Central asia visa headache

Hello Everyone,

Apologies up front if this is an oft asked question, but I can't seem to find the answer to it so I hope someone here can help me. If so many, many thanks.

I am a Brit hitching from Australia to the UK and am currently in China. I will soon be entering Kazakhstan and had planned to travel through a small section of Russia to the Ukraine but am having real issues securing a Russian visa. With this in mind I am now considering travelling through the Stans and then across the Caspian to Azerbaijan.

My question is, does anybody know if I will NOT be able to obtain a visa for any of the following countries, Kyrg, Taij, Uzb, Turk & Azerbaijan, in one of the countries that I travel through before reaching it - this I have been reliably informed is the situation with Russia who almost always insist you apply for a visa in your home country as opposed to at one of their foreign consulars.

If anyone has ANY advice or info on this please pass it on as it would be a real shame to encounter insurmountable difficulties after such an arduous trip.

Many thanks for everyone time and help, it's greatly appreciated

If you are in China and heading for Kazakhstan you don't need visas for Kyrg, Taij, Uzb, Turk to get to Azerbaijan.

You can probably get a Russian tourist visa in Kazakhstan. Try contacting David B at stantours.com. Be prepared to pay big money for this, but probably less than trying to obtain all the other visas your are considering.

Note that there is the possibility to go from Kazakhstan overland directly Azerbaijan across the Caspian Sea via freighter from Aktau to Baku.

Read this thread for lots of detailed information about obtaining the AZ visa in Aktau, where to stay etc. AZ visa in Aktau

Ruth

It depends on your nationality.

Kyrgyzstan is easy enough to get.

Uzbekistan may or may not require an LOI depending on your nationality.

Turkmenistan you will only get a 5 day transit visa (unless you want to pay for the crazy expensive tourist visa) Note: you will need the Azeri visa already in your passport before you apply for the Turkmen visa.

Tajikistan is usually easy enough, although GBAO permits can be a pain.

Azerbaijan you may or may not need an LOI depending on what embassy you use.

Russian visa are hard to come by in Central Asia and the Caucasus. Even as a foreign resident, it was pretty much impossible for me or co-wrokers to get one.

Read this thread for lots of detailed information about obtaining the AZ visa in Aktau, where to stay etc. AZ visa in Aktau

One important update for anyone headed to that thread and considering options discussed there for crossing the Caspian: the VOA at Baku airport is no longer available, so you will need to collect the AZ visa in Aktau or an earlier destination.

Where are you in China? The Russian consulate in Hong Kong is easy to deal with.

Hi,

Here's what I know from having traveled the opposite direction as you on a British passport a couple of years ago:

Route 1 (as you mention):

Kyrgyz visa can be obtained in Almaty (a little expensive, but quite quick) and also Urumqi. You shouldn't need an LOI. Kyrgyzstan has undergone a change of government recently, I don't know if that's affected their visa policy at all but you might want to look for recent information.

Tajikistan - You should be able to get a Tajik visa in Bishkek. I don't know details.

Uzbekistan - you should be able to get visas in both Almaty and Bishkek (I don't know about Dushanbe). Expect hassles in either of the first two locations - it takes time and a lot of queueing and knowing Russian will help immensely. I didn't require an LOI when I got my Uzbek visa on a British passport, but different embassies seem to have different rules.

Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan - I met a number of people when I traveled through the region who picked up both these visas in Tashkent. I don't know anything about details, but I believe that you need an LOI for Azerbaijan these days.

Route 2:

There is a ferry from Aktau to Baku. It leaves very erratically, so you'll need to go to Aktau and wait until a boat turns up, or give up and fly (there are several flights a week). You should be able to get a visa for Azerbaijan in Kazakhstan, but I don't know details.

Hey Maza,

we gonna be going the same way than you, from Iran through Central Asia, and then from Kazakhstan to Russia. We are trying to sort out the visa issues we have, obviously the same than you had.

If you made it, can you let us know at least where you applied for the Russia visa ? How about the other visas?

Thanks a lot in advance,

Gaëlle and Raph