Tajikistan Corona travel restrictions / e-visa issues Q&A

[steven]

I have split off all the Taliban on the Pamir posts into this new topic: viewtopic.php?f=9&t=12699. Let's keep this topic for corona-related rules and visa changes.

[steven]

I just caught the news that Tajikistan is mandating the experimental COVID-19 vaccines for all adult citizens. Does it seem that foreigners without the jab won't be allowed inside the country from this point forward? I've read that they started enforcing quarantine for tourists last week.

I wouldn't worry about that too much. You are still allowed in even if not fully vaccinated.

[dman11]

I just caught the news that Tajikistan is mandating the experimental COVID-19 vaccines for all adult citizens. Does it seem that foreigners without the jab won't be allowed inside the country from this point forward? I've read that they started enforcing quarantine for tourists last week.

I wouldn't worry about that too much. You are still allowed in even if not fully vaccinated.

With no quarantine either?

[Christian77]

Based on Facebook anecdotes, people are getting visas on arrival at the Dushanbe airport. They are being asked for a PCR test result that has been taken within the last 72 hours (but one arrival from Kabul was asked for a 48 hour test). Nobody has been asked if they are vaccinated. There is no quarantine at the moment, just a 3-day isolation regime (at your accommodation). I would have the name, address, phone number and email of your accommodation ready to put into a document. I really, really doubt that Tajikistan has the resources to check up on you and see if you stayed in your hotel room for 3 full days.

And, as usual, the standard warning: this is Tajikistan, rule are enforced arbitrarily, inconsistently and unpredictably. What works at 10am may not work at 4pm. What works for a white Swede may not work for an Indian. Rules might change while you are in mid-flight. Only God knows.

I would strongly suggest having a visa in-hand before you arrive, and paying extra for a plane ticket with flexible dates. Things could change at any second without notice. And Tajik government policies are not the only variable. Airlines might start demanding to see your visa before you get on the plane. Over the last few years this was asked of me twice (in Bishkek and Istanbul), but not the other 8-10 times I got on a plane to Dushanbe. Some airlines are more strict. For example, Southern China Airlines seemed very, very strict with their flights to Central Asia (due to the high number of refused entries to passengers coming from China).

As for the current wave of Covid infections, there is no good data as there is in Kyrgyzstan/Uzbekistan. And those countries are peaking (with Kyrgyzstan likely having already peaked recently). Tajikistan has been just behind those countries, so I would roughly guess a peak of infections is coming soon. The government isn't great with sharing and they are currently lying. The number of famous/prominent people dying of Covid is almost as high as the total Covid deaths as officially reported. But the government is reacting and is bring back the previous restrictions on local events and masking rules, etc.

[Christian77]

I read another online report of a successful e-visa. He (British passport) got it yesterday after a three-week wait. He said it arrived hours before his flight check-in (I suppose he gave up and was going to try for visa-on-arrival).

I'm really hoping to read accounts of people applying in early July getting their visas quickly. Inshallah....

[Nicole]

Just confirmed with the guys working at my guesthouse in Dushanbe that they had tourists arrive from Uzbekistan who crossed at the Sarazem borders crossing (Samarkand/Panjakent). They also had tourists that just left Dushanbe and crossed into Uzbekistan at Sarazem too. So looks like it’s safe to say the border crossing is open. I know one of the tourists was Australian, forgot to ask nationality of the others.

[Nogari]

I read another online report of a successful e-visa. He (British passport) got it yesterday after a three-week wait. He said it arrived hours before his flight check-in (I suppose he gave up and was going to try for visa-on-arrival).

I'm really hoping to read accounts of people applying in early July getting their visas quickly. Inshallah....

I submitted Tajikistan e visa in 27.6 and got it back approved 12.7 (Austrian citizenship)

[dman11]

Just confirmed with the guys working at my guesthouse in Dushanbe that they had tourists arrive from Uzbekistan who crossed at the Sarazem borders crossing (Samarkand/Panjakent). They also had tourists that just left Dushanbe and crossed into Uzbekistan at Sarazem too. So looks like it’s safe to say the border crossing is open. I know one of the tourists was Australian, forgot to ask nationality of the others.

Did the tourists entering Tajikistan from Uzbekistan have to quarantine? I was going to fly into Tajikistan from Uzbekistan in August but would go by land if open. But those plans will be scratched if a quarantine is required.

[steven]

Quarantine is not enforced in any of the Silk Road countries. They might say you have to, but nobody checks and in reality everybody just goes about their business.

[TimL]

Hi, you need a valid PRC test when crossing this land border?If necessary I suppose it must be less than 72 hours old?

Thanks