Approved first, then collected at the airport
The Consular Department says some foreign citizens can obtain a visa at the airport after applying in advance. The named desk is the Consular Bureau at Dushanbe International Airport.
This website is a private application-assistance service for the Tajikistan e-Visa. It is not the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and it does not issue the airport visa.
What visa on arrival is
It is a Tajikistan visa issued when you arrive, for a traveler whose request was already accepted. The Consular Department tells people to apply in advance, including through the state site visa.gov.tj, and then collect the visa at the airport.
A passport that needs a visa cannot be used to walk up to the desk with no approval. UK travel advice says the same thing in plain terms: a physical visa on arrival must be pre-approved, and arriving without the right visa can mean refusal.
Check your passport on the country list before you book the flight. Many ordinary passports are exempt for up to 30 days. Those travelers do not need a visa on arrival for a stay inside that limit.
Three ways to enter
| Route | When it fits |
|---|---|
| Visa exemption | Your ordinary passport is on the exemption list, and the stay is inside that limit. |
| e-Visa | You need a visa, or you will stay longer than the exemption, up to 60 days, for tourism or business. You apply online from outside Tajikistan and carry the approval. |
| Visa on arrival | You have advance approval to collect the visa at Dushanbe International Airport. |
Work, study, and residence use a visa from a Tajik mission. They are outside both the short e-Visa and a standard airport collection.
Where it is issued
The entry rules name one place for collection on arrival: the Consular Bureau at Dushanbe International Airport, in agreement with the Consular Directorate. The bureau address published by the Consular Department is 34 Pushkin Street, Dushanbe. The contact centre is +992 44 610 20 20.
An approved e-Visa is different. Holders may enter through the border points open to them, including Dushanbe International Airport and Khujand International Airport. Carry the passport named on the visa.
A flight connection that never leaves the international transit area is a separate case. Read the transit page before you assume a transit stop needs an airport visa.
What to carry
- The same passport used in the advance application.
- A passport valid for at least six months after the visa you request, and for at least six months from the day you intend to enter, with at least two blank pages.
- The approval that allows the airport to issue the visa.
- One application for each traveler, including each child.
Photo and passport-scan rules for an e-Visa are on the photo and passport page. The full checklist is on the requirements page.
Travel into the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region still needs a separate single-entry permit. Enter that region on the date printed on the permit. The airport visa does not replace it.
When the e-Visa is the simpler route
The e-Visa is approved before you fly. You pay by card, receive the visa by email, and show it with your passport. The stay is up to 60 days. The visa is valid for 90 days, and you enter during that window. Tourism and business can be single entry or multiple entry. Current amounts are on the fees page. The total on this site is shown before you pay.
Use the tourist visa for sightseeing and family visits. Use the business visa for meetings and other short commercial travel. Apply only while you are outside Tajikistan.
Questions
Can I get a Tajikistan visa when I land?
Only if it was approved before you travel. The Consular Department says some foreign citizens can collect a visa at the airport after applying in advance. Arriving with no approval, when your passport needs a visa, can mean refusal at the border.
Where is the Tajikistan visa on arrival issued?
The Consular Bureau at Dushanbe International Airport issues a pre-approved visa on arrival, in agreement with the Consular Directorate. This page does not treat other airports as visa-on-arrival desks.
Is a Tajikistan e-Visa the same as visa on arrival?
No. An e-Visa is approved before you fly and emailed to you. You carry it with your passport. Visa on arrival is a visa collected at Dushanbe airport after a separate advance approval.
Do I need a visa on arrival if my country is visa-exempt?
No, if the stay is inside the exemption for your passport. A longer tourist or business stay, up to 60 days, uses an e-Visa. Check the country list before you travel.
What should I carry for a visa on arrival?
Carry the passport used in the advance application, the approval for the airport visa, and a passport that stays valid for at least six months with at least two blank pages. Each traveler, including a child, needs their own passport.
Does visa on arrival cover the Pamirs?
No. Travel into the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region needs a separate single-entry GBAO permit, including when you hold a visa or a visa exemption.