Published: October 31, 2025
This report is intended to supplement the U.S. Department of State Turkmenistan Travel Advisory and Turkmenistan Country Information Page.
Embassy & Consulate Contact Information
U.S. Embassy Ashgabat
9 1984 Street (formerly Pushkin Street), Ashgabat, Turkmenistan 744000
Embassy Operator: +993 12-94-00-45
Embassy Duty Officer available 24/7: +993 63-04-76-83
American Citizen Services (after hours): 940045
Open Monday-Friday, 0900 – 1800.
OSAC Country Chapters
The Ashgabat Country Chapter meets annually.
Contact OSAC’s Asia team with any questions.
Turkmenistan Travel Advisory
The current U.S. Department of State Travel Advisory at the date of this report’s publication assesses that travelers should exercise normal precautions in Turkmenistan.
Crime
The U.S. Department of State has assessed Ashgabat as being a low-threat location for crime directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests.
The U.S. Department of State has not included a Crime “C” Indicator on the Travel Advisory for Turkmenistan.
Report crimes to the local police at 02.
The Government of Turkmenistan does not publish crime statistics, and most data comes from informal sources. In general, Ashgabat is safe for foreigners but has many of the same crimes found in any major city. The threat of residential break-in and burglary is a concern, especially for local residents, as many keep large amounts of cash at home. Smash-and-grab robberies from vehicles have occurred.
Crime is limited. There are few reports of violent crime in Turkmenistan. Take normal safety precautions, such as avoiding travel after dark or in deserted/unfamiliar areas.
Of significant concern in Turkmenistan are crimes involving fraud, bribery, and institutional corruption. Crimes of opportunity against foreigners are rare but do occur; petty thieves tend to operate on buses during rush hour and in crowded environments (e.g., bazaars). Unofficial sources claim that the murder rate in Ashgabat is about one per week and incidents are often alcohol related. Violent crimes often involve the trade/use of narcotics and tend to involve only the local population.
Drunk driving is common. Prostitution, although prevalent at many hotels and restaurants, is illegal. Crimes that involve guns are extremely rare.
Police and military are present in all regions of Turkmenistan. Security personnel maintain checkpoints on major roads and may place visitors under surveillance. Hotel rooms, telephones, e-mail, and fax machines may be monitored, and personal possessions in hotel rooms may be searched.
In Ashgabat, prostitutes reportedly solicit many foreigners at the British Pub, the Grand Turkmen Hotel, Zaman Club, and the disco clubs at the Ak Altyn Hotel and Kopetdag restaurant (the Just Club). This list is not comprehensive; solicitation can happen anywhere. Ashgabat’s fourth, fifth, and sixth districts, and Koshi, Hitrovka, and Gazha, have reputations for relatively higher crime rates. The definition of a prostitute is subjective. Police are known to raid local establishments for prostitution.
Always carry your passport; otherwise, you may be detained. Police asking to see identity papers can be aggressive and have been known to solicit bribes. Ask for identification if you are unsure the person requesting to see your documents is an official.
Kidnapping Threat
The U.S. Department of State has not included a Kidnapping “K” Indicator on the Travel Advisory for Turkmenistan.
There are no known threats to foreigners of kidnapping, though there are occasional reports of local children being kidnapped.
Terrorism
The U.S. Department of State has assessed Ashgabat as being a MEDIUM-threat location for terrorism directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests.
The U.S. Department of State has not included a Terrorism “T” Indicator on the Travel Advisory for Turkmenistan.
While there has been no known terrorist activity in Turkmenistan, terror organizations continue to be a threat in Central Asia. Media sources have reported on the arrest of Turkmen terrorists in other countries. Turkmenistan shares long borders with Afghanistan and Iran, across which members of terror groups can transit.
Extremist groups such as the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), ISIS, and al-Qa’ida remain active in Central Asia, and the Turkistan Islamic Party (TIP) remains active in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region. These groups have expressed anti-U.S. sentiments and may attempt to target U.S. government or private interests in the region.
Political Violence and Civil Unrest
The U.S. Department of State has assessed Ashgabat as being a LOW-threat location for political violence directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests.
The U.S. Department of State has not included a Civil Unrest “U” Indicator on the Travel Advisory for Turkmenistan. Civil unrest can develop quickly without prior notice, often interrupting logistics and services. Avoid demonstration activity, as even those planned to remain peaceful have the potential to turn violent.
Elections/Political Stability
Although the 2016 constitution declares Turkmenistan to be a secular democracy, the country has an authoritarian government controlled by the president and his inner circle. With no political opposition, the regime is more stable than other countries in the region. Outside of the security structures, weak government ministries ensure no power base becomes too influential. The 2016 constitution extended the presidential term in office from five to seven years and failed to reintroduce earlier term limits.
Protests & Demonstrations
There is minimal risk from civil unrest in Ashgabat, and there was one reported instance of a protest in 2022. In practice, authorities do not allow people to gather in large groups.
Anti-U.S./Anti-Western Sentiment
There is minimal anti-Western sentiment. Limited access to information means that awareness of global events is low for Turkmen-only speakers.
Law Enforcement
The Internal Affairs Ministry directs the criminal police, working closely with the National Security Ministry on matters of national safety and security. The latter plays a role in personnel changes in other ministries, often dictating assignments, and enforces presidential decrees. Officials in the security services and elsewhere in the government act with impunity.
There are many examples of security forces committing human rights abuses, including but not limited to: reports of torture by police and prison officials; harsh and life-threatening prison conditions; arbitrary detention; political prisoners; unjustified prosecutions of journalists; restrictions on freedoms of religion, speech, and assembly. Civilian authorities maintain effective control over the security forces.
Individuals who become the victim of a crime should contact the U.S. Embassy Duty Officer (+993 63 047683 or 94-00-45), call the police (02), or go to the nearest police precinct to file a report.
Police Response
A heavy police presence in most major cities helps deter petty crime. Despite being on nearly every street, police may be unable or unwilling to respond or intervene in certain circumstances. The capabilities of law enforcement agencies do not meet Western standards. Many security officials speak only Turkmen, which makes it difficult for foreigners to communicate. Response times are often inadequate. Most investigations are slow, and judicial processes are different from those seen in the U.S. criminal justice system. A warrant is not required for arrest when officials catch a suspect in the act of committing an offense.
Laws governing weapons are very strict. Only a limited number of security personnel may carry handguns. Civilians may carry hunting shotguns, but they must apply for a license. The licensing process includes a psychiatric evaluation and a doctor’s statement confirming that the applicant is not addicted to narcotics. With an approved application, the owner must register the weapon with the Internal Affairs Ministry. Gun owners must store weapons in a safe, separate from the ammunition. Approximately every six months, the government inspects homes of gun owners to ensure compliance. Crimes that involve guns are extremely rare.
Travelers with Special Considerations
For specific traveler concerns in Turkmenistan, review the local laws and circumstances on the Department of State’s Country Information Page.
Rule of Law, Arbitrary Detention, Official Harassment, Corruption, & Transparency
The U.S. Department of State has not included a Risk of Wrongful Detention “D” Indicator on the Travel Advisory for Turkmenistan.
The law provided criminal penalties for corruption by officials, but the government did not implement the law effectively. There were numerous reports of government corruption. Freedom House, and the World Bank’s Worldwide Governance Indicators assessed that corruption was widespread. There were no independent institutions tasked with combating corruption.
Laws, rules, and regulations can be ambiguous—to ordinary citizens and police alike—and are randomly enforced. For example, authorities only sporadically enforce the ban on smoking in public places, yet officials may harass individuals for smoking on publicly visible apartment balconies; smoking is typically only permissible indoors; police irregularly enforce regulations on tinted windows on vehicles and residences; an unofficial curfew begins at 11:00 p.m.; and the government sometimes prohibits beards for local men over 40 and colored hair for women.
Turkmenistan’s currency is pegged to the dollar at an official rate of 3.5 manat to the dollar; on the grey market, it trades at over 35 manat to the dollar, 10 times the official rate. The government has imposed severe restrictions on currency conversion and banned foreign currency sales in an effort to mitigate the ongoing hard currency shortage. Individuals found exchanging currencies outside of authorized institutions may face administrative penalties.
Inflation remains in the double digits and associated crime and corruption is pervasive. Extensive outmigration has reduced the working-age population, especially among skilled workers. The government has developed a reputation for non-payment of its contracts with international firms, in some cases going several million or even billion dollars into arrears.
Cybersecurity
Most Internet users in Turkmenistan access the Internet via cell phone. With limited opportunities for online shopping and many censored websites, cybercrime by Turkmen actors is not prevalent. However, cyber monitoring and censorship are ubiquitous. Maintain no expectation of privacy. The government monitors email and internet activity. Reports have indicated that the Ministry of National Security controls the main internet access gateway. Several servers belonging to internet protocol addresses registered to the Ministry of Communications operate software that allows the government to record Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) conversations, turn on computer cameras and microphones, and log keystrokes.
Cellular reception is poor or unavailable outside of the six major cities.
Pirated software, music, and films are widely available. Turkmenistan is a watchlist country for intellectual property protection.
Import/Export Restrictions
The State Customs Service tightly controls import of any print or electronic informational materials, exercising broad restrictions that facilitate the seizure of foreign informational materials. Customs regulations on importing carpets, jewellery, musical instruments, art, archaeological artifacts, antiques, and protected animals are strict. Prior to purchasing items for export, see the Embassy of Turkmenistan website for their customs information.
The possession and use of satellite phones are illegal without prior, specific government permission.
A country-specific listing of items/goods prohibited from being exported to the country or that are otherwise restricted is available from the U.S. International Trade Agency website.
Additional resources and reports can be found in the OSAC Traveler Toolkit.
