Tajikistan E-visa Q&A

[derwaliser]

Hi all,
Just to provide a data point about current Tajik e-visa processing time.
I have UK passport, and born in UK, no ties to other countries.
Submitted on 23.08.23 and was approved exactly two weeks later on 06.09.23, the application spent the last 10 days stuck on "awaiting assesment" and I was beginning to get concerned but today it finally moved forward
Thanks

[JuodiKedai]

Hi all,

Here’s my e-visa + GBAO permit experience (EEA citizen) — perhaps it will be helpful for someone.

I applied August 20, few days later they asked me to send more details about the trip. I sent them ticket invoices for inbound and outbound flights + bookings (even though I only booked just one night at a hostel at that point).

Much later, just a few days before I was due to enter TJ (September 6) they asked me to upload a two-page scan of the passport, and even when I uploaded it, they asked me for the same thing the next day, which I did again.

As I was running out of time, I emailed the MFA, but got no reaction. On the eve of my scheduled arrival in Tajikistan, I still did not have the e-visa, so I decided to enter the country visa-free (in my case, I’m elligible for 30 days). Upon my arrival in Dushanbe, I was stamped in with no issues, and my e-visa + GBAO permit magically landed in my inbox the same day.

I asked at Green House if my GBAO permit would be valid even if I technically entered visa-free — they told that it’s rather ambiguous. As they said, officially, the e-visa needs to be stamped to be valid, but I in practice it usually doesn’t cause any problems. I had no issues crossing the GBAO checkpoints with unstamped copies. Just make sure to make enough of them.

[travelinrhepink]

Green House Hostel is giving wrong information. You do not need your eVisa with the GBAO stamped. Nor do you give it to any checkpoint to keep. If it was required, border officers would have to stamp it. GBAO provides the permits if you don't get it with your eVisa. They can't possibly stamp it with a border entry stamp backdated to when you entered the country. Copies are good for backup. Color is better so they can see the watermark background better but all they do is check the info on the permit(e/Visa) to match your passport.

[jigeel]

Hi, I am a citizen from a EU country, Spain, i am planning to visit Tajikistan in November, In the official pages says that I do not need a visa, however I see that some other people from EEA countries have had one, will I have problems at the border for not having one? Also, could I ask for the GBAO permit afterwards?

[Kalpazan]

You can enter visa-free and obtain GBAO permit from OVIR office in Dushanbe. If you are staying longer than 10 (14?) working days you need to register there as well. Some people although eligible for free-visa prefer to get e-visa because it saves them the need to go to OVIR and satisfy all their constantly changing rules.

In my opinion, if you plan to stay for longer then 10 days better go for the e-visa.

[AmazingWorldBikeTour]

We entered on German passports with the 60 days e-visa including GBAO permit NOT printed but on the phone. Therefor we did NOT get a stamp on it when we entered the country via the Panjakent land border.
We did NOT register and did NOT have any copies for the GBAO checkpoints. We only carried one black and white print out. Left Tajikistan two days ago after over 6 weeks via Kyzyl Art Pass (M41 / Pamir Highway) without any issues.
Entering Kyrgyzstan went also smooth, but recently the Kyrgyz ministry of tourism does not put you on „the allowed in list“ anymore, but replies with a copy paste message, that you have to go through one of 4 travel agencies.

Hello!

We ask you to contact the "Destination Osh", "CBT Osh" or travel companies to obtain a permit to pass through the borders. Below are the watsap numbers


Здравствуйте!

Просим обращаться по такому делу в "Дестинацию Ош", " CBT Osh" или туркомпании. Ниже указаны ватсап номера


+996 556 007 030 CBT Osh Aziret Zhusubaly uulu

+996 707 760 657

+996 555 077 621

+996 776 770 090 “Destination Osh” Abdulkadyr Aliev

3/4 ask for different amounts of money up to 40$, but the second number put us on the list for free about a week ago. We don’t know how long he will keep doing it for free. His family runs a homestay in MURGHOB which he will ask you to stay in. It is not the cheapest one but the food is very good according to people who stayed there (we where already in another homestay).

Once you reach the Kyrgyz border be sure to tell them the date on which the agent put you on the list for what crossing date. Apparently it is okay to cross a day early and up to 3 days late, but they might struggle to find your name on the list.

Safe travels!

[AMZ10]

Hi,

My husband and I applied for our E-Visa for Tajikistan and payment looked like it went through, received an email with the receipt and another with confirmation of our order and application. We then received a third email advising the payment didn’t go through and that we need to complete the payment. The transactions are currently pending in the bank.

Has anyone else had this issue? And did the visa application go through. When I check the status through manage application it doesn’t give me the option to make another payment

Thank you

[Udai113]

Visa processing takes 20-25 days as they keep delaying it. They need bribes to process it (atleast USD 50) - a lot of agents offer to get it done within a day. This is a horrible system. Best not to be contributing to it and make it the norm. These people are now accustomed to bribes and purposely delay visas...

Avoid this country and visit Kyrgyzstan. Or apply a month in advance.

Remember - every time you pay a bribe you make it difficult for future applications. And once the tourist numbers dip a bit, they will have to choose whether they want these corrupt practices to continue.

There are enough beautiful mountains in Himalayas - India and Nepal

[Udai113]

Visa processing takes 20-25 days as they keep delaying it. They need bribes to process it (atleast USD 50) - a lot of agents offer to get it done within a day. This is a horrible system. Best not to be contributing to it and make it the norm. These people are now accustomed to bribes and purposely delay visas...

Avoid this country and visit Kyrgyzstan. Or apply a month in advance.

Remember - every time you pay a bribe you make it difficult for future applications. And once the tourist numbers dip a bit, they will have to choose whether they want these corrupt practices to continue.

There are enough beautiful mountains in Himalayas - India and Nepal

[travelinrhepink]

Visa processing takes 20-25 days as they keep delaying it. They need bribes to process it (atleast USD 50) - a lot of agents offer to get it done within a day. This is a horrible system. Best not to be contributing to it and make it the norm. These people are now accustomed to bribes and purposely delay visas...

Avoid this country and visit Kyrgyzstan. Or apply a month in advance.

Remember - every time you pay a bribe you make it difficult for future applications. And once the tourist numbers dip a bit, they will have to choose whether they want these corrupt practices to continue.

There are enough beautiful mountains in Himalayas - India and Nepal

LOL. The travel agents do us a service and change the same as they would had you not tried to get the eVisa yourself which is the same as paying online. It's not a bribe, it's a service. A bribe is paying off a border officers directly to get entry because you didn't have all that was required for a visa. Or paying off a police officer at a checkpoint becuase you didn't have the required GBAO permit and he decided he wants a little cash to look the other way which in our home countries would never happen because a rule is a rule is a rule and we'd get turned around. Who wants to have that happen in a foreign country?

The problem is Tajikistan eVisa processing system. It requires one type of file. If it's not exactly to specs, you'll get an error. In all these 2nd world countries it's nearly impossible to contact someone in a govt agency to respond.

The handful of us that this happens to won't change their systems or way of live. We're a drop in the bucket. We won't affect their revenue. We're also not the types to spend a lot. We sleep in hostels or tents and only spend money on cheap meals or cook ourselves. Why would they care about losing us as tourists?

Corruption/bribes is a way of life in central Asia (and many other parts of the world) for locals daily life. Paying someone to help you process something quicker or bypass red tape is a service in these countries. We're not going to change their way of life. They have to do that on their own through social and political changes