Registration in Turkmenistan

Foreign visitors to Turkmenistan are required to register after entering the country. If you are staying in this landlocked Central Asian country on the shores of the Caspian Sea for no more than 3 days, you will only need to register when you cross the border.

Border officials will issue you a green entry and exit card, which you must carry with you throughout your stay and return upon departure. The registration fee is usually $12 USD for adults and $5 USD for children under 15 years old. It is recommended that you carry this money in cash.

If you intend to stay in Turkmenistan for more than 72 hours, additional registration is required. You must register your visa in person from day 3 at the State Migration Service, also known as OVIR (Office for Foreign Visa Processing). OVIR's headquarters are located in the capital Ashgabat (Asgabat), on Asady Street. In other cities, the registration is handled by the relevant subdivisions of the Migration Service, i.e. the local police. Request addresses well in advance to meet the deadlines.

Transit travelers (= transit visa holders) are exempted from the obligation to register.

No, as mentioned above, travelers must register on their own.

However, for holders of tourist visas, in most cases all necessary steps are taken by the inviting Turkmen tour operators. A fixed fee is usually charged for this. Please check with your contact person about these services.

If you are registering on your own, it is necessary to obtain written confirmation of accommodation from the accommodation provider.

You will need the following documents to register:

• your passport with a valid visa entry
• current passport photo
• green immigration card
• receipt for payment of the registration fee upon entry
• written confirmation of accommodation (from the hotel).

After registration, OVIR will stamp your ID card with a stamp of authorization.

If you have a business or private visa, it may be required that your host or the person who invited you accompany you or that you present the invitation again. Please check the requirements directly with the Embassy or OVIR of Turkmenistan.

Yes, deregistration is mandatory and must be done at the same office where you registered. You will receive a second stamp in your passport from the Immigration Service. Border officials will check that you have both stamps. It is usually not possible to leave the country without confirmation of registration and deregistration.

Please note that we cannot guarantee the completeness and correctness of the Turkmenistan registration information. We carefully maintain our website, but we cannot rule out changes to the country's entry rules at short notice of which we are unaware. Official up-to-date information can be obtained from the Embassy of Turkmenistan in Berlin.