Tajikistan Evisa problems?

[Christian77]

The wait is now between 3-5 weeks (as far as all public and personal anecdotes show), with the number of refusals or disappeared applications rising. I'm not sure of the ratio of successful/unsuccessful.

[Bismark]

It’s been 3 weeks since I applied. “Approval in progress” they don’t respond to any mail or answer any call. Can some one propose a good travel agency in dushembe for me?

[steven]

Give us a shout at https://caravanistan.com/custom-tours/ we'll see what we can do

[Bismark]

Just got rejected after 3 weeks of waiting

[Bismark]

Jonathan which nationality are you pls

[arsenal4mylife]

2 weeks and still validation in progress and accessed, damn I’m worrying now.

Anyone applied in Tashkent embassy how long does it take for you? And anyone has experience in London?

[matt2matt2002]

Just got rejected after 3 weeks of waiting

Any idea why?

[Christian77]

Just got rejected after 3 weeks of waiting

Any idea why?

I can't speak for their application, but it seems arbitrary - up to 50% of applications of rejected. It's like the old days when people who wanted to visit Turkmenistan would submit an application in Bishkek and wait there for weeks with the knowledge that 50% of applications will be rejected.

For the Tajik visa there is no mistake people are making on their applications. So why are they rejecting half of applications from independent travelers? It's either a directive from a certain security agency to keep numbers of outsiders low (it definitely was last year), or it has to do with the people in the evisa office not being able to make $$ on an evisa application from an independent traveler. Or both. That payment goes right to a government bank; it's not cash through their hands.

If you want a guarantee of a visa, you need some assistance from an agency. See, for example, the link Steven posted above. You don't need to pay $5000 for a private luxury tour, you just need to pay an agency to "expedite" your application. So whatever the problem, cash will fix it.

If you are still confused as to why the absolute highest level of the Tajik government has ordered for tourism to be developed, only to have the project scuttled by the mid and lower levels of the Tajik government, then I will assume you have not yet become acquainted with a truly dysfunctional state.

[bermuda]

Just got rejected after 3 weeks of waiting

Any idea why?

I can't speak for their application, but it seems arbitrary - up to 50% of applications of rejected. It's like the old days when people who wanted to visit Turkmenistan would submit an application in Bishkek and wait there for weeks with the knowledge that 50% of applications will be rejected.

For the Tajik visa there is no mistake people are making on their applications. So why are they rejecting half of applications from independent travelers? It's either a directive from a certain security agency to keep numbers of outsiders low (it definitely was last year), or it has to do with the people in the evisa office not being able to make $$ on an evisa application from an independent traveler. Or both. That payment goes right to a government bank; it's not cash through their hands.

If you want a guarantee of a visa, you need some assistance from an agency. See, for example, the link Steven posted above. You don't need to pay $5000 for a private luxury tour, you just need to pay an agency to "expedite" your application. So whatever the problem, cash will fix it.

If you are still confused as to why the absolute highest level of the Tajik government has ordered for tourism to be developed, only to have the project scuttled by the mid and lower levels of the Tajik government, then I will assume you have not yet become acquainted with a truly dysfunctional state.

Do you have a ballpark estimate for how much using an agency would cost?

I'm planning on visiting Tajikistan as part of a wider Central Asia trip in July. At the moment my understanding is that it's possible to get the visa in either Almaty or Bishkek (which I'd be visiting beforehand), perhaps waiting a couple of days while it's processed. Is this correct? If my Evisa gets rejected this is what I plan on trying. I know there are threads on this but I wanted to double check that this is the case and that an Evisa rejection isn't the end of all hope.

Many thanks

[Christian77]

Evisa rejection is not the end, no. There is the visa on arrival + a trip to OVIR police to register, or getting it at a Tajik embassy in person ($$). The other option of using an agency will be the most expensive, but the quickest and lowest effort route. The price will depend on lots of factors. Use the link earlier in this thread for a quote.