Do Hong Kong passport holders need a visa to visit TM?

HK ordinary passport holders need a visa for Turkmenistan. You must obtain a Letter of Invitation (LOI) from a licensed Turkmen tour agency, certified by the State Migration Service, then apply for a paper visa at a Turkmen embassy/consulate, or pick up a visa on arrival at Ashgabat airport using the pre-approved LOI. A new e-visa law passed in April 2025 but the online platform is not yet operational as of May 2026. Turkmenistan has one of the world's most restrictive visa regimes, and Hong Kong SAR ordinary passport holders enjoy no exemption. As of 30 May 2026, the standard route requires a Letter of Invitation (LOI) arranged through a licensed Turkmen travel agency and certified by the State Migration Service, after which a tourist visa is issued either at a Turkmen embassy/consulate abroad or as a visa on arrival at Ashgabat International Airport (the VOA still requires the pre-approved invitation). Turkmenistan's parliament amended its Migration Law in April 2025 to create an electronic visa system that would eliminate the LOI requirement, but as of mid-2026 the Presidential decree setting visa categories, fees and durations has not been published and the e-visa portal is not live. Travelers should therefore continue to use the LOI-based process. Airside transit through Ashgabat (under 24 hours, remaining in the transfer area) does not require a visa, but any landside entry does. Conservatively, the verdict is visa-required.