Embassy report: Turkmenistan visa in Almaty

[steven]

Please read and post reports on the Turkmen embassy in Almaty below.

We summarize all info in the embassy reports of the Turkmen visa page.

[bettyengerard]

We applied for a Turkmenistan transit visa in Almaty. They only can give it if you travel from Farab to Serahs and not from Nukus to Ashgabat visiting Darvasa Gas crater. So we will try it in Tashkent.

[h.vanderkolff]

Just tried applying for a transit visa in Almaty (1 UK, 1 Dutch). After 2 hours waiting to enter the small room, the man at the counter flatly denied that transit visa are given away at all at this Turkmenistan embassy.
After suggesting that a friend had actually got his application through in Almaty (albeit in 2015), he basically said it wasn't true.
Moreover, he told us we can fly to Iran.
To add to the confusion, he said we might get a transit visa through a kazakh tour company.

All in all I d recommend nobody to spend time trying to get a Turkmen transit visa in Almaty through this Consulate.

For us, we are probably going to check out the Consulate in Aktau (anyone else has experience there?) or try Tashkent.

Hugh

[Leelicious]

They told me "come Back tomorrow" every day for a week in may (2016)
Turns out it was closed for the whole beginning of may.
Then I finally got my appointment, waited 3 hours, and I got the same treatment as hugh.
"Just fly to Iran from Uzbekistan"
But I want to travel by land
"Ok here's what you can do, go to a Kazakh travel agency, and buy a plane ticket, and fly, tough Shit, u ain't getting no visa"
Well those weren't his exact words, but he implied it.
Then a guy in a suit told me that they stopped issuing transit visas completely.
Tried again in Astana and got the same response.
and also got refused in Bishkek

[dominik]

Hi there,

me and a friend are planning to do a trip in late September to Turkmenistan. We are starting in Kyrgyzstan, to Kazakhstan, Usbekstian, then Turkmenistan, and finish in Iran. Almaty seems itinerary wise a good place to get a transit visa for Turkmenistan. Since the last post said that there are no more transit visas issued there, this would be an issue for us. Does anyone know if they are issuing transit visas again?
I guess if they don't, our other option would be Tashkent.

Any information highly appreciated!

[zamou]

Hi, we've just been to the bishkek embassy and you can apply there and collect it in tashqent for example.

[loicfragniere]

Hi,
We applied (couple from switzerland) for a transit Visa in Bishkek on mid-june and get it back in tashkent 2 weeks later. Process was very easy but be prepared, at the pickup in tashkent, they will ask you for a visa fee of 55$ per person and not 35$ as they tell you in bishkek. No way to discuss the price. Good luck !

[scarletbe]

Hi there
We're going to apply for a transit visa (in early October) in Bishkek.. I'm so happy to read that some of you got it !
Do you know if apply for it and collect it in Douchanbe instead of Tashkent could be an option ?
What papers did they ask ? (as I read many different options on topics...)

Thanks !!
Gwen

[matruc]

Hi all,
I have an update on the Almaty consulate regarding the transit visa based on my experience from yesterday. I'll explain it in detail, so everybody can make their own opinion, what the situation is.
Long story short - they do issue transit visa in Almaty (or at least they receive applications) for the route Uzbekistan-Turkmenista-Iran, not for the route Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan-Azerbaijan.
Long story long - I tried to get a transit visa for a route from Uzbekistan through Aschabat to Turkmebasi and from there I wanted to take a boat to Baku in Azerbaijan. My application was refused and I was told, that for this route I would need a tourist visa, HOWEVER that it is possible to get a transit visa for the route Uzbekistan-Iran. I specifically asked, whether it is possible to get transit visa for the UZB-Turkmenistan-Iran route and they said clear yes. Moreover there was a French cyclist with me at the consulate and his application for the UZB-IRAN route was received. Of course, that does not mean, it will be approved (as people familiar with Turkmen visas should know:), but they do accept applications.

I was there on Monday around 11am and there was almost nobody, so I didn't have to wait at all. There were two employees at the consulate. One older one, didn't talk much, but he really seemed to be the classical bureaucratic asshole, while the other guy, who looked really young, was actually great. Spoke good English and was really helpful. He even asked the people in the waiting room, whether they needed help with filling the forms.
When I presented my documents, he went to ask the asshole and came back with the response, that my route is not possible. Nevertheless he was very polite and suggested flying to Baku or applying for a tourist visa:).

One last personal remark. I think that you have a better chance if you are a cyclist. His first question he had when he looked at my planned route was, whether I am travelling by bike. Later he came back with the suggestions to fly or to take another route around Turkmenistan, which for a cyclist sounds like suggestion so stupid even Turkmen bureaucrat wouldn't make. But may be I am just overthinking it, that's why I wrote it's a personal remark.
Good luck to everyone. Would be great to hear from someone who actually got the transit visa here in Almaty., just to confirm my experience. I am taking the Aktau-Baku ferry, so I am not going to try to get the Turkmen transit visa again.
Cheers.

[Kekly]

I just got my tourist visa at the embassy in Almaty with little issue. I have an LOI.

The address is 137 Furmanova but there has been a street name change I think and it is now called Nazabayev st.
Make sure you are ready for a long wait standing up with no facilities. You are waiting in a car park but there is some shade. Nothing else.
I arrived at 9:50. He started seeing people at about 10:20 and there were 8 people in front of me. I finally got to the window at 11:30ish.
You need to have all documents completed and ready to hand in or he will make you take a seat and complete them and let the person after you come up. ( The man after me was at the window for 1 hour! I learnt the hard way)
I was then given a slip of paper that I had to take to a bank about 5 min away by Taxi to pay the $55 US for the visa. I then had to go back to the embassy but it was lunch so went away and came back again. After another long wait I gave him my receipt and he put a shiny visa in my passport.
He had basic English. Not much but with his English and my Russian we got by.
He wanted me to come back and apply in May because I wasn't entering the country until June. He took pity on me when I said I was living a days travel away and was onkyvin Almaty for the day.

The website says drop documents off between 10-1 mon to thur. And pick up between 5-6 only. However he was still taking documents at 3 and gave me my visa as soon as I gave him the receipt at 2:30. The sign on the window said he was open from 9-6 Mon to friday. That's all I undrrstood. My Russian isn't great.

So I'm happy. I got my visa with little issue just a long wait.