Turkmenistan

Government advisories

• ☐ United States: level 1/4 — Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions
• ☐ United Kingdom: level 1/4
• ☐ Canada: level 2/4 — Exercise a high degree of caution (with regional advisories)

Health notices

• ☐ Global Measles (level 1)
• ☐ Tap water: avoid — bottled/filtered only

Entry requirements

☐ 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

Practical

• ☐ Plug type B/C/F, 220V — bring an adapter if yours differs
• ☐ Drives on the right
• ☐ Emergency (police): 02
• ☐ Emergency (ambulance): 03
• ☐ Emergency (fire): 01
• ☐ SIM: Turkmenistan has only one mobile phone provider: TM Cell.
• ☐ Money: The official currency in Turkmenistan is the new manat, sometimes denoted by the symbol "m" (ISO code: TMT). It is divided into 100 tenge.

Laws that could get a tourist arrested

• ☐ 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.

Before you go

General trip-prep, not specific to Turkmenistan — the same short list applies anywhere.

• ☐ Register with your embassy's traveler program if one exists
• ☐ Check your passport's validity and blank-page requirements on your destination's official entry-rules page
• ☐ Photograph/screenshot your passport, visa, and travel insurance documents
• ☐ Download offline maps for your destination
• ☐ Confirm your bank/card issuer knows you're traveling
• ☐ Check whether your phone plan needs a travel add-on or a local SIM