Turkmenistan does not do visas on arrival, and it does not do e-visas. To enter the country, you need a Letter of Invitation (LOI) issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which a licensed local operator applies for on your behalf. The process is paper, slow and entirely reliable when you start early enough.
Step 01 — Letter of Invitation
We submit your LOI application to the Ministry in Ashgabat. You give us a passport scan, three-month itinerary, two recent photos and the dates you intend to enter and leave. Processing takes 10 to 20 working days. We will not promise you faster — the timeline is government-set.
“If your departure flight is in 14 days, do not apply. Wait, plan the next trip with calmer breath.”
Step 02 — Consular collection
When the LOI is approved, you collect the physical visa at a Turkmen consulate — usually the one closest to your country of residence. You'll pay a fee (US$55–155 depending on duration and nationality) and the visa is stamped into your passport that day or the next.
Step 03 — Airport entry
On arrival at Ashgabat (or by land), you'll be asked for the LOI printout, the visa, your passport and a return ticket. Border officers may want to call your local operator — keep our office number on the printed itinerary. Customs is thorough and unhurried. Allow 90 minutes from wheels-down to taxi.
- Carry US dollars in small denominations — most fees can be paid in cash.
- Don't pack drones. They will be confiscated.
- Print the LOI three times. One for the airline, one for border control, one for the hotel.
- Your itinerary is registered with the Ministry — changing it on the ground requires us to file an amendment.
If any of the above changes — and bureaucracy occasionally moves — we'll know within the week and update this page. If you're planning, write to us early; everything works if it's not rushed.
