Tajikistan visa in Almaty

[steven]

Please read and post reports on the Tajik embassy in almaty below.

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

[cyclingthe6]

UK passport. 45 day single entry visa and 45 day GBOA permit. Turnaround 2 days. Very easy process but cost 110 US altogether - more than previous reports. It's possible the official overcharged me and took some extra. I was declined a double entry visa.

[cyclingthe6]

Update: I've just run into two other travellers who also got Tajik visas in Almaty in the last few weeks. Both were asked to pay 110 US. One paid up, as I did, the other argued and the price was reduced to 60. So obviously there is a corrupt official doing the visas there, and sounds like if you're vocal enough you might get the proper price.

[WorldWideWebster]

Since I am waiting for my Uzbek visa I decided to get another one out of the way.
Despite reports of the official charging too much I went for Tajik visa in Almaty. It was reasonably painless!

Address: 18 Sanatornaya Street, Baganashyl district
Entrance is actually on Syrgabegov Street across from #18
Closest bus stop is "Pediatriya Instituty" (#63,86,127)

Arrived Tuesday a little before 2, let in at 2:10. You need:
1 photo
1 copy of passport (mine: US) with Kazakhstan registration card (he has a copier)
1 passport
1 filled out form
US dollars

Official was very friendly with good English...too good to be true as I waited for him to tell me price.
Drum roll....$110.
I argued politely with him and he finally said he could give me a special discount of $90.
I then pulled out my secret weapon, a printout of the Tajik embassy site with tourist visa and GBAO prices highlighted ($25+$50)

He said $25 visa is only for arrival at airport...BS.
Finally he said he can give me one time discount to $80. I took it, you pay then.
He said there should be no problem for double entry. Pickup Friday between 9-12.
He kept my passport (saw other foreign passports in stack, wasn't nervous to leave). He made me a copy for free.
Everything took 15 minutes.

[bwv812]

Never heard of Tajik visa being $25 at any embassy, though GBAO is often/usually free (though only issued in some places). Double entry is usually more.

[WorldWideWebster]

I think for many countries they are only eligible for standard visa. For sure in US embassy you are eligible for the $25 for "tourist visa" +$50 GBAO prices for US citizens, I emailed them a while back and they confirmed this but wasn't able to do it before I left for my trip. Regardless I used the US Tajik website to argue my price, which I believe for US citizens $75 is the correct one.

http://tjus.org/consular/visa-info

[bwv812]

Different embassies and consulates do things differently, and charge different prices... sometimes even when they are in the same country (the Afghan consulate in Khorog is faster and cheaper than the Afghan Embassy in Dushanbe, for example). There are lots of US citizens who have obtained a Tajik visa (with free GBAO permit) in Bishkek for $45 or $50.

You may have used the website to haggle him down, but I don't think that's a world-wide price for US citizens. Nor do I think that non-US citizens applying in the US pay more than US citizens. Obviously the US embassy page also includes extra charges for double-entry and expedited processing, which he could have used to haggle back.

[WorldWideWebster]

I based off of the comments here and all of them say it was $75/same day in Bishkek last two years or so. So im sorry I didn't know about cheaper price recently.
Between $60-110 in Almaty though $110 seems to be more common price from official now from reports.

Anyway!

I went today with my 3 trekking partners, we changed our schedule and they wanted to try here. My visa was ready, so 2 not 3 day turnaround. We told him we were leaving Saturday (it's Thursday) and he offered us next day pick up for $80, we took it. Brazilian, Italian, Spanish passports.

He also is letting me pick up the other guys' passports so they can visit Charyn Canyon (I need to pick up Uzbek visa also so not going). They had all forms at embassy, didn't need to do beforehand.

[bwv812]

I based off of the comments here and all of them say it was $75/same day in Bishkek last two years or so. So im sorry I didn't know about cheaper price recently.

$75 has been the same day (i.e., expedited) price for a while (same-day service in the US with GBAO is more than $75). Regular 5-day service has typically been $45 or $50. The price was also the same when they weren't issuing the GBAO permit (which is usually free when you ask for it). At any rate, there's clearly not some sort of global rate of $25 for visa and $50 for GBAO permit.

I often find myself being a suspicious, penny-pinching jerk when I'm traveling, but sometimes it's necessary to step back a bit, if only because it can make you miserable. Sorry if I have sounded harsh, but it just seems like you might be seeing sinister motives where there aren't any (or no more than usual for the region, at least).

Also, I hope you've done your OVIR registration...

[bremmo]

Hi,

Any idea if they do same day processing?
Better to try in Almaty or Bishkek?

Thanks,

B.