It became easier for Belarusians to visit Turkmenistan: what has changed for tourists

Turkmenistan has simplified entry rules for travelers. What has changed – in the material of the correspondent of the agency “Minsk-Novosti”.

Since October 1, Turkmenistan has introduced an electronic tourist visa e-TU, as well as business and humanitarian visas.

Earlier, foreign tourists had to receive an official invitation approved by the Migration Service of Turkmenistan to enter the country. That is, the traveler had to contact a local, licensed travel agency.

Under the new rules, such an invitation is no longer required to obtain a tourist e-visa.

An electronic visa can be issued in up to 7 working days. The accelerated option takes three days, the express visa takes 24 hours. The cost depends on the type of visa and the urgency of obtaining it.

In addition, since April 2026, migration registration has been simplified for tourists - transferred to an online format. If the guest plans to stay in the country for more than three working days, data on the place of stay can be submitted by both the host party and the tourist himself via the Internet. At some checkpoints, instant biometric registration is available.

Turkmenistan attracts travelers with a combination of the monumental architecture of Ashgabat, the unique nature of the Karakum desert and the rich heritage of the Great Silk Road. Here you can see ancient fortresses, Seljuk mausoleums, medieval minarets and mosques. In addition, three sites (Old Nisa, Ancient Merv and Kunya Urgench) are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Among the souvenirs, handmade silk carpets are popular.

From Belarus to Turkmenistan can be reached by regular flights of Belavia Airlines on the route Minsk - Ashgabat. Now they are performed twice a week. The journey time is about 4 hours 25 minutes, the distance is 2,420 km.