border zones. You'll also need a letter of invitation or a letter of recommendation from your own embassy.

e: to provide sources/links for verification

• List of Turkmen embassies abroad: http://www.turkmenistanembassy.org/turkmen/info/Emb-Consulates.html
• Detailed info including areas for which you need extra permits: http://www.hansrossel.com/english/turkmenistanVISA.html
• This page seems to indicate that if you want to pick up the visa at the airport you need to arrange it in advance: http://www.stantours.com/tm_mn_vis_det.html#cons