From 1 October 2026, foreigners and stateless persons apply for entry to Turkmenistan through a single electronic system. E-visa processing runs only through it. The State Migration Service announced the launch on 30 September at a briefing for diplomatic missions in Ashgabat.
What changed
Previously, any visa to Turkmenistan required an invitation validated by local authorities and was usually arranged through an accredited travel agency. Amendments to the Law "On Migration" adopted in April 2025 introduced the electronic visa and removed the invitation requirement for it. About 18 months passed between the amendments and the portal launch.
Applications are filed at evisa.migration.gov.tm. The interface is available in English, Russian and Turkmen. Applicants can check status using two of three details: surname, passport number or visa number. If a passport is replaced, the e-visa can be transferred to the new document.
Three categories
— e-TU: tourism. No invitation is required. Itinerary, hotel booking and medical insurance are optional. — e-BS: business. Requires an invitation from an organisation registered in Turkmenistan, stating the applicant's position. — e-HM: humanitarian. Requires a letter from a humanitarian organisation or a UN agency.
Documents and timing
All categories require a scan of the passport page valid for at least six months from the date of entry, a colour photo on a white background meeting ICAO standards, and an email address for notifications.
Standard processing takes up to seven working days, urgent processing three working days, and super-urgent processing 24 hours. The fee is calculated during the application and depends on category and speed. It is paid online in US dollars, excluding bank charges. No single fee schedule has been published.
Support: +993 12 380050, visa@migration.gov.tm.
Registration after arrival
Registration of foreigners has also moved online through a separate portal, rgstr.migration.gov.tm. Registration is still required, and extensions, cancellations and other changes are filed through the same platform.
Timeline
— April 2025: amendments to the Law "On Migration" introduce the e-visa; — April 2026: electronic registration of foreigners; — 30 September 2026: system presented to diplomats; — 1 October 2026: launch.
The list of countries whose citizens can apply and the list of border crossing points have not yet been published on the portal. At launch, according to Times of Central Asia, the site offered only a login page without registration.
What it means for aviation
Turkmenistan remains one of the most closed markets in the region. National carrier Turkmenistan Airlines dominates, and foreign airlines serving Ashgabat include Turkish Airlines, flydubai, S7 and China Southern (via Urumqi). There are no direct flights to Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan or Tajikistan. From Belarus, according to the Belarusian Republican Union of Tourist Organizations, there are two flights a week.
The main constraint on demand was not fares or schedules but the invitation requirement. When it falls away for the tourist visa, airlines gain a chance to work with individual passengers, not only organised groups and business travel.
What to watch next
— whether the portal works for markets beyond those already covered by bilateral arrangements; — whether Turkish Airlines and flydubai expand frequencies; — whether demand for Turkmenistan Airlines' European routes grows.
Our assessment: the e-visa alone will not open the market. Until fees, eligible countries and crossing points are published, airlines cannot build its effect into schedules. But it is the first step that makes an independent tourist trip technically possible. This is flycentralasia's conclusion, not a statement by the State Migration Service.
What businesses can do. Airlines serving Ashgabat should test how the portal works for passengers from their key markets. Tour operators can prepare offers for independent travellers for when the country list is published. Airports and service companies can treat portal updates as a demand indicator.