Tajikistan SIM card registration Q&A

[Uta]

Before being able to buy a Tajik sim card one must be "offically" registered. Meaning you must have an address of stay (hostel or hotel, a vehicle is not sufficient enough to be eligible for registration) where your host (owner or manager) needs to give you a letter confirming that you stay there.

We've been told/ explains this by several independent shops and sources. However, our lovely hostel manager refuses to do this (writing us this letter) because he wants us to buy their sim cards to their prices (guess what triple the price) from one provider only.

I obviously disagree with his business model and would still like to buy my own sim card at a shop of my choice. It seems impossible though without this "registration" letter.

Does anyone know how to get that kind of writing from other sources but the place you stay? I am quite annoyed by being delivered to this arbitrariness of the manager's power over travellers' rights to choose (and pay).

[Lovetheworld]

Very annoying indeed and I cannot answer your question. Other than staying at a different place.

For others reading into the subject, we got a sim card from Megafon in Panjikent centre/bazar without this registration. Only useful if you are coming in overland from Uzbekistan

[Khanabadosh]

Also frustrating: it seems to buy a Dushanbe transport card (required for bus use) you need a phone number....tajiki number...

[AdamL]

Very annoying indeed and I cannot answer your question. Other than staying at a different place.

For others reading into the subject, we got a sim card from Megafon in Panjikent centre/bazar without this registration. Only useful if you are coming in overland from Uzbekistan

Hi could you tell how much it cost in Panjikent and for how many MB of data transfer? Do they help in set up the phone, or did you just plug the SIM and it works instantly?

[Lovetheworld]

Very annoying indeed and I cannot answer your question. Other than staying at a different place.

For others reading into the subject, we got a sim card from Megafon in Panjikent centre/bazar without this registration. Only useful if you are coming in overland from Uzbekistan

Hi could you tell how much it cost in Panjikent and for how many MB of data transfer? Do they help in set up the phone, or did you just plug the SIM and it works instantly?

It was like almost 10 euro for 3GB and then I got 9 GB extra? Bit strange but it worked. Tajikistan is more expensive than the other stans. They help you.

[adrianepps]

Hi All,

Am travelling the Pamirs overland. Currently in Dushanbe and run into registration problem for TCell/Megafon SIM cards. My hotel in Dushanbe will only give me the registration for the dates I am staying in Dushanbe and TCell in turn will only give me a SIM valid for the dates of my registration.

Hotel unwilling to bend the rules, as are phone companies. OVIR office no help either.

Any advice on how to proceed is much appreciated!!! Thanks in advance, Adrian

[sheepbuttfat]

Yes the law is that you need to register to buy a sim card and the sim card will only work for the duration of your registration. You can always ask a local to buy a sim card for you (this is illegal) The sim card will expire thirty days after your last use.

[Lovetheworld]

So strange that they give you all this trouble while I could just get a SIM card in Penjikent without any questions.

[sheepbuttfat]

Did you get the sim card at the megafon store or at the bazar?

[Koen]

Megafon simcart you can get in murghab at the official store. Only need a passport.
Also in khorog in the official store it was possible. (I only got help with a recharge there)