Go with a plan.
No major changes since yesterday.
Governments, one trip
What they're telling their own citizens about Turkmenistan
The real score
The breakdown
See it from your perspective
Go with a plan.
The general Sketch Score, unweighted for any specific traveler.
Don't fall for it
Scams to know
Police bribery
Police officers target foreigners to extract bribes due to their low salaries. Do not argue or resist if stopped; pay the bribe to end the interaction.
Don't do this
Laws that jail tourists
Mandatory identification
You are legally required to carry an identification document at all times. Police have the legal right to demand this documentation.
Photography restrictions
It is illegal to photograph or record government buildings, police stations, border crossings, military installations, airports, shopping malls, or street markets.
Filming law enforcement
Recording or photographing law enforcement personnel without their consent is prohibited. Doing so will lead to interrogation by authorities.
Staying healthy
What to watch out for, health-wise
Active notices
- • Global Measles
Tap water safe to drink: No — bottled/filtered only
Vaccines
Required: Yellow Fever
Recommended: Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Measles, Rabies, Typhoid
Source: CDC Travelers' Health →Getting in
What you'll need at the border
The visa policy of Turkmenistan is among the most restrictive of any country in the world. Citizens of all countries (except Uzbekistan in certain cases) require a visa to enter Turkmenistan unless they have special passports or a United Nations Laissez-Passer. To obtain a tourist visa for Turkmenistan, all foreign citizens must supply an invitation letter issued by a travel agency licensed in Turkmenistan. Holders of a letter of invitation issued by a company registered in Turkmenistan with a p
Source: Wikipedia →Real, not invented
Terrorism
Although there’s no recent history of terrorism in Turkmenistan, attacks cannot be ruled out.
Source: UK FCDO →Real, not invented
Cultural & legal notes
LGBT+ travellers
Male same-sex sexual activity is illegal, and punishable by a prison sentence. Same-sex relationships generally meet with disapproval in Turkmen society. Avoid showing affection in public. Read more advice for LGBT+ travellers .
Source: UK FCDO →Right now
In the news the last few days
Media coverage of safety topics here has turned notably more negative in the last 2 days (as of 2026-08-17) compared to its usual tone — a real-time signal, not part of the Sketch Score itself. The headlines below are why.
Pack this, know this
The little things that trip people up
Plug & voltage
B / C / F · 220V
Driving side
right
Emergency
police: 02 / ambulance: 03 / fire: 01
SIM / Data
Turkmenistan has only one mobile phone provider: TM Cell.
Cash vs. Card
The official currency in Turkmenistan is the new manat, sometimes denoted by the symbol "m" (ISO code: TMT). It is divided into 100 tenge.
Show the receipts (8 sources)
- us-state — observed 2026-09-09
- uk-fcdo — observed 2026-09-09
- ca-gac — observed 2026-09-09
- worldbank-political — observed 2026-09-09
- worldbank-policeTrust — observed 2026-09-09
- cdc-health — observed 2026-09-09
- reddit — observed 2026-09-09
- lgbtq-legal-wikipedia — observed 2026-09-09