Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan
Central Asia travel rules, checked and dated
Visa, train and border rules for the five Central Asian countries, with the date we last checked each one.
Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC0
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- KazakhstanDo I need QazETA to enter Kazakhstan?Not yet. Right now: Recommended, not mandatory. Since 1 November 2026 border points have been checking QazETA in stages, and from 1 July 2027 you can be refused entry without it. If you can visit Kazakhstan without a visa, apply in the official app at least 72 hours before you travel.VerifiedRead the answer
- UzbekistanDo I need a visa for Uzbekistan?Many travellers don't. Citizens of most EU countries, the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea can stay without a visa: Up to 30 days. US citizens can too since 1 January 2026. Chinese citizens have their own agreement, and some Indian citizens qualify since 1 September 2026. Everyone else can apply for an e-visa, which costs US$20.VerifiedRead the answer
- UzbekistanHow do I register my stay in Uzbekistan?Every foreign visitor must be registered at the place where they stay. Deadline: Within 3 days of arrival, not counting Sundays and public holidays. Hotels and hostels normally do it for you. If you stay in a private home: Your host registers you through the e-mehmon.uz system, or you go to the local migration office.VerifiedRead the answer
- TajikistanDo I need a permit for the Pamirs (GBAO)?Yes. Gorno-Badakhshan (GBAO), which includes most of the Pamir Highway, needs a permit on top of your visa or visa-free entry. With an e-visa, you add the permit when you apply: US$20. If you enter Tajikistan without a visa, you need to arrange the permit another way.VerifiedRead the answer
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Latest rule changes
All rule changesKazakhstan: QazETA checks begin at Aktau airport and four road crossings
The first stage of QazETA began on 1 November 2026. Until 30 June 2027 the permit is voluntary but recommended, and nobody is refused entry only for not having it. In an official notice on 28 October, the Foreign Ministry confirmed the stage dates, the mandatory rule from 1 July 2027 and the zero fee.
Kazakhstan: QazETA becomes mandatory on 1 July 2027, with checks starting from 1 November 2026
According to news reports on Government Decree No. 890, published on 14 October, border points start checking QazETA in stages from 1 November 2026, but nobody is refused entry without it until 1 July 2027. The permit is reported to be free.
Turkmenistan opens an official e-visa portal with a tourist e-visa
The State Migration Service's portal offers tourist, business and humanitarian e-visas. For the tourist e-visa it asks for a passport scan and a photo, and does not list a letter of invitation. The launch date is from news reports.