Embassy report: Mashhad, Turkmen Visa

[Radelman]

To call the embassy in Tehran is a bit hassle.
You always can call them. When the connection works you have to wait. It's like a waiting line without any voice. Sometimes can take a while. When you call in the afternoon around 3 or 4 you can easily reach someone and ask. At the normal opening times it can take a bit longer time.

[triplex]

Went to the office on Monday. (On a sign it says that Mondays and Thursdays are devoted to travel companies). We were told that there is no answer yet for our visa application (we applied in tehran 21 days before). Same answer next day. We then called the Embassy in Tehran and they told us that we have bee rejected. Same time there were other cyclists and they got their visa. We waited more than 3 weeks. Its definetly worth to call in Tehran so you know if you get your visa before you are cycling against all the wind across the desert to mashhad.
We now take a flight from Tehran to Dushanbe. (every Sunday, around 200 $)

[3enruta]

We are a Spanish couple, yesterday we opt for visa for Turkmenistan. We ordered them in Teheran, in 10 days they said yes (this phone ran: +98 (0) 2122206306 and dialing 2 at the end of the ringtone)

Schedule in Mashad (confirmed by the diplomatic police, the poster is anachronistic):
. Monday to Thursday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Collection of urgent or close visas on dates on the same day from 4pm to 4:30 pm
.Saturday from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
.Friday and Sunday closed

It is true that officially Monday and Thursday is for transporters but everything has its variations, at least in our case. We processed visas on Monday. We made friends with some Uzbek carriers. Nice

Important: new dollars and exact amount, the woman looks at them against the light!

Photos and photocopies: There is an establishment of photos and photocopies in the roundabout near the consulate

Newroz: no problem, we had the visas on March 19.

We arrived on Sunday March 17 at 12 noon ... the woman told us that it was closed and she gave us the questionnaire and told us to return on Monday, March 19 at 9:00. So we did, we slept next Sunday, the diplomatic police are young Iranians in compulsory military service (in March 2018 most of them speak English and are very curious about our trip) and on Monday at first we delivered the papers and they gave us the visas at 4pm (they keep their passport and give you a paper as a receipt).

Everything very easy

[Zuton34]

April 2018 - French couple traveling by bike - Transit visa of 5 days
POSSIBLE

We apply in Teheran and have it in Mashhad consulate 3 weeks later. We call after 2 weeks to get the confirmation.

In Masshad the man from the consulate ask us a copy of our passeport, a photo and to fill a new form. We came on morning and get our passeport ready in the afteenoon.

Be carefull, they really want fresh dollars. No mark on it.

Moreover, we have connections with other french bikers on the same road in the same time (passing through Turkemenistan in march and april this year) : 15 request, 15 success until now, all french. Most of them mentionned on application letter that they are traveling by bike.

[thehaeusgens]

We, german couple, applied for the Transit Visa in Teheran. After some time we were told all good, we can pick up visa. Went to Teheran, and were now told one visa is ready the other not. The one visa we did not get for whatever reason, we were told to go to Masshad. So we did. The lady checked the passports and replied: no, problem. We would only have to fill out another form, hand in copies of UZB-Visa and passport incl. 2 photos. Three minutes later she threw the papers out of the window and screamed: you can fly. So, no Visa. Why, we don't know.

[Fred DC]

we were told to go to Masshad. So we did. The lady checked the passports and replied: no, problem. We would only have to fill out another form, hand in copies of UZB-Visa and passport incl. 2 photos. Three minutes later she threw the papers out of the window and screamed: you can fly. So, no Visa. Why, we don't know.

Hallo,
Was it at the Turkmen border of Sarakhs or at the consulate in Mashhad?
Did you finally enter Turkmenistan??

[Fred DC]

April 2018 - French couple traveling by bike -
Be carefull, they really want fresh dollars. No mark on it.
.

Hello, les cyclistes français,
How many of these fresh dollars for the transit visa?

Merci

[Zuton34]

55 dollars for each. And by the way, you also have to pay 14 dollars tax when you enter the country !!
Good luck !

[thehaeusgens]

We applied for the visa in Tehran, got told over the phone that the visa is granted but in Mashad we were told "no visa - you can fly to Uzbekistan". We did not fly but took the ferry from Baku to Kazakhstan and drove to Nukus....

[Rupert]

Applied for transit visa in Baku. Although I hadn't heard anything in response, I went to the consulate in Mashhad on a Saturday and the lady there said I would be given a 7 day visa, and to complete a form (different to the one in Baku). They wouldn't give me the visa that day (I think because it was close to closing time) and I was told to come back on Monday.
On Monday morning I dealt with a young male consular officer who told me I could only get a 5 day visa. He received my form and money (rejecting some of my US notes, but he was able to make change for others) and told me to come back at noon. Note that this means before noon, as the consulate closes then. I received the visa that afternoon.