Russian Federation to Turkmenistan visa requirements

Russian ordinary passport holders need a visa to visit Turkmenistan. A travel-agency Letter of Invitation (LOI) certified by Turkmenistan's State Migration Service is required before the visa can be issued; a 10-day visa-on-arrival is only possible with that pre-approved invitation. As of 30 May 2026, holders of ordinary Russian passports require a visa to enter Turkmenistan for tourism. Only Russian diplomatic, official and service passport holders enjoy 30-day visa-free entry; ordinary tourists do not. The standard process requires a Letter of Invitation (LOI) issued by a licensed Turkmen travel agency and certified by the State Migration Service of Turkmenistan (SMS), which is valid for 3 months from certification. With a valid certified invitation, a single-entry tourist visa can be obtained either in advance at a Turkmen embassy/consulate or on arrival at Ashgabat International Airport (the on-arrival sticker is typically issued for up to 10 days and is extendable by another 10 days). Consular fees are set in US dollars and scale with the validity period (about USD 35 for up to 10 days). On arrival a separate migration registration fee (around USD 14) and a state duty also apply, payable in cash USD (post-2008, undamaged notes). A presidential decree signed on 18 April 2025 announced a future electronic-visa system that would remove the invitation-letter requirement, but as of mid-2026 the eVisa has not been operationally launched, so the LOI-based process remains in force. Turkmenistan is not in the Schengen area, so the Schengen 90/180 rule and ETIAS do not apply. Travelers should confirm current rules with the Embassy of Turkmenistan in Moscow before booking.