Turkmenistan - Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan located in Central Asia. In the west it becomes through that Caspian Sea, through to the north Kazakhstan, to the northeast and east through Uzbekistan and in the south by the Iran and Afghanistan limited.

Regions

Cities

• Ashgabat (Ashgabat) - the capital in the south of the country and the only international airport.
• Köneürgenç - in the north near the Uzbek border, the city of the UNESCO world cultural heritage counts. Here you can find the tallest minaret in Central Asia.

Other goals

• Merv - Oasis city with important excavations of antiquity and UNESCO world cultural heritage

• Nisa - about 12 kilometers west of Ashgabat, the old capital of the Parthians and since 2007 UNESCO world cultural heritage

• Derweze - about 260 kilometers north of Ashgabat located village with the famous gate to hell, a burning natural gas crater 40.252222, 58.439722name is missing40 ° 15 '8 "N.58 ° 26 '23 "E.

background

Turkmenistan declared itself independent on October 27, 1991 and broke away from the Soviet Union. Subsequently, Saparmurat Niyazov ruled the country as the first president and from 1999 after a constitutional reform as president for life until his sudden death in 2006 as an absolutist ruler. He gave himself the title of "Beýik Turkmenbashi", which means "the great leader of all Turkmen". During this time, some days of the week were renamed (Saturday became Ruh-gun (Day of the Spirit), Sunday became Dynch-gun (Day of rest)), some months (January turned to Turkmenbashi, April to Gurbansoltan (His mother's name) and September for Ruhna-ma (Title of his book, which became compulsory reading in the state and which was also randomly checked in recruitment tests)).
President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov is currently ruling the country and has proclaimed the globalized age of an ultra-liberalized world economy.
Officially, there is currently only one registered party and the four TV stations, the two radio programs and five daily newspapers and magazines are all state-owned.
Turkmenistan sees itself as a neutral state in the Swiss sense and has consequently left the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the successor organization to the USSR.

getting there

Entry requirements

Basically, European visitors to Turkmenistan have three visa options to choose from. In any case, and even after all formal requirements have been met, it is absolutely sensible to commission a professional visa agency, who is especially familiar with the rules of the Turkmen consular departments, to obtain the visas. Specific references to companies cannot and should not be given here due to the dynamic market. In any case, individual applications will always be rejected even if the formal requirements are met. You always need an invitation that has been issued with the consent of the Immigration Office, Department for Registration of Foreign Citizens. Passports must be valid for 6 months beyond the planned departure date. The fees are standardized worldwide and are charged on a euro basis.

Every started day in Turkmenistan counts as a full day, regardless of the time of the border crossing. The first day of a 5-day transit or 10-day tourist visa also expires on the day of entry if you cross the border late in the evening.

In January 2020, the Turkmen embassy in Switzerland advises that all types of visas are also available upon entry if a confirmed letter of invitation is brought with you. The express tariff is then charged for fees.

Information on applying for a visa for Turkmenistan and the necessary forms can be found on the website of the Turkmen embassy:

• Embassy of Turkmenistan in the Federal Republic of Germany (Königin-Luise Str. 31, Berlin), make an appointment with the Consular Section Tue, Wed, Thu 2-5 p.m .: (030) 30102451.
  • or at the Consulate General in Frankfurt.

After submitting the confirmed invitation, ten days can be expected to process. The visa fees are staggered according to the length of stay and increase in the case of express processing (3 working days).

• Embassy of Turkmenistan in Switzerland (Avenue de France 23, 1202 Genève). Fees in euros only. Processing time for tourists 5 working days, others 2-3 weeks. Express processing 3 days.

• Embassy of Turkmenistan in Austria (Argentinierstrasse 22 / Stg. II / EG, 1040 Vienna). The emergency pass is recognized.

Business visa

This visa allows free stay in Ashgabad and in other regions of the country according to the respective business relationships and the approved length of stay.

If border regions, national parks or nature reserves are to be visited during the stay, the business partner must be informed so that they can be noted in the invitation letter. The approved regions are noted on the visa under point 16 "Comments" (see illustration). The permit is checked at the checkpoints installed for this purpose when entering the special regions. Since the regulations regarding the border regions and national parks that require notification are subject to frequent changes, consultation with the consular department of the responsible embassy is urgently recommended.

If you plan to stay longer than three months, you must also present confirmation of a negative HIV test when you apply for a visa.

The requirement for the business visa is the invitation confirmed by the Turkmen Ministry of Foreign Affairs by a Turkmen business partner including the border regions and nature reserves to be visited on site.

On entry, registration is carried out by the border units. The fee is payable in US dollars. All receipts and documents received during registration must be carried along with the passport at all times until departure and presented on request at controls, checkpoints and when leaving the country. If a stay of more than 72 hours is planned, a second registration with the state migration service in Asady Street in Ashgabad (phone 993 39 13 37) or the respective branch offices must be made within this time! The business partner will usually be on hand to help. Make sure that the page next to your Turkmen visa leaves space for the stamp you entered during registration. If you fail to register, you and your business partner face severe penalties.

Tourist visa:

This visa allows you to stay in Turkmenistan accompanied by an employee of a licensed state or semi-state tourism agency and - outside of Ashgabad - additionally accompanied by a driver from the same agency. A list of approved agencies can be found on the consulate's website. The application for an invitation can also be downloaded here.

Outside of Ashgabad, all places may be visited that were explicitly requested when applying for a visa and that have been agreed accordingly with the agency. If you want to visit border regions, national parks or nature reserves during your stay, you must inform the tourism agency so that they can be noted in the invitation letter. The approved regions are noted on the visa under point 16 "Comments" (see illustration). The approval is checked at the corresponding checkpoints. Visiting these regions is not possible without an entry in the visa. Since the regulations regarding the border regions and national parks that are subject to notification are subject to frequent changes, it is advisable to consult the consular department of the responsible embassy. In principle, however, the tourism agency will almost always be able to design a program that corresponds to individual wishes and to obtain the necessary letters of permission.

Your travel route should definitely be clarified with the agency. If the entry takes place, for example, via the border crossing Serahs (also Serakhs, border with Iran, northeast of Maschhad) and the exit in the direction of Khiva (border crossing Shavat, Uzbekistan) is planned, the border regions Serahs and Dashoguz must be noted in the visa and the border crossings with the Be coordinated with the migration authorities. The tourism agency will register your arrival with the border units and is obliged to pick you up at the border. You will receive the first registration when you cross the border. All receipts and confirmations received here must be kept until you leave the country and presented at controls, checkpoints and when you leave the country. If a stay of more than 72 hours is planned, a second registration with the state migration service in Asady Street in Ashgabad (phone 993 39 13 37) or the respective branch offices must be made within this time. The tourism agency will usually do this for you, so you have to hand in your passport for half a day. It is advisable to have a copy of your passport with you during this time. Make sure that the page next to your Turkmen visa leaves space for the stamp you entered during registration.

With this visa, a spontaneous deviation from the agreed route is only possible to a very limited extent. For example, you can forego a visit to a designated museum and instead go to another or spend a longer time in a bazaar. Fundamental deviations, for example with regard to the places visited or the roads traveled, are excluded. One or two employees of the tourism organization accompany the visitor from arrival at the border crossing to departure. Both the driver and the personal companion must be paid according to specified daily rates. You will stay in the designated state hotels for the duration of your stay.

The requirement for this visa is an invitation from the Turkmen tourism agency. The desired special regions are noted in the invitation and are transferred to the visa accordingly (at the discretion of the consular council) (see figure below).

Transit visa

This visa allows you to cross Turkmenistan on a specified route within a specified period. It is not possible to extend a transit visa on site.

The specified route must not be left. For example, a visit to the city of Mary is not possible on the transit from Azerbaijan (border crossing port Turkmenbaschi) to the border crossing Shavat (Uzbekistan, crossing for the subsequent visit to the city of Khiva). A transit leading through Turkmenistan between neighboring countries is also not possible (e.g. from Uzbekistan via Turkmenistan to Kazakhstan). Only the land crossings come into question as borders. Ashgabad Airport can neither be the starting point nor the destination of a transit.

The prerequisite for the application is the availability of visas from two eligible Turkmen neighboring countries (e.g. Iran and Kazakhstan or Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan). The visa is issued for three to five (very rarely seven) days and is only valid for the distance between the border crossings noted in the visa. In principle, you can apply for up to seven days, but a higher number of days seems to increase the risk of the visa being refused. The number of days allowed is calculated based on the transit time estimated by the consulate. A transit from Turkmenbashi (coming from Azerbaijan) to Turkmenabad (traveling to Uzbekistan) tends to allow one or two more days than a transit from Iran to Uzbekistan. However, these are empirical values ​​and by no means rules that could be invoked.

Detours and detours are impossible and can lead to significant problems at the checkpoints. Transit visas are usually only possible with the support of an agency commissioned for this purpose. Individual applications have been rejected more and more often since 2016.

Upon entry, the Registration through the border units. The registration fee must be paid in western foreign currency (dollars or euros). All documents and receipts received during currency exchange and registration must be carried along with the passport at all times until departure and presented upon request at controls, checkpoints and when leaving the country. The second registration at the Immigration Office is not necessary for transit travelers. If a transit of more than 72 hours is planned, a second registration with the state migration service in Asady Street in Ashgabad (phone 993 39 13 37) or the respective branch offices must be made within this time. This registration is mandatory and must be carried out by the visitor himself in the case of a transit visa. Registration can take anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours. You have to factor this time into your planning. Registration is checked at controls and checkpoints as well as upon departure. Exceeding the time window for registration will be punished according to Turkmen law. Make sure that the page next to your Turkmen visa leaves space for the stamp you entered during registration.

Entry with your own means of transport

The formal requirements required for entry with your own vehicle (motorcycle, car, mobile home, etc.) should be discussed with the responsible Turkmen embassy or the commissioned tourism agency. Normally, vehicle documents are to be submitted with the application. This also applies to a transit! Occasionally, entering the country by bike can also lead to problems. Here, too, consultation with the Turkmen embassy should be held. It is advisable to obtain the confirmations (including, for example, that entry is possible without problems) in writing. Care should be taken to ensure that these confirmations are in Turkmen or Russian, as the border guards usually speak neither English nor German. In addition, information about the often limited opening times of the border crossings should be obtained before entry. When entering or leaving Uzbekistan, it should also be noted that the border can also be closed at short notice, depending on the political situation between the countries. The necessary detours and complications should be planned in the time budget. This applies especially when traveling through with a transit visa.

Protected areas

Foreigners are only allowed to enter protected areas in the company of authorized Turkmens and also require written permission from the Ministry of Environment and Nature Conservation. The protected areas are monitored accordingly; if they are ignored, severe penalties are imminent. To enter the protected areas near the border, additional permits are required to enter the respective border region, which must also be submitted when applying for a visa (see above). Information on the current border regulations can be obtained from the Turkmen embassy in Berlin.

additional Information

Due to the regularly changing regulations, this information can only provide advice and is in no way intended to replace advice from a professional agency, the Turkmen tourism organizations and the Turkmen consulate, without exception. No responsibility can be assumed for the correctness of the information. In addition, the institutions mentioned provide further information on the bureaucratic and formal requirements for visa applications and on-site registration, which are not mentioned here.

A detailed description of the requirements for obtaining a Turkmen visa as well as the bureaucratic regulations to be observed after entering the country can also be found in:

Brummel, P. (2006): Turkmenistan. Bradt Travel Guides.

Although partly outdated (especially in terms of prices), this travel guide is still the most competent and of the highest quality in terms of content.

Areas subject to approval

Checkpoints have been installed at the boundaries of the districts, towns and villages that are subject to approval, at which visitors are turned away without a corresponding note in the visa. If visitors are caught in the corresponding areas without a suitable note in the visa or without the necessary permission, there is a risk of high fines and imprisonment. The application is made to the state migration service. Each permit is subject to a fee and requires the naming of the reasons for travel and the exact dates of stay in the areas subject to approval. This obligation applies to every foreign visitor to Turkmenistan, regardless of the type of visa granted. In the case of tourist visas, the commissioned travel agency will take care of such formalities; in the case of a business visa, it is advisable to entrust the business partner with the organization. Individual tourists must take care of the permits themselves (as long in advance as possible). Exception: If a transit visa requires passage through an area that requires approval, one-time passage is permitted. In this case, it is advisable to keep your stay in the area requiring a permit as short as possible!

Duty Free Allowances

Over 21 years: 2 liters of alcohol and 200 g of tobacco or 200 cigarettes. The latter should definitely be used in view of the local black market for tobacco (1 box of US $ 22 at the official rate, 13.35 at the black market exchange rate)

By plane

The country's only international airport is at Ashgabat. It is also the home airport of the country's only international airline, Turkmenistan Airlines. The only direct flights from Europe are Turkmenistan Airlines (Frankfurt am Main), Lufthansa (Frankfurt am Main), Turkish Airlines (Istanbul) and S7 via Moscow.

The ban on entering and leaving the European Union for the state airline of Turkmenistan was lifted in October 2019. She has an office in Frankfurt.

There is no flight connection to Uzbekistan. Traffic was also in that United Arab Emirates End of 2019 (temporarily?) Suspended.

By train

There are no continuous rail connections from abroad to Turkmenistan. If you still want to travel by train, you can take the train to Bukhara in Uzbekistan (via Moscow) or Mashhad in the Iran (via Istanul and Tehran). From these places there are bus or taxi connections to Turkmenistan.

By bus

There are no continuous connections from / to neighboring countries. But you can take the bus or shared taxi to the border and after crossing it you can change on foot to connecting connections in Turkmenistan.

Car / motorcycle / bicycle

The international driver's license is required and is only valid in conjunction with the national German driver's license. When entering the country with your own motor vehicle, liability insurance must be taken out. In addition, an additional fuel tax must be paid. This depends on the route and has to be paid in cash upon entry in US dollars. Expect around $ 100. There is also an exit tax of $ 14 per person (Oct. 2019).

The Europastraße 60 connects Brest in France With Irkeshtam in Kyrgyzstan. Of course, this is not the only road to Turkmenistan, but it is certainly an interesting route interrupted by the Black and Caspian Seas.

The road leads through France, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Hungary, Romania, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan to Kyrgyzstan.

Another tried and tested route leads via Turkey to Iran and from there near Ashgabat to Turkmenistan. These "South route"leads completely overland.

Last but not least, you can of course also via Russia and Kazakhstan via the "North route"enter Turkmenistan.

Fingerprints have begun at some borders. Baggage is routinely screened by customs.

There are border crossings:
(at most borders, foot passengers must use existing minibuses in the aprons and between the posts)

• from Afghanistan:
  • at Imamnazar (TM)
  • between Turghundi (= Towrgondi; AF) and Serhetabat (TM)
  • between Sarachs (AF) and Serakhs (TM)
• out Kazakhstan of Aktau about Schangaosen after Turkmenbashi at Temirbaba / Bekdash (= Karabogdaz) [since June 2018 "temporarily closed."]
• from Iran (note time zones):
  • in Incheboron from Ashk Tappeh (IR) according to Karadegish (TM)
  • in Gaudan (= Howdan; buses from Quchan), Near Ashgabat. Open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • from Dargaz (buses from Mashhad), to the border at Lotfābād (IR) / Artyk (TM). Not recommended in your own vehicle due to Iranian harassment. Extremely slow processing Thursday and Friday, the Iranian weekend.
  • between Sarah (IR; rail traffic to Mashhad) and Sarachs (TM), open 8 am-3pm
• from Uzbekistan
  • to Daşoguz (TM) [The Daşoguz district is a restricted area subject to authorization. Apply for approval with the visa.]
  • at Farab (accessible by Marshrutka from Alat, UZ), between Bukhara (UZ) and Turkmenabat. Open 8.30 a.m. - 6 p.m. (lunch break)
  • at Urganch (UZ)
  • of Nukus (UZ) at Hojayli Köneürgenç (= Koneurgench; TM). Open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
  • The border at Talimardzhan is not open to nationals from third countries

By boat

Arrival by ship is possible via the Caspian Sea using ferries. A ferry connection, a ride on a cargo ship, exists from Azerbaijan to Türkmenbaşy. However, the connection is erratic. Long waiting times must be expected.

mobility

The roads outside the cities are sometimes extremely bad, especially the Turkmenabad - Dashoguz route is miserable. Police checks are frequent but usually harmless; A bribe is usually not necessary.

There is a dense network of domestic flight connections that connect all major cities in the country. Flights are sometimes extremely cheap.

There is also a network of train connections as a legacy of the USSR. Tickets can only be ordered on site and you should order early as seats on the trains sell out quickly.

language

The only official language in the country is Turkmen, which, according to official figures, is spoken by 86 to 95% of the population as their mother tongue. However, it can be assumed that the percentage - based on the latest Turkmen census from 2012 - overestimates the actual value, as members of minorities tend to disguise their actual ethnicity in favor of Turkmen due to their systematic discrimination.

Although official use is officially prohibited and only taught to a very limited extent in schools, Russian remains the most important language of communication in many areas. However, its importance continues to decline. The population groups born after 1980 have only limited command of the language - if at all - for the most part. At the same time, the proportion of the population learning Russian as their mother tongue continues to decline. As a result of decades of exclusion and marginalization, among other things, the proportion of the once strong Russian minority is now 2 to 5%, according to official information. Due to the close relationship between Turkmen and Turkish, it is now mostly easier to come into contact with Turkmen through this than through Russian.

What is spoken by the relevant minorities is also of only regional importance

Uzbek (6 - 9% native speaker, along the Amu-Darya and in the Dashoguz region and in the desert settlements established for resettled Uzbeks),

Kazakh (less than 0.5% native speaker, in the steppe region in the border area with Kazakhstan in the northwest of the country),

Persian (less than 0.5% native speaker, in the southwest, southeast and from isolated families re-immigrated from Iran) and that

Armenian (less than 0.5% mother tongue, in the coastal regions in the west, especially in Turkmenbashi).

Pashtun is spoken in individual villages in the southeast.

The other languages ​​spoken in Turkmenistan are Azerbaijani, Tatar, Baluch and Ukrainian (together less than 0.5%). In 2006 there were still around 250 ethnic Germans living in Turkmenistan. In 2015, this number is believed to have fallen below 50.

to buy

The local currency is the manat. The official rate of the dollar has been fixed at 3.50 manat since June 2015 and is therefore around € 1: 3.75 manat. The Street course is significantly better and was around 17.50 in October 2019. To exchange in the bazaar, you need dollar cash in small bills.

Hotels must be paid for in US dollars. Other businesses also sometimes accept dollars, but usage has decreased significantly since the introduction of the new manat.

Credit cards are hardly known and are only accepted by a few international hotels in Ashgabat. The rule here is that only VISA is accepted.

The banks are generally open Monday to Friday 9.30am-5.30pm and shops between 9am and 6pm. Bazaars usually open at dawn.

The total ban on the sale of tobacco, issued at the turn of 2016, was lifted again at the beginning of 2017, but cigarettes are only available in state shops at 19-20 MNT per box. Due to delivery problems there is a black market, where the box costs 80 MNT.

The state subsidies for energy, drinking water etc. were abolished in autumn 2019. For consumers this means z. B. a 25-fold increase in the price of water. Corresponding effects on tourism service prices are to be expected.

Arts and Culture

The theater and opera ban imposed by the previous President Saparmurat Niyazov was lifted on January 30, 2009 by the current President Berdymukhammedov. He proclaimed an enrichment of the cultural life. It remains to be seen to what extent this will be implemented. The development will also affect cinemas.

For this appeared at neweurasia an English online article.

nightlife

There is no nightlife in the true sense of the word, as almost all restaurants close at 11 p.m.

public holidays

meeting	Surname	importance
January 1st	New Year (Sylvester)	New year celebrations
January 12th	Day of remembrance
19th of February	Day of the Unified Flag of Turkmenistan
March 8th	International Women's Day
March 21-22	national holidays of spring	Spring Festival Noruz
May 09	Victory Day in World War II
May 18	Mahtumkuli Frari	Day of rebirth, unity and poetry and the constitution
October 06	National Day of Mourning	Commemoration of the victims of the 1948 earthquake
October 27-28	Turkmenistan Independence Day	Commemoration of independence from the Soviet Union
12th of December	National holiday of Turkmenistan - Neutrality Day

Variable holidays:

1. Kurban Bajrami - the exact date of the Kurban Bajrami, the Islamic festival of sacrifice, is set annually by the Cabinet of Turkmenistan.
2. Orasa Bajrami - The exact date is set by presidential decree.

Sunday is the general day of rest instead of Friday, which is common in Islamic countries.

security

The omnipresent police presence makes Turkmenistan a very safe travel destination.

Foreign representations

There are no representations from Austria or Switzerland in Ashgabat. Austrians and other EU citizens can contact the German embassy in an emergency, Swiss people must try the Swiss embassy in BakuTo reach Azerbaijan.

health

Smoking in public is prohibited.

Climate and travel time

The country has a typical continental climate with extremely hot and dry summers and cold winters.

Rules of conduct and respect

• After entering the country, tourists must register with the police within 3 days. Before leaving, you have to de-register at the same office. It is not possible to leave the country without a confirmation of registration / de-registration. As a rule, the inviting travel agency will take care of the formalities for a fee. Transit visa holders are exempt from the reporting requirement.
• In the country itself, holders of tourist visas outside of cities are required to be accompanied by a registered tourist guide.
• At times there is a night curfew for foreigners between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.
• Since May 2008 there has been a very restrictive smoking ban in Turkmenistan. In principle, all smoking is in public (public buildings, parks, sidewalks and even in your own car) forbidden. Smoking in public is only permitted in the approved and explicitly designated outdoor areas of catering establishments.
• The sale of international newspapers is prohibited in Turkmenistan.

Post and Telecommunications

Letter post can be posted in any post office, here you can also buy prepaid envelopes. When entering the address, it is important to enter the country first, then the postcode and city, then the street and finally the name. In addition to the post offices, mail is also received in the Intourist hotels.

To phone in the fixed network is easily possible within Turkmenistan, international long-distance calls are arranged. The area code from Turkmenistan is 00993. From Turkmenistan, 81 must be put in front of the international country code, ie 81049 for Germany, 81043 for Austria and 81041 for Switzerland.

Emergency numbers: Police 02, accident rescue 03, fire brigade 01.

Cellular in the GSM-900 and 1800 network is currently only in the greater Ashgabat area, in the city area Mary near the ruined city Merv and in the area Turkmenabat (Chardzhou)/Komsomolsk possible. There are roaming contracts with the Turkmen mobile operator BCT from O2, T-Mobile and Vodafone. The prices for international calls vary depending on the collective agreement.

Social media and messengers (Facebook, WhatsApp etc.) are blocked in Turkmenistan. Communication abroad must take place via SMS or email.

literature

• Thomas Kunze; Central Asia: Portrait of a region: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan; Bonn 2019 Federal Agency for Civic Education

Web links

• Austria-Turkmen Society
• Turkmen Portal (offiziös; engl.)