There are increasingly stringent entry and exit restrictions, as well as travel restrictions between regions inland.
Safety
Crime statistics in Turkmenistan are generally low, but it is important to pay attention to pickpockets, especially in the Ashkhabad Tolkucha Bazaar.
Norwegians traveling to Turkmenistan should have valid travel insurance, as the National Insurance Scheme does not cover sickness or accident expenses. All Norwegians who are going to Turkmenistan are encouraged to register at reiseregistrering.no. It is also advisable to investigate the need for vaccines before entry.
Turkmenistan is located in a seismically active area. The risk of terrorist incidents in Turkmenistan is considered low but cannot be ruled out.
In the event of a crisis or emergency, the public can contact the UD’s 24-hour operating center on tel: +47 23 95 00 00, e-mail: UDops@mfa.no
Who can ask for assistance? All Norwegian citizens can request assistance, but also refugees or stateless persons residing in Norway can expect assistance during a temporary stay abroad. Persons who move abroad to settle there or to stay there for at least six months must, before departure, report to the Population Register in the place of residence or residence.
Entry
Please note that entry regulations may change. The Foreign Service is not responsible if the following information on entry regulations or visa requirements is changed at short notice. It is the responsibility of the traveler to ensure that travel documents are valid for entry and to familiarize themselves with the current entry rules for each country.
Norwegians can apply for a visa at the Turkmenistan Embassy in London or Berlin. Turkmenistan practices a restrictive visa practice and not everyone who applies for a visa can expect to have the application granted. Norwegian authorities cannot normally be expected to provide assistance to travelers who are denied a tourist visa. You are often asked to show your passport, visa and other documentation and it is therefore important to bring your passport wherever you go.
Embassy of Turkmenistan
131 Holland Park Avenue,
London W11 4UT, United Kingdom
Phone: +44 (0) 207 610 5239; Fax: +44 (0) 207 751 1903
Website: www.uk.tmembassy.gov.tm
Email: tkm-embassy-uk@btconnect.com;
See English overview of embassies in London
You can also apply at the Turkmenistan Embassy in Berlin:
Botschaft von Turkmenistan in the Federal Republic of Germany
Langobardenallee 14, 14052 Berlin, Germany
Phone: 030 30102452, Fax: 030 30102453
E-mail: info@botschaft-turkmenistan.de;
Website.
Health
Coronavirus (covid-19): No cases of coronavirus have been reported in Turkmenistan so far. However, cases have been recorded in all countries bordering the five Central Asian countries. China is relatively large in all five Central Asian countries. However, Turkmenistan has taken measures such as stricter border control and temperature screening on arrival. The situation may change rapidly and may, for example, lead to quarantine after entry. It is recommended to keep abreast of developments in planning trips to Turkmenistan.
You can find more information and guidance from the Norwegian health authorities on the website of the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. See also UD’s answers to frequently asked questions about travel and coronavirus.
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Vaccines that may be appropriate to take before entering Turkmenistan may include hepatitis A, diphtheria and tetanus vaccine, typhoid fever vaccine.
For updated recommendations on vaccination before departure, see information from the National Institute of Public Health on travel, diseases and vaccines in Asia.
The hospitals in Turkmenistan do not meet Western standards, and with the exception of some hospitals in the capital, so are both competence and material. It is not common for health professionals to know Western languages.
Note that the National Insurance Scheme does not normally cover expenses that Norwegians in Turkmenistan have to bear in connection with illness and accidents. It is therefore strongly recommended to have valid travel insurance.
Tap water is not recommended for cooking and drinking.
For immediate assistance:
Ministry of Emergency Situations (24hrs)
Tel. + 993 12 40 24 15
Tel. + 993 12 40 99 11
Tel. + 993 12 40 26 97
Central Hospital Tel. +993 12 45 03 03
Fax: +993 12 45 03 31
E-mail: info@centralhastanesi.com
1 Yunus Emre Str.Ashgabad
S.A.Niyazov International Medical Center
Tel.: + 993 12 48 90 06
Fax: + 993 12 48 90 09
Berzengi, Ashgabat
Practical information
According to allcitycodes, the area code for calls from Norway to Turkmenistan is +993. The telephone lines are of varying quality. Calling abroad is expensive. GSM coverage is good in the capital. To call Norway from landline, dial 0047 and then phone number in Norway, from mobile use ‘+47’ and not ‘0047’ as a preset.
Turkmenistan is at GMT + 5 (four hours ahead of Norway).
The voltage of the power supply in Turkmenistan is 220 volts, 50 Hz. The tensile strength can often be variable. The contact plug is the same as in Norway. The Internet domain is.tm. There have long been restrictions on the use of the Internet and the internet is poorly developed. Even in the hotels for foreigners, the connection is of varying quality.
Travelers are strongly encouraged to bring US dollars in cash which can then be exchanged for the national currency if required. Please note that foreigners in several places have to pay in dollars. It is therefore advisable to avoid exchanging all money for manatees.
Credit cards are accepted in few places outside the international hotels of Ashkhabat. Few banks accept travelers checks and if they do, a fee of around ten percent is often imposed. It is difficult to withdraw money from an ATM with international credit cards, and there are few ATMs. Travelers are therefore encouraged to bring cash. Please note that on arrival you must state how much foreign currency you have with you and it is forbidden to bring more currency out of the country than you had when you arrived.
There are many official holidays in Turkmenistan. Various official events and disturbances in the traffic picture must be expected.
Official Holidays in Turkmenistan: January 1 – First New Year’s Day, January 12 – Memorial Day for the Fallen at the Battle of Geok Depe in 1881, February 19 – Flag Day, commemorating the new state flag in 1992. It is also former President Niyazov’s birthday, May 20-22. March – Nauryz (Spring Party), first Sunday in April – Water Drop/Gold Day. To commemorate the importance of Turkmenistan’s water reserves, last Sunday in April – celebration of the Turkmen Ahal-Tekke horses, 8-9. May – Victory Day (World War II), May 18 – Constitution Day and celebration of the Turkmen poet Magtymguly, last Sunday in May – Tea Day, third Sunday in July – Kurdish Day, Second Sunday in August – Melonday, Second Saturday in September – Oil-, gas, energy and geology workers’ day, second Sunday in September – Turkmen Bagshy, 6.
Muslim Holidays that vary from year to year: Kurban Bayram (Eid-al Adha) – 70 days after the end of Ramadan. Three day celebration.
Oraza Bayram (Eid al-Fitr) – the end of Ramadan. (July 18, 2015)
Turkmen are a very hospitable and polite people. However, as with the rest of the former Soviet Union, service may not always be as good. The Turkmen community can be difficult to understand for outsiders. Students wear uniforms and women often wear traditional costumes, with two braids for unmarried women and a braid and hair dryer for married women. There are prohibitions and rules that are practiced unpredictably. The authorities cut down on expressions and clothing (including Islamic) that do not conform to traditional Turkmen culture and way of life. However, foreigners and the Russian minority are spared these measures.
There are no special restrictions on alcohol consumption, but only international hotels have after-hours dining. To 23:00. If you move out after that, you are likely to be stopped and asked to identify. Officially, smoking is prohibited in public places, but this is practiced to varying degrees.
Photography can often cause problems and you should avoid photographing someone in uniform or military objects. In addition, one should not photograph at the many roadside checkpoints and at the border crossings. In Ashkhabad, one should also be careful about photographing the many government buildings.
Critical remarks and questions about government and governance can embarrass people and create difficulties. Please note that the authorities do not accept that foreigners enter into relationships with ethnic Turkmen women. Those who violate the ban run the risk of being deported for life.