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

[pete5330]

Good day everyone,

Just read Steven's predicitions on the website, and I think you're right, it's all very difficult to predict how the situation will be. I'm still planning the Pamir Highway (already delayed it twice because of Covid). It's now set for end of August, starting in Osh, and ending in Osh.

However, just found this article on the website of the US Embassy in Dushanbe.
https://tj.usembassy.gov/covid-19-information/

They say the border is open for US Citizens. I think this will be airport only though.
Kyrgyzstan is open, so this wouldn't be a problem, except for the insurance. Perhaps we take an more expensive expat insurance than..

Hoping this situation will improve with the vaccinations, here in the Netherlands I'm hoping to be vaccinated before summer.

Maybe there will be something possible in combination with PCR tests (they're not that expensive in Central Asia I just read...)

Interested what you guys think,


Regards,

Rick

[steven]

Regarding Tajikistan: IATA says only Tajiks and Turkish are allowed in. Land borders are closed, I am quite certain.

So not sure about who is right here: IATA or US State department.

[steven]

However, just found this article on the website of the US Embassy in Dushanbe.
https://tj.usembassy.gov/covid-19-information/

They say the border is open for US Citizens. I think this will be airport only though.

Regarding Tajikistan: IATA says only Tajiks and Turkish are allowed in. Land borders are closed, I am quite certain.

So not sure about who is right here: IATA or US State department.

[bwv812]

Well, given that airlines consult IATA and not the US State Department when letting people board, it doesn't matter if the State Department is right because they're not going to let you on the plane regardless.

[steven]

While the IATA website says "Passengers are not allowed", our partner in Tajikistan says the following: Airports are open. Travelers can fly in to Tajikistan through Dushanbe Airport via Turkish Airlines and flyDubai.

The main problem is obtaining an (e-)visa. We can handle the issue through our partners' contacts -get in touch if you need one. Land borders remains closed. From Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan it is open but Tajikistan customs do not let in and out.

[Christian77]

Some foreign hunters (AKA tourists with guns) have been going to Tajikistan over the winter, in and out of the airport in Dushanbe. Of course, they pay a lot and they have a well-connected local company handling everything for them. From what I see, it's an early morning arrival and straight to the mountains the same day. So it seems that tour companies (or at least a few of them) can get the visa, and their clients can ignore any 14-day quarantine requirements. But I can't imagine who, other than a hunter, would want to visit in winter... So it's a rather small number, I'm sure.

I'm just waiting for the day when countries start announcing their tourist entrance policies for vaccinated people...

[pete5330]

Same for me here Christian77.

Waiting for the land borders to open. The good news is that Uzbekistan is open as is Kyrgyzstan.
Tajikistan is always a little bit different, but hopefully things change soon.

Maybe this news article may shine a different light.
https://www.rferl.org/a/president-decla ... 69590.html

We will never know though.

[rredan]

According to Asia Plus head of Sughd province told yesterday that Tajikistan will open land borders only when there will be no new cases of Covid-19 in both, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. Source: https://asiaplustj.info/ru/news/tajikis ... h-grazhdan

[pete5330]

Great news, due to the fact that kyrgyzstan has a decreasing nr of cases as well as Uzbekistan. Whatever the true numbers of cases are (probably not the truth), but maybe land borders will open then in summer.

[04Morley]

Does anyone know if it is still possible to apply for visas at the moment? I understand land borders are closed but there are rumours it is possible to fly into Dushanbe. Thanks.