Japan to Turkmenistan visa requirements

Japanese ordinary passport holders need a visa to enter Turkmenistan. There is no visa-free, e-visa, or ETA channel currently operational. You must first obtain a Letter of Invitation (LOI) from a licensed Turkmen tour operator, certified by the State Migration Service, then apply for a tourist visa at a Turkmen embassy/consulate or collect it on arrival at Ashgabat airport (visa-on-arrival still requires the pre-approved LOI). As of 2026-06-01, a Japan (JP) ordinary passport holder requires a visa for tourism in Turkmenistan. Turkmenistan has one of the world's most restrictive visa regimes: almost all nationalities, including Japan, need a visa, and tourist visas require a Letter of Invitation (LOI) arranged by a licensed Turkmen travel agency and certified by the State Migration Service. The LOI is valid for 3 months from certification. With the LOI approved, travelers either apply at a Turkmenistan embassy/consulate abroad (e.g. in Tokyo's accredited mission or Washington/Istanbul consular routes) or use the visa-on-arrival counter at Ashgabat International Airport, which still requires the pre-approved LOI. A standard single-entry tourist visa is typically valid for short stays (around 10 days, extendable) and costs roughly USD 50-150 depending on duration and processing speed, payable in cash USD. Turkmenistan enacted Migration Law amendments in April 2025 to introduce an electronic visa and abolish the LOI requirement, but as of early-to-mid 2026 the e-visa platform is NOT operational and the implementing presidential decree (defining categories, fees, validity) has not been published. Until the platform goes live, the LOI-based system remains fully in effect. Note: holders of Japanese diplomatic/official/service passports enjoy 90-day visa-free access, but this does NOT apply to ordinary passports. Turkmenistan is not in the Schengen area, so Schengen/ETIAS rules are irrelevant.