Photo: turkmenistan.gov.tm
The government of Turkmenistan has removed the requirement for foreigners to obtain an invitation to visit the country when applying for an electronic visa (e-Visa). The corresponding amendments to the «Migration Law» were signed by President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, as reported by the Turkmen State Publishing Service.
According to the amendments, foreign citizens and stateless persons will be able to apply for an e-Visa through the information system of the State Migration Service of Turkmenistan. The forms for written and electronic applications, the list of required documents, the procedure for submitting applications, and the samples of visa stickers and e-Visas have yet to be established.
However, according to Fergana, travel agents are skeptical about the new system, believing that the introduction of the e-Visa will not simplify travel to Turkmenistan, but rather become an additional requirement and increase fees for tourists.
«I suspect that invitations for foreigners will simply be submitted electronically and become part of the e-Visa application process. This is Turkmen-style digitalization,» shared a travel agent working in Central Asia with Fergana.
Turkmenistan is one of the most closed countries in the world, although the authorities often express a desire to develop the tourism sector. The visa application process at the country's consular offices abroad rarely meets the established timelines, and applicants often face refusals.
