1

Just a suggestion, if you don't get good answers in this branch, you could cross-post it in the Middle East branch where there are some good experts in Iran that could probably provide you good info (if not about Pakistan, at least about Iran).

2

Your plan for getting a Pakistani visa in Dublin worked for me, but I suggest that you tell them you're flying into Islamabad because of the troubles in Sind. You should also get an Iranian visa before setting out. Mine took two days with a letter of introduction from iranianvisa.com, but a traveler I met in the embassy got his without any introduction.
I don't see the point of double entry. In the unlikely event of the Pakistanis not letting you in, despite you having a visa, the normal international practice would be for the Iranians to cancel your exit stamp and take you back - assuming you have time on your Iranian visa. If they don't want to do that, you having a double entry would make no difference, I think.
As for going the other way, this will take a month or more of preparation, and can't be decided on the spot in Iran. My UZ visa took about two weeks, including LOI, for example.

3

Good plans but as it's been already stated the travelers should try to attain a Pakistan visa in hometown.

Ciao,

4

Thanks. Great advice. Not sure from where, but I had the impression I'd get through Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgistan easily, picking up visas in the country before each time. . Good to know I can't. Two weeks for Uzbekistan visa? Was that in Iran? And are the other two straight forward?
And I've often wondered what happens if you don't get into a country. I didn't know it was international practice for the exit country to let you back. Good to know.
So essentially, if I get my Pakistan and Iran visas before I go, I should get through and if I don't get into Pakistan I go back to Iran and work it out from there. That sounds about right?

5

Good luck

6

And I've often wondered what happens if you don't get into a country. I didn't know it was international practice for the exit country to let you back. Good to know.

I would double-check it in order to avoid problems. The MFA of Spain warns it's not the first time a traveler can't neither enter in the next country nor return to the country s/he left because s/he didn't have the proper documents to make it (i.e.: a double or multiple entry visa for the country s/he left in order to return to it if s/he isn't admitted in the next one). Of course, it'll depend on each country's regulations and other factors but, in order to avoid posible problems, verify the country where you would need to return will acept your return if you don't have a valid double or multiple-entry visa; i.e.: don't assume it without verifying it.

7

By all means, double check, but the only people who could answer for sure would be the border guards at Mirjave. I might just point out that, in my experience, border guards don't like people permanently trapped in no man's land and take care not to let you proceed to the next country if that border is closed, or if you don't have a visa. If, for example, the Pakistanis aren't letting people in because of the security situation, then the Iranians would know about it. If you arrive in Pakistan with a forged visa, the Pakistanis would arrest you, I think. Otherwise, they'll let you in.

re. central Asian visas. I got UZ visa in London. The main delay was the LOI. You could get one of those (with scan of letter from employer) from Stantours and then apply in Tehran. With an UZ visa, a Turkmenistan transit visa took me five working days in Mashaad.
But I assume you'd arrive at Pak border with most of your visa time used up.

8

Thanks Extragon. Great info. I suppose you're right. If I get my Pakistani and Iranian visa in Dublin, unless I hear in Iran that there's some problem getting into Pakistan I should have no problem. And if I hear that there is a problem, I guess I can make my way to Tehran and start working on my Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan visas immediately.

9

I've just E-mailed some tour operators looking for a "letter of invitation" and rang visafirst in Dublin to ask about the Pakistani visa and they said that there's a ten to twelve week minimum wait for a Pakistani visa. I haven't heard this before. Surely it'snot the case?