Commercial flights to and from Turkmenistan have recently been suspended. On March 6, 2020, the Department allowed for the voluntary departure of non-emergency personnel and family members of U.S. government employees.
The Government of Turkmenistan has informed the U.S. Embassy in Ashgabat that it intends to offer a limited number of seats on a commercial flight to Istanbul to U.S. citizens wishing to depart Turkmenistan. The departure date of this flight is not yet known. Passengers are expected to pay for transport but the exact mechanism or amount of payment is currently unknown. Passengers will also be responsible for arranging their own onward transportation from Istanbul and may be subject to varying screening measures in place at their chosen destination. Currently there is no guarantee that these flights will take place. The U.S. Embassy in Turkmenistan is collecting information from interested passengers.
The U.S. Embassy in Turkmenistan is making this information available to potentially interested U.S. citizens, and is prepared to liaise with the Government of Turkmenistan to facilitate travel information for individual private U.S. citizens and their families who decide to avail themselves of this avenue for departing the country. Citizens of other countries should contact their own respective embassy for flight options.
United States citizens interested in departing on these flights and who are in possession of a valid passport should contact consularashgab@state.gov. There is no need to call the Embassy to confirm receipt of your email; you will be contacted. In your email please provide the following:
- Full name
- U.S. passport number
- Date of birth
- Email address
- Phone number
- A photograph of the biographical information page of your passport
United States citizens without a valid passport but who wish to express interest in the flights should send the above information and refer to their most recent expired passport. If you do not have a valid passport you should clearly indicate this in your email. You will be contacted with information on how to obtain an emergency passport.
Individuals who avail themselves of this transport must ensure that they have the appropriate travel documentation and will be subject to entry and exit and health requirements in Istanbul and at their final destination. If that is the United States, passengers will be subject to CDC screening, health observation, and monitoring requirements upon reentry to the United States.
