Turkmenistan Transit Visa in Tehran

[steven]

Please read and post reports on the Turkmen embassy in Tehran below.

We summarize all info in the embassy reports of the Turkmen visa page.

[Travelphernalia]

Hello,

My partner (Ireland) and I (Mexico) tried to apply for a Turkmenistan transit visa in Tehran. We arrived at 11:45 (luckily it was still open) and the guy at the window gave us two forms to fill out very quickly. He said we would have an answer in 10 days. Since we were going to travel around we decided to call. It actually took 10 business days (not 10 regular days as he had originally said). We had to call around 5 times as he would always say that the answer from the Ministry in Ashgabat hadn't arrived yet.

One fine day, he said he had the answer and it was negative.

We met several travelers in Iran with the same response. There was even a couple of Dutch who had applied twice from the Neatherlands and one in Iran and the 3 times they got rejected. We also met some Swiss with the same issue.

We met an Australian guy who had opted for buying a 5 day package with a tour company in Turkmenistan and be able to apply for a Tourist Visa. He was still waiting for his response but seemed like doing this increased your chances. He paid $320USD which included the visa support, the car and the driver/guide. Unsure if this also covered his accommodation. Better to check.

What we brought to the Embassy:
- Colored copy of Uzbekistan Visa (single entry)
- Colored copy of the passports
- Letter of introduction stating why we were entering with full itinerary and border posts.
- Iranian visa (they didn't request it, but still brought it)
- 2 Passport pictures

They don't keep the passports. So that's a plus.

[mpkz]

$320 seems very cheap compared to the offers I got last year. Any idea what company it was?

Btw applying in London and collecting in Tehran is possible, right? edit: referring to the transit visa now

[Travelphernalia]

$320 seems very cheap compared to the offers I got last year. Any idea what company it was?

Btw applying in London and collecting in Tehran is possible, right? edit: referring to the transit visa now

Hello mpkz. Unfortunately, we didn't ask about the company that he was using. He was definitely getting information from this site so maybe through here?

As for the application in London and pick-up in Tehran, I don't really know. =(

[steven]

5-day tour for 1 person for 320$? No, that's not possible through any of our partners.

[cyril]

Applied 10 days ago. The person gave me a contact sheet and a visa application form. I filled both but he refused to take the visa application form:
- You don't need the visa application form?
- doesn't matter, come back in 10 days with the form filled and a picture attached
- Should I go to Mashhad or here in Tehran?
- Doesn't matter, come back in 10 days
- Calendar or working days?
- Doesn't matter, come back in 10 days

Required papers for the application:
- contact sheet (provided by the embassy) with stapled passport photo
- copy of next country visa (mine was an Uzbek black and white copy)
- passport copy
- handwritten letter requesting a transit visa. I didn't put any itinerary nor lengthy polite sentences, just "request for transit visa. Entry point: Sarakhs, Entry date: 27/06/2016 Exit point: Farab, Exit Date: 01/07/2016" and signed it.

As I was repeatedly told, I came back 10 (calendar) days after to the embassy in Tehran, handed my passport, another passport copy, the filled application form and 55usd (they have change). Waited 5 minutes and got the visa for 5 days. Note, the entry/exit points are written on the visa.

PS: no need to download and fill the form linked on the visa page on caravanistan, it's an outdated one that they will refuse.

[IsaOlof]

We are applying for our transit visa in Tehran and plan on picking it up in Mashhad. Do any of you now if we should write that we are traveling by bicycle on the application under "transportation" or if writing something else is better?

Thanks for the help!
Isa and Kristian

[steven]

Afaik itvdoes not make adifference.

[mpkz]

I found out in Tehran (to my dismay as it means I have to postpone my visit to Turkmenistan to another time) that you really shouldn't count on 5 days being possible. Next time I'll arrange the visa in Europe.. Or do something I hate and book a tour.

[worldgrandtour]

Turkmen visa as travelling couple both Czech nationals - unsuccessful

We applied in Tehran and provided all the documents to embassy as recommended on Caravanistan. Came yesterday to Mashhadd consulate and my application was successfuly approved but my partner was not even in the system. Basically they were telling us she did not apply even we applied together in Tehran. We called Tehran embassy and after several attempts we have been told her application was refused. Obviously a lie because they were not able to track her passport number. Most likely someone in the embassy forgot to put her application to the system and now they just trying to cover up whole muck up. On the bright side we did not pay a single dollar so we decided to take flight from Tehran to Tashkent and continue our Silk road from there as we don't have enough time to reapply and don't want to extend the Iranian visa for this.

Important note - Mashhad consulate deals with tourist applications ONLY on Tuesdays&Wednesdaysso plan accordinlgly!

Good luck to all other 'silk roaders'