The Stans of Central Asia: Turkmenistan & Uzbekistan 2017
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Overseas SM Adventure Travel Since 1978 The Stans of Central Asia: Turkmenistan & Uzbekistan 2017 EXTEND YOUR TRIP Kyrgyzstan & Kazakhstan Tajikistan: Khujand & Dushanbe Your Travel Handbook CONTENTS Travel Documents & Entry Requirements . 3 Electricity . 23 Your Passport . 3 Visas Required . 3 Climate . 25 IMPORTANT: Expectations for Turkmenistan’s Visa . 4 Trusted Traveler Programs . 5 About Your Destinations . 28 Emergency Photocopies of Key Documents . 5 OAT Trip Leaders: A World of Difference . 28 Overseas Taxes & Fees . 5 Culture & Points to Know . 28 Registration Fee & Photos for Turkmenistan . 6 Shopping . 31 U .S . Customs Regulations & Shipping Charges . 32 Health . 7 Uzbek Customs . 32 Is This Adventure Right for You? . 7 Steps to Take Before Your Trip . 8 No Vaccines Required . 8 Demographics & History . 33 Staying Healthy on Your Trip . 9 Resources . 44 Money Matters . 11 Suggested Readings . 44 Top Three Tips . 11 Suggested Movies . 45 Local Currency . 11 Useful Websites . 46 How to Exchange Money . 13 ATMs . 13 Credit & Debit Cards . 13 Tipping Guidelines . 14 Preparing for Your Trip . 15 Land Only Travelers . 15 Arriving Early in Turkmenistan . 15 Optional Tours . 15 Communications . 16 Packing . 18 Your Luggage . 19 Clothing Suggestions . 19 What to Bring . 20 2 SLK2017 10/13/2017 TRAVEL DOCUMENTS & ENTRY REQUIREMENTS Your Passport • Must be in good condition • Must be valid for at least 6 months after your scheduled return to the U.S. • Must have the required number of blank pages (details below) • The blank pages must be labeled “Visas” at the top. Pages labeled “Amendments and Endorsements” are not acceptable Need to Renew Your Passport? Contact the National Passport Information Center (NPIC) at 1-877-487-2778, or visit their website at www.travel.state.gov for information on obtaining a new passport or renewing your existing passport. You may also contact our recommended visa service company, PVS International, at 1-800-556-9990 for help with your passport Recommended Blank Pages Please confirm that your passport has enough blank pages for this vacation. • Main trip only: You will need 4 blank passport pages for the main trip. • Pre-trip extension in Kyrgyzstan & Kazakhstan: You will need 2 more pages, for a total of 6. • Post-trip extension in Tajikistan: You will need 2 more pages, for a total of 6. • Both a pre- and a post-trip extension: You will need a total of 8 blank pages. Visas Required We’ll be sending you a detailed Visa Packet with instructions, application forms, and fees about 100 days prior to your departure. In the meantime, we’re providing the information below as a guideline on what to expect. This information is for U.S. citizens only. All visas and fees are subject to change. • Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan—Visas required. These visas are required for the main trip. You must get them before you depart the U.S. Turkmenistan in particular has some unique quirks, so we have outlined what you should expect after this list. • Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan—No visa needed. These countries are visited on the pre-trip extension only. U.S. citizens do not need visas for stays of less than 15 days in Kazakhstan or less than 60 days in Kyrgyzstan. 10/13/2017 SLK2017 3 • Tajikistan and Turkey—Visa required in advance. These countries are visited on the post-trip extension. You must get your visas before you depart the U.S. Turkey offers an e-visa option that we recommend, we’ll include details in your Visa Packet. Travelers booking their own flights should note that if you have a connection in Turkey, you might need a visa. It depends on if your airline can check your luggage all the way through to your final destination or if you’ll need to re-check it in Turkey. For example, if you are switching from one airline to another, then it is likely you’ll need a visa. We recommend that you confirm your visa requirements directly with your airline(s) at least two weeks before your departure. IMPORTANT: Expectations for Turkmenistan’s Visa Getting a visa for Turkmenistan isn’t difficult, but does involve a lot of paperwork and some unique quirks. Here’s what you should expect: • Check your passport now. If it needs to be renewed or replaced for any reason, that step must be completed by 120 days (4 months) before your departure. • You’ll need to complete two sets of forms. Turkmenistan has a two-step process. First, you need to register with their government for approval. Only after the approval is granted can your visa be processed. For this reason, we’ll be sending you a special set of forms just for the approval process at about 180 days before your departure. (Or immediately after you’ve made your reservation, whichever comes first.) • Follow all instructions to the letter. Forms must be filled out completely; photos must meet requirements; copies of supporting documents must be in color. • Aim to meet all deadlines—your group is depending on you. The process for Turkmenistan is longer than any other visa. Missing key deadlines only makes it longer. In addition, the Turkmen government usually processes all approvals in batches, meaning that any delay on your part could hold up the approval for the rest of your group. • Know that you might not get your passport back until two weeks before your departure. This is normal for Turkmenistan; they just work at a slower pace. Please do NOT give a false departure date to try to speed up the process—that could result in your visa being issued for the wrong dates. • Know that we might contact you for additional information if the Turkmen government asks for it. For example, they occasionally ask us to verify current or past employment in writing. We hope that we haven’t made the process sound too scary. Keep in mind that most travelers have no issues getting this visa. (If they can do it, you can too!) It just takes a long time and some patience. 4 SLK2017 10/13/2017 Traveling Without a U.S. Passport? If you are not a U.S. citizen, or if your passport is from any country other than the U.S., it is your responsibility to check with your local consulate, embassy, or a visa services company about visa requirements. We recommend the services of PVS International, a national visa service located in Washington D.C.; they can be reached at 1-800-556-9990 or www. pvsinternational.org. Trusted Traveler Programs Some travelers have found that Trusted Traveler programs can expedite long waits at customs when re entering the U.S. There are currently three programs available: Global Entry, NEXUS, and SENTRI. These three programs also include TSA Pre-Check, which allows you to use a dedicated security line at participating airports, or you can apply solely for TSA Pre-Check. TIP: Keep in mind that not all airports and airlines participate in these programs. You may want to consider checking with your airport prior to applying to find out if these programs would benefit you. To apply for a Trusted Traveler program or TSA Pre-Check, typically you will be asked to pay an application fee (varies by program) and schedule a background check and/or an interview. If you are approved, you will be issued a Known Traveler Number (KTN). Your KTN is valid for a set number of years, based on the conditions of the program. Please see the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website for more details on each of these programs: www.cbp.gov/ travel/trusted-traveler-programs. You can also find more information about TSA Pre-Check at www.tsa.gov/precheck. If you are enrolled in TSA Pre-Check (or a Trusted Traveler program that includes it), you must provide your KTN to the airlines. Emergency Photocopies of Key Documents We recommend you carry color photocopies of key documents including the photo page of your passport plus any applicable visas, air itinerary, credit cards (front and back), and an alternative form of ID. Add emergency phone numbers like your credit card company and the number for your travel protection plan. Store copies separate from the originals. If you plan to email this information to yourself, please keep in mind that email is not always secure; consider using password protection or encryption. Also email is not always available worldwide. As an alternative, you could load these documents onto a flash drive instead, which can do double-duty as a place to backup photos during your trip. Overseas Taxes & Fees This tour may have taxes and fees that cannot be included in your airline ticket price because you are required to pay them in person onsite. All taxes are subject to change without notice and can be paid in cash (either U.S. or local currency). If applicable, you will receive a list of these fees with your Final Documents. 10/13/2017 SLK2017 5 Registration Fee & Photos for Turkmenistan The Turkmen government currently charges a $14 per person registration fee that cannot be included in your trip price because you are required to pay it onsite. The fee is collected by local officials when you arrive in Turkmenistan, is payable in cash (U.S. dollars), and will be valid for the duration of your trip. As part of this same process, you will need three passport- sized photos. Once the process is complete and the fee is paid, you should be given an entry and departure card as proof; hold on to these for the duration of your time in Turkmenistan and you will be asked to present the departure card when you leave.