PassportSouth Africa

Turkmenistan: do South Africans need a visa?

South Africans need to apply for a visa before travel to Turkmenistan.

Set by the visa. Official visa durations range from up to 10 days to up to 12 months. Tourist visas normally match the itinerary in the LOI.

Visa required, based on a letter of invitation (LOI) certified by the State Migration Service. A new e-visa system reportedly opened on 1 October 2026 but its eligibility rules are not yet published.12

Before you travel

Length of stay

Set by the visa. Official visa durations range from up to 10 days to up to 12 months. Tourist visas normally match the itinerary in the LOI.1

Confirmed on an official government source

Purpose of visit

Tourist (through a licensed travel agency), business, private and transit visas. The new e-visa has tourism (e-TU), business (e-BS) and humanitarian (e-HM) categories.126

Confirmed by other governments' official advice

Passport validity

At least 6 months from the date of departure.12

Confirmed on an official government source

How to apply

Ask a licensed Turkmen travel agency for an LOI; they apply to the State Migration Service. The LOI is valid 3 months from certification. With the LOI, collect the visa at Ashgabat International Airport or at a Turkmen embassy. Official fees range from USD 35 to USD 1,015 depending on length and entries (US embassy schedule). On arrival also expect a USD 14 migration fee and USD 2 per day tourism tax (UK FCDO). Embassy processing is about 10 working days; LOI approval can take up to a month.123

Confirmed on an official government source

Where South Africans apply

No Turkmen embassy in South Africa was found. Use the LOI plus visa on arrival at Ashgabat, or a Turkmen embassy in another country.1

Not yet confirmed by an official source

Travel insurance

Not published as mandatory. For the new e-visa, insurance is reported as an optional supporting document.6

Not yet confirmed by an official source

Return or onward ticket

Not published by official sources

Proof of funds

Not published by official sources

Accommodation or invitation

LOI required for all visas except transit. Register with the State Migration Service within 3 working days if staying longer than 3 days, and register departure. Your hotel or sponsor usually does this. Failing to register can lead to fines, arrest or deportation.123

Confirmed on an official government source

Vaccinations, including yellow fever on return to South Africa

UK FCDO and the US State Department report a compulsory COVID-19 test on arrival (USD 31). Turkmenistan is not a yellow fever risk country, so South Africa does not require a yellow fever certificate when you return directly.23

Confirmed by other governments' official advice

Arrival forms

Migration card and fees on arrival (USD 14 migration fee, USD 2 per day tourism tax).2

Not yet confirmed by an official source

Extending your stay and overstaying

Visa extensions go through the State Migration Service. Failure to register or update a visa can mean fines, arrest or deportation.23

Confirmed by other governments' official advice

Transit

Transit visa (about 5 days) available without an LOI, applied for at an embassy with proof of visas for the next country. Airside transit at Ashgabat up to 24 hours without a visa.457

Confirmed by other governments' official advice

Travelling with children

Not published by official sources

What changed

1 October 2026State Migration Service reportedly launched an e-visa portal (evisa.migration.gov.tm) with tourism, business and humanitarian categories. Tourist e-visas reportedly need no LOI. Eligible nationalities, fees and stay length are not yet published, and the portal was hard to reach at launch.
18 April 2025Presidential decree to introduce electronic visas and drop the invitation-letter requirement.

Sources

Official

The destination's own government

  1. 1Embassy of Turkmenistan in the United States usa.tmembassy.gov.tm
  2. 4Embassy of Turkmenistan in the United Kingdom uk.tmembassy.gov.tm

Other government

Official advice from other governments

  1. 2UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office gov.uk
  2. 3US Department of State travel.state.gov

Reference

Used to find official sources, never the final word

  1. 5Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org
  2. 7Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org

News and guides

Leads we check, never the answer

  1. 6Visamundi visamundi.co

Last researched 5 October 2026. Rules change; confirm with the embassy before you book. Spotted something out of date? Report a change.