As of yesterday, October 1st, Turkmenistan's long-awaited e-visa system is officially live. The platform can now be found at evisa.migration.gov.tm, and for a country that has spent years near the top of every “hardest places to visit” list, that's a genuinely big deal. We've been fielding questions from travellers all week, so we wanted to put together this update to run through exactly what's happened, what it means right now, and what we're still waiting to find out.
What actually happened on October 1st?
The State Migration Service of Turkmenistan switched on its new online visa platform. This is the system that was first flagged back in 2025, when the legal groundwork was laid to allow foreign nationals to apply electronically rather than through the old paper-based process. As of this week, that platform is finally live and accepting applications. This is the current update as we understand it, and we'll be keeping a close eye on how things develop from here.
Does this mean I can now apply for a Turkmenistan visa on my own, without a tour company?
This is the question we've had the most of, and the honest answer right now is no. This is the reality of the situation as it stands: there has been no official announcement from Turkmen authorities about exactly how the e-visa system will function in practice, who will be eligible to use it, or whether it replaces the Letter of Invitation (LOI) process altogether. Until that detail is confirmed, everyone wanting to visit Turkmenistan will still need to go through the usual LOI application process via a registered tour company, which is exactly how things have worked for years. We'll update this article the moment that changes.
Currently on the website there is a log in page, but there is still nowhere yet for you to sign up and information on the site is limited at best.
Will this lead to an increase in independent tourism to Turkmenistan?
Not at this stage. It's an easy assumption to make, since “e-visa” usually signals a move towards easier, more independent travel in other countries. But that's not necessarily the intended plan here. The platform going live is a technical milestone, not a policy announcement, and nothing we've seen so far suggests Turkmenistan is opening its doors to independent, LOI-free travel. We'd treat any claims otherwise with caution until there's something official to point to.
What happens at the airport now?
Nothing has changed here yet either. On arrival into Turkmenistan, travellers will still need to go to the visa window to have their visa physically stamped into their passport, exactly as before. If the e-visa system eventually replaces that step, we'll let you know, but for now this part of the process is unchanged.
So what don't we know yet?
Quite a bit, and that's simply the reality of a system this new. We don't yet know who will be able to apply through the platform, whether it will eventually sit alongside or replace the LOI process, what documentation it will require, or what the processing times and fees will look like. This is a developing situation, and as the intended plan becomes clearer over the coming weeks and months, we'll be writing follow-up articles with the details as they're confirmed.
Do we offer Turkmenistan tours?
Yes! We run small group tours through Turkmenistan throughout the year, covering everything from Ashgabat's marble skyline to the Darvaza Gas Crater and the ancient Silk Road sites of Merv and Konye-Urgench. Check out our current tour dates on our website.
How can I book a tour?
Send us an email at [email protected] and we'll take care of the rest, including guiding you through the current LOI process for your visa.
