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Northern and Central Asia Topics specific to Russia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Mongolia, China, Japan and Korea
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  #1  
Old 23 Jun 2007
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Transitvisa Turkmenistan

Hi,

Does anyone have any experience with obtaining a transit visa in Turkey or Iran?

Or is the expensive touristvisa the only option?

Cheers, Miles

MilesToGo
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  #2  
Old 24 Jun 2007
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turkey

My daughter was stationed in Turkey & yes the expensive visa was the only way to get in the country.
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  #3  
Old 24 Jun 2007
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I am not sure if things have changed with the new government, but when we were there two years ago, the transit visa was definitely an option, even though we went on a tourist visa. It usually takes a bit of time (10-14 days?) to get the transit visa and not everyone gets one. But we met several other travelers who managed to get one at the time.

Again, things may have changed with the new government, the borders were closed at one point recently and the transit visa policies may have changed. Contact David at STANTOURS - Central Asia Travel Resources and he can get you the latest information, David is very helpful to motorcycle travelers and we used his agency to get the tourist visa to Turkmenistan.

Good luck!
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  #4  
Old 26 Jun 2007
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I wıll be applyıng for a turkmenıstan transıt vısa ın theran, ıran wıthın the next 2 weeks or so... I wıll let u know or remınd me... As I only have a 15day vısa for ıran ım hopıng thıs can be done rarther quıckç the uz vısa ı already have...
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  #5  
Old 29 Jun 2007
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Follow

Gozell,

I will follow your development. It seems that since today the fuel ın İran ıs on the ticket. Can you tell me how bad ıt really ıs?

Wıll send you a emaıl in two weeks.

Cheers, Mıles.
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  #6  
Old 3 Jul 2007
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Check this prior post on the HUBB about Turkmenistan transit visa...

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...sit-visa-27241

Hope this helps...
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  #7  
Old 10 Jul 2007
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Just been to the Turkmenistan Embassy in Tehran, processing time is anywhere between 5 and 10 days so thats going to be tight with a 15day iranian visa.

Go between 9 - 11 and meet the consular (speaks english) bring a fotocopy of first page of passport and a fotocopy of onward visa (eg uzbekistan). As far as I know the costs are 31US.

The address

Turkmenistan Embassy
#5, Batavi Street, Vatanpouv Street
Dr LavaSani Ave, Favmanieh
Theran

Phone 22206731

This would probably make more sense to you: N35 48,279 E51 27,142

suc6!
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  #8  
Old 30 May 2008
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Turkmenistan Transit Visa

Just got mail from the Turkmenistan Embassy in Vienna. As of 20th of May they changed their Visa policy. You now need a LOI, even for a transit visa!

I'm on the road at the moment. The idea was to pick up the visa in Vienna next week (they've had my application for 2 weeks now & I thought it was gonna be a no-brainer....)

Has anyone got a reliable address in Turkmenistan where I can get a LOI within the next 2-3 weeks? (Including time for sending the money by online banking or something like that).

Or does anyone have any RECENT news from the Turkmenistan Embassies in Turkey or Iran? Are they still issuing Transit Visas WITHOUT the need for a LOI?
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  #9  
Old 30 May 2008
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I got a transit visa in Turkey in 5 days...see post below.

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...sit-visa-27241

The visa rules for a country sometimes vary depending on the location of the embassy or consulate...

I picked up a Russian multiple netry business visa within 3 hours of applying in Tashkent...no bribing or paying an expedite charge...just a box of baclava for the cute girl

HTH
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  #10  
Old 30 May 2008
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:)

Well I applied for Turkmen transit visa in Wienna 2 weeks ago, they told me that they need to check the application and that takes 10-15 days.
Thats fine with me but they could told me that before I went in Wieena
Because I checked the day before and then they told me that I can get it the same day.

Today I phoned them and now they say that there been a change and for issuing a transit visa I MUST have LOI, thats new.

Turkmenistan visa is "complicated one", I wouldn't leave without that one in my passport.
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  #11  
Old 30 May 2008
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nixa View Post
Well I applied for Turkmen transit visa in Wienna 2 weeks ago, they told me that they need to check the application and that takes 10-15 days.
Thats fine with me but they could told me that before I went in Wieena
Because I checked the day before and then they told me that I can get it the same day.

Today I phoned them and now they say that there been a change and for issuing a transit visa I MUST have LOI, thats new.

Turkmenistan visa is "complicated one", I wouldn't leave without that one in my passport.
Typically you need an LOI for a tourist visa, not a transit visa. Perhaps the embassy got these two confused?
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  #12  
Old 31 May 2008
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Yes, David usually it is like that.
I explicity told them that I need transit visa, after all they have it on application form.
But then they explicity told me that I need LOI.
Well, there is nothing else to do, from now on we need LOI and that's all.

Like Kyrgistan, one month ago You needed only Your passport to enter, now visa is 65 euro, I payed 130 euro and they issued one on the spot.

Things are changing.

Correction, I need visa, I don't know for other nationalitys
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  #13  
Old 31 May 2008
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nixa View Post
Yes, David usually it is like that.
I explicity told them that I need transit visa, after all they have it on application form.
But then they explicity told me that I need LOI.
Well, there is nothing else to do, from now on we need LOI and that's all.

Like Kyrgistan, one month ago You needed only Your passport to enter, now visa is 65 euro, I payed 130 euro and they issued one on the spot.

Things are changing.

Correction, I need visa, I don't know for other nationalitys
I would try another Turkmenistan embassy. Its very possible that the policies may differ among embassies. This has been my experience. Embassies also have a lot of latitude in "bending the rules" if its not too much hassle for them.

If you truly need an LOI, contact David at Stantours as he can most certainly get what you need and he should know the latest regulations also. David is very helpful.

Good luck.
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  #14  
Old 31 May 2008
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consulate location & PHONE number in Istanbul

Hi
Last year we travelled from Turkey through 'Stans' to Mongolia, visas mostly obtained in Istanbul.

Here are links to embassy locations / contact details / costs and my comments.
Please note the lady in the Turkmenistan consulate spoke excellent English and was very helpful.
We did it using tourist visa but i know motoedde (and others) obtained transit visa from this embassy.
At that time (March 2007) no loi was required for transit, I see no logical reason why TKM would change this rule and perhaps it's an issue of European embassy adhering too strictly to guidelines ? without doubt our experience was that consulate staff have a lot of flexibility and different people / offices interpret the rules differently.
I suggest telephone the lady at the Turkmenistan Consulate in Istanbul.

links :

TKM :
http://www.travel.uklinux.net/piccie...bul_TURKEY.pdf

UZB :
http://www.travel.uklinux.net/piccie...l%20TURKEY.pdf

KZK :
http://www.travel.uklinux.net/piccie...bul_TURKEY.pdf

AZER :
http://www.travel.uklinux.net/piccie...l%20TURKEY.pdf

hope these help.

you may also be interested in the text files on my pages with each country actual info for entry, try this link to them :
http://www.travel.uklinux.net/finall...-txt-files.rar

Phil.
www.travel.uklinux.net

Last edited by Phil Flanagan; 31 May 2008 at 01:52.
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  #15  
Old 31 May 2008
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Transit & LOI

Hi everyone,

I've been mailing back and forth with Vienna a little bit. (And I've spoken to them a number of times before, during the trip prep). The guy I've been dealing with has always been very friendly and helpful, and they speak excellent German/English – so no communication problems at all.

I triple-checked with Vienna:
LOI is DEFINITELY mandatory AND 'possible to get' for a TRANSIT visa.
Tour guide is DEFINITELY NOT mandatory.

But: All tour operators, including StanTours (who I agree are very helpful) say that they only issue a LOI for a TOURIST visa, which comes with a packaged tour.
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