Entry requirements differ by country. The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) issues country specific travel advice including Health, Visa and Vaccination requirements.
You can access the FCDO advice for Turkmenistan at https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/turkmenistan
Entry requirements
Entry requirements for children
- Single parents or other adults travelling alone with children should contact the Turkmen Embassy in London for advice about the documents that will be required at immigration.
Passport validity
- If you are visiting Turkmenistan, your passport should be valid for a minimum period of 6 months after the expiry date of your visa.
Visa requirements
Visa in advance
- In order to obtain a visa, a Letter of Introduction is required. Mercury Holidays will need to apply for this on your behalf.
- Mercury Holidays will need a photocopy of your passport and a passport photo to get this for you. We must have this a minimum 45 days prior to departure.
- Once the Letter of Introduction has been obtained, Mercury Holidays will forward this onto you. You can then apply for your Visa online with the Travel Visa Company.
- All visa applications are referred to Ashgabat for a decision, which can take 20 days or more. There is an accelerated 24-hour service with a supplementary fee of approximately US$150.
Visa on arrival
- It is possible to buy a visa on arrival at Ashgabat and Turkmenabad airports or the ferry port at Turkmenbashi, but only if you have approval from the Turkmenistan Migration Service before arrival.
- A total of $137 (subject to change) will be required to enter Turkmenistan, this includes the visa, admin fee, migration tax, PCR test and the bus through the neutral zone.
Travel forms
- On arrival, you must pay a US$14 migration fee ($10 fee plus $4 Admin charge).
Legal penalties and restrictions
- If you intend to enter Turkmenistan with medicines, check the list of prohibited medicines and the legal quantities with the Turkmen Embassy in London before you travel.
- Possession of certain substances, such as tramadol, morphine, and opiates, without a prescription or beyond the necessary quantities, can lead to administrative or criminal proceedings.
- If you're travelling with prescription medicines, carry a doctor's prescription and declare the items on your customs declaration form.
COVID requirements for unvaccinated
- Unvaccinated individuals need to self-isolate for three days upon arrival which makes it impossible to complete the tours and therefore you should not travel unless vaccinated.
COVID requirements for vaccinated
- If you're fully vaccinated, you must have a physical document confirming that you have been vaccinated against COVID-19, or a certificate confirming the presence of antibodies to COVID-19 (IgM, IgG). The vaccination document should confirm that the last vaccination dose was provided at least 42 days prior to arrival in Turkmenistan.
- Everyone entering Turkmenistan will be tested for COVID-19 on arrival, for which a fee (approximately USD $43) will be charged.
- If an individual tests positive for COVID-19 upon arrival, they will have to quarantine for 7 days in a hospital, and a fee will be charged.
Irish Passport Holders
Please note that this information is for British Passport holders only. If you hold an Irish passport then please visit the Department of Foreign Affairs for travel advice