GBAO closure 2015 and GBAO permits situation

[philippe]

Went yesterday applying for the visa and GBAO (2 canadian passeport) The women dind't say anything about it, she even ask us to confirm if we want the GBAO. So I guess they are issuing it. We'll see on monday when I get the visa. Everything was smooth and easy, no queue, pay 55US $ each plus 100 soms for processing.

[Mrs800Days]

Hi Philippe
Thanks for the information- did you apply at the embassy in Bishkek?

[Kapesta]

Hi All,

A friend and I got our GBAO permits without any hassle in Dushanbe yesterday.
We applied Friday afternoon (just after their lunchbreak ended at 1pm) and picked it up on the following monday (also 1 pm - could have been earlier but we were busy).
Pointers:
- As far as we can tell it is valid from the day of application until the expiry of our Visa
- At the OVIR office (Mirzo Tursunzoda st. 5 / GPS: 38.571829, 68.796566) the necessary office is at the right side of the building when facing it from the street
- The little booth with the blackened windows, right by the door is where you get the form, friendly guy takes your passport and fills everything in for you digitally and prints it out. Take said form and bring it to the little window/office/counter at the far end of the room. The lady then told us to pay 20Somoni/person at the next Ammonat Bank, just round the corner on Bukhoro St, (GPS: 38.5739224, 68.7928644) and bring the receipt back on Monday when we could collect our Permit.
- Limited english was spoken, but if you ask for "Pamir?" someone will point in the right direction
- approx. 50-100m left of the Ammonat bank is a little shop up some stairs, between fast food joints, that does some decent pastries.

Hope it helps!

[philippe]

Hello,

We apply from Bishkek the 20 of may for the visa and the GBAO, we had it five days later (may 25) including weekend without hassle... Payed 55$ plus 100som processing. Quite easy! (canadian passeport)

Have a good trip everybody!

Phil

[Mrs800Days]

Tajik embassy in Bishkek still issuing GBAO permits- we picked ours up this morning (June 5th), fast and friendly- no problems (British Passports)

Emma x

[optionX.ch]

Yesterday I applied for the permit as in forum described (thanks!). Today I collected the permission without any problems. Tomorrow I start riding by mororcycle to the pamir highway. I will let you know how are the checkpoints.

[optionX.ch]

Like I said, here my experiences with the checkpoints: the guard where all friendly and the controlls fast. Mostly they just checked the visa, noted the names and number of the registration plate in a notebook and done.

[breakfastbuffets]

I got my GBAO permit in less than 5 mins at the Tajik Embassy in Bishkek on 22 June (I had already gotten my Tajik visa in Istanbul). I paid US$20 and 100 Kyrgyz som for the GBAO permit itself and I hold a Singaporean passport.

[trevor warman]

you should scroll down the forum to read other posts..... the suspended GBAO permit was only for 2 weeks and only for permits issued in Dushanbe

[paul.eustice]

Is there any further news on the GBAO situation? I'm hoping to cross into TJ from KY and back, and if it's not open my plans are pretty much in tatters!

Seems like it was back back in May/June, but has anything changed since then? I won't be getting to the GBAO until mid September so I guess it could change at any point anyways... Just would be nice to get a recent update if anyone's been there in the last few weeks.