Tajikistan E-visa Q&A

[cat_hag]

I payed the fixer recommended by caravanistan 2 days ago. He said it can't be approved until it has been payed for, so even this route doesn't work.

He took our 70$ though, so hopefully he can get us some more information . I will update this thread as soon as I hear anything.

If people manage to pay for the e-visa application through a fixer (whether Caravanistan’s recommended fixer or another agency), please report here. I’m telling other travelers on a cyclist group that payment is not working for anyone right now, but I don’t know whether to recommend going through a fixer or not.

Which fixer have you asked, Khudogoy or Firoz?

[cat_hag]

Just to add, I’ve spoken to Khudugoy and he says that even a fixer cannot solve the payment issue so it is just a matter of waiting for the government to fix the online payment system. So there seems to be no point in paying $70 to a fixer at the moment.

[chamcn]

I gave up and flew to Dushanbe for VOA, $60 so easy. Flights from Bishkek insanely expensive ($800) best to cross to Almaty and fly from there ($60)

[cat_hag]

I gave up and flew to Dushanbe for VOA, $60 so easy. Flights from Bishkek insanely expensive ($800) best to cross to Almaty and fly from there ($60)

How many days did you get on the VOA?

[Shilpa]

I gave up and flew to Dushanbe for VOA, $60 so easy. Flights from Bishkek insanely expensive ($800) best to cross to Almaty and fly from there ($60)

Hey did you need a tour booking confirmation? I just confirmed a visit alay trip and they said as a UK citizen I can't get VOA.

Was going to try the Tajikistan embassy in Almaty but not sure if they do tourist visas?

[CaptainHugito]

Thinking that the evisa payment won't work soon, I'm looking for differents ways to get in the country. As a spanish citizen I don't need visa to stay less than 30 days (for me is enough). But I want to get in from kyrgyzstan side (kyzyl-art pass), so I need GBOA pernit. I think to get GBAO permit I need to get a visa and in Biskhek don't grant tourist visa now. So I think that this way won't be work.I'm right? Please, tell me that I'm wrong. Someone can confirm that?

If you only need the GBAO, contact Saidmamad from “Discover the Pamirs”. +992 93 120 1114 on WhatsApp. He was able to get me the GBAO permit and sent it to me directly via email. I used it at the Kyzyl-Art pass last week. $30 well spent; no time wasted with Tajik government.

[jamesb.2810]

British citizen experience here:

Applied for Tajik e-visa with GBAO permit on 22/04/2024. Unsure of my travel dates so I put some dates at the start of the 60-day period which I know I'll travel for. After a few days they requested travel tickets, itinerary and hotel bookings. I'll be entering/leaving by train from Uzbekistan which can't be booked online, so I phoned the Tajik embassy in London and they said to just upload a typed out version of my itinerary, specifying that I will enter/leave overland. I did so as well as put some cancelable hotel bookings in. A few days later they requested a letter of invitation, so again I phoned the embassy and they again said to just upload an itinerary so I did the same but with more details and my flight bookings to/from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. A few days later they again requested a letter of invitation so I uploaded a note in Russian that said the embassy said I didn't need a letter of invitation. A few days later, rejected. Could well be due to the fact that I didn't put any travel details to GBAO on my itinerary, and just attached a note saying that maybe I will go. I have applied again without GBAO permit and will try to get the permit on the ground in Tajikistan. If that is rejected I will apply for an in-person visa in Kazakhstan.

Hope some of that will be helpful for people in a similar situation, and if anyone has any comments on perhaps why I was rejected and what I should do moving forward that would be most appreciated.

Update: I applied again without GBAO and LOI and got rejected again

Update:

I gave up with the online system and applied for a paper visa in Astana. Sumbitted my documents on the standard visa, not e visa, website and was told to not bother waiting for "pre-approval", just to come to the embassy where they would go through the details with me. I submitted my docs on a Friday and went on a Tuesday as the Monday was a holiday for them. Waited about 20 mins and then went into the consular office, very informal atmosphere with a super friendly and chatty lady, she spoke fluent English and reassured me of the simplicity of the whole process - she was shocked when I told her about all the e visa issues people were having. Told me to return on Friday, which I did, and after waiting for a good couple hours outside the office (where you're not allowed your phone, so bring a good book!) I was invited in for a final review of my trip details. Visa printed there and then. Visa cost was 38000 KZT, a reasonable price. I paid in dollars, cash only! At the entrance to the embassy you have to surrender your phone to the Kazakh police who will also note down your passport details, when collecting your passport from the embassy make sure to bring a photocopy of it to enable you to get past the checkpoint. Working hours of the consulate department are 9am to 6pm Mondays to Fridays with lunch break from 1pm to 2pm. However they do not publish any deviances from these hours, so I came on Monday with no knowledge of the national holiday and was turned away, and on Friday was made to return after 2pm as for some reason they were only working after then. Also don't bother with their website or email address - just turn up and rest assured all will be fine!

[jamesb.2810]

I gave up and flew to Dushanbe for VOA, $60 so easy. Flights from Bishkek insanely expensive ($800) best to cross to Almaty and fly from there ($60)

Hey did you need a tour booking confirmation? I just confirmed a visit alay trip and they said as a UK citizen I can't get VOA.

Was going to try the Tajikistan embassy in Almaty but not sure if they do tourist visas?

Can't speak for Almaty but in Astana it was very easy and they did issue tourist visas. For a paper visa you have to submit documents online in advance, and there you select which embassy you would like to get your visa from, Almaty was an option so fairly certain they do tourist visas.

[cat_hag]

I gave up and flew to Dushanbe for VOA, $60 so easy. Flights from Bishkek insanely expensive ($800) best to cross to Almaty and fly from there ($60)

Hey did you need a tour booking confirmation? I just confirmed a visit alay trip and they said as a UK citizen I can't get VOA.

Was going to try the Tajikistan embassy in Almaty but not sure if they do tourist visas?

Can't speak for Almaty but in Astana it was very easy and they did issue tourist visas. For a paper visa you have to submit documents online in advance, and there you select which embassy you would like to get your visa from, Almaty was an option so fairly certain they do tourist visas.

Thanks for posting all the details! How many days did you get on the tourist visa?

[jamesb.2810]

I got 14, when you fill in the details in advance online you can select from a list of set options. I told the worker I would just be there for 9 days but would prefer 14 for more flexibility and she took no issue with this.