Tajikistan goes visa-free in 2022

[Christian77]

I'm not in Tajikistan, and I haven't been playing close attention, I just check in occasionally. As for GBAO, I'm hoping for a trip to the region, but not until August. In the past the long term shut-downs have been very clear (2012, 2014, plus a short shut down for a presidential visit a few years ago). But now there is no clarity on the situation (about the permissibility of foreigners visiting GBAO). Give it some time to see what happens (like I'm planning) or get on the "Dushanbe Expats" Facebook page and ask - someone on there usually has an answer about these sorts of things. There could be levels to any closures/opening: (a) locals only, (b) locals plus NGO people with an approved reason to be there, (c) locals plus NGO plus tourists.

Also, keep in mind that sometimes people stop talking to you as a foreigner because they are scared to. Telling you what the situation is on the ground seems a little like spying to the paranoid (paranoid for a good reason). So many young men have been imprisoned for made-up reasons.

In the past, people (in Rushon, Khorog and Ishkoshim) got around communication blockages with Afghan SIM cards. But I'm not sure what the situation is with those at the moment.

As for predictions about the political/social situation, nobody (local, journalist, political scientist, etc...) has ever been able to accurately predict anything. I'm just hoping for the best.

[couchpotato]

Seems like the Tajik authority arrests a few people flied back from Turkey as members of G24. I only hear this group the first time. I always know there are militant groups in GBAO. Other than this, can't dig up much information.

[steven]

@couchpotato: Our contacts in Pamir are also complaining about internet shutdowns for some time. I think it has to do with the protests in late November: https://www.rferl.org/a/tajikistan-prot ... 82458.html

That matches your timeline when your friend stopped calling.

[sheepbuttfat]

For those interested there are several Americans who have been able to get in to Tajikistan without a visa hassle free. They are requiring OVIR at this point. Kyrgyzstan required the same thing at first but after a month or so they removed the OVIR requirement.

[trikolka]

OVIR police registration is no fun to do on your own (time consuming, $$)

well, maybe I was lucky, but last time I was there, on a business visa (although I was in fact tourist), OVIR police registration was fast (a couple of hours) and hassle free in Khudjand. On the other hand, for a friend who joined me in Dushanbe about 10 days later, OVIR asked for a certificate of residence from the guesthouse owner, and the process lasted 2 days.

Anyway, it's good to know that the tourist visa can now be valid 60 days, although apparently it must be obtained no more than 90 days prior to entry.

[Christian77]

A tourist official confirmed on Facebook that this visa-free entry DOES NOT include GBAO/Pamirs. So you can't enter from Osh on the Pamir Highway. You have to enter through one of the western border crossings and head straight to a local OVIR police office to register. Then you need to head to Dushanbe to get your GBAO permit at the main office. But I'm sure somebody will test this in practice at the Pamir Highway border crossing...

This is basically the same treatment as given to Russians and citizens of other former Soviet republics. They can enter easily, but they then have to rush to some office to register (of check in to a hotel that offers the service).

[steven]

You have to enter through one of the western border crossings and head straight to a local OVIR police office to register.

Not necessarily. You can get a GBAO permit in advance from an embassy, even if you don't need a visa. This is what Saule did for instance as a visa-free Kazakh citizen when we entered via the Pamir a couple of years ago.

[couchpotato]

The situation doesn't look promising in GBAO. Internet and phone service remain off for almost two month after the protest in November. I doubt the region will allow tourist anytime soon.

Residents of GBAO fear looming security crackdown
https://www.asiaplustj.info/en/news/taj ... -crackdown

[Christian77]

Some German kids tested out the visa free system three days after it was enacted. "It was actually kinda difficult" + the usual predictable things (someone wanted money at the airport for a visa, but they apparently stood their ground): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yyu1zkU ... ferdmenges

No info on the mandatory OVIR registration. Maybe they will make another video about that...

One thing to note: they had to convince the check-in desk at the airport in Tashkent that they don't need a visa (I'm sure plenty of people didn't get the memo and will learn about the visa free deal through arguing with tourists on their way to Tajikistan).

[maxg]

The situation doesn't look promising in GBAO. Internet and phone service remain off for almost two month after the protest in November. I doubt the region will allow tourist anytime soon.

Residents of GBAO fear looming security crackdown
https://www.asiaplustj.info/en/news/taj ... -crackdown

So just to be clear: are they not offering any GBAO permits at the moment or is there simply no information?