Anyone applied for a Tajikistan visa lately?
 

The embassy have come back with some questions following my application for visa and GBAO permit:

"please, attach more information about your trip plan (tickets, hotel booking information and etc.)(highly recommend you to use JPEG file format)"

Clearly, since I will be travelling by motorcycle I won't have tickets and my itinerary may be flexible. With the closure of the KG-TJ border sadly I won't be coming that way, but will most likely enter from Samarkand, pass through Dushanbe, along the Pamir Highway via Khorog as far as Karakul, finally turning round and reversing the route back (unless there's an alternative route).

So, has anyone had similar experiences and how did you tackle it? I have a little time as I won't be leaving UK for 4 weeks but the last thing I want is to get turned down for what should be one of the highlights of my trip.

I would reserve a room at the Pamir Hotel in Murghab. It's an okay hotel with bathrooms at the end of the hall, and an okay restaurant on the first floor. Inexpensive by western standards. We were there 7 or 8 years ago, popular spot for bicyclists on the Pamir highway going to China.

List that as the destination on your application. No need to go there, you can cancel the reservation later.

Tell them straight out on your application that you are a tourist and traveling by personal moto.

South and west from Murghab on a little used track.....

https://hosting.photobucket.com/albu...720&fit=bounds
..............shu

I put the Green House hostel in Dushanbe in my application but they have still asked for more information. Just wondered if this was "the new normal" since I haven't heard of people being challenged before, thought it was just a rubber stamp.

Not Tajikistan specifically, but in the past I've successfully navigated such embassy requests by submitting a detailed day-by-day travel plan: from where to where I intend to ride on this day, which hotel/guesthouse I intend to stay at on this day. Best if they can be booked online in advance of course.

The embassy mostly wants to make sure you are not a total idiot and have thought about what you are doing. :)

Tough one...

:rofl:

Definitely rules me out; I’ll have to think of another plan.

I recommend you post in the Caravanistan website forum, that is specific to Central Asia, used by all types of traveller (not just bikers).

My own experiene is pretty old, but it was always easier to get these kind of things in nearby embassies/consulates which are accustomed to foreign tourists.

When making your itinerary, make sure you're not going near Lake Sarez, that was always a clear exception on the GBAO permits.

Wenn you go reverse.
Take Bartang Valley from near Karakul Lake.
Or south von Murghab you can go south to Zorkul, near the border to Afghanistan.

Just an update. I responded, made up an itinerary and booked a few refundable hotels. Got the visa. :)

Hi Tomcat. Are you riding from the UK? If so, which way are you going?

Hi Tomcat. Are you riding from the UK? If so, which way are you going?