Central Asia - Visas on the road?
 

Hi,

We're planning a tour for this year via:
Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Pakistan, India.

I know we'll have to get Iran and Uzbekistan sorted first, then Turkmenistan.

A 5 day transit visa for Turkmenistan means I won't have time to waste on other embassies in Ashgabat, but: What about the other countries? Can we get the Tajik & Kyrgyz visa somewhere in Turkey, Iran or Uzbekistan?
Since we won't go via Tashkent: Can we get the Chinese visa in Dushanbe/Tajikistan?

Thanks
Bjorn

When you arrive in Ashgabat, you can get an extension for another 5-10 days on your transit visa. BUT make sure that the insurance and road tax that you initially pay when you enter the country, covers the 10-15 days you might spend. The OVIR office in Ashgabat is next to the US Embassy.

You can pick up your Kyrgyzstan visa there same day.

Uzbek and Iran visas are best sorted in Turkey...
If you have your LOI for Uzbek, you can have same day turnaround...arrive in the morning(very early in the morning), fill out the form, go to bank down the mountain and make deposit, bring back receipt...come back after lunch to pick up visa.


Iranian visa, different story...you read other threads on HUBB...google StanTours for info about Northern Asia.

StanTours can get you both Iranian visa and Uzbek LOI, with advanced notice.

Thanks for the reply mate!

I've been in touch with Stantours lately. David said most EU citizens
don't need LOIs for any of the Stans any mor - only for Iran, for which he's given me a very good price.

I thought one needs the Uzbekistan visa first - otherwise the Turkmenistan Embassies don't issue any transit visas at all. I might be wrong though...

BTW: Not much fun to be on the phone to Turkmenistan embassies in the UK and Germany. Both picked up with "Hello" and I actually had to ask if I've got the right number. Their conversational skills didn't get much better after that I'm afraid...

David is the up to the minute source so, if he says...

Relative to the Turkmen transit visa, you will need visa proof that you can enter/exit Turkmenistan from a neighboring country in order to apply for a Turkmen transit visa.
When I was there in 2007 May, I told them Azerbaijan was my entry and exit. They bought it as I had an Azeri visa...but they failed to check if it was multiple entry.
Anyways, that is the requirement for the Turkmen transit...and in Istanbul, it takes about 5 days to process.
Turnaround for extension in Ashgabat is 24-36hours...