Published: October 3, 2025
This report is intended to supplement the U.S. Department of State Tajikistan Travel Advisory and Tajikistan Country Information Page.
Embassy & Consulate Contact Information
U.S. Embassy Dushanbe
109-A, Ismoili Somoni Avenue (Zarafshon district), Dushanbe 734019
Tel: +992-37-229-2000
After-Hours Emergency: +992-98-580-1032.
OSAC Country Chapters
There is no OSAC Country Chapter in Tajikistan. U.S.-based organizations with operations in Tajikistan meet with the U.S. Embassy Regional Security Officer on an ad hoc basis.
Contact OSAC’s Asia team with any questions.
Tajikistan Travel Advisory
The current U.S. Department of State Travel Advisory at the date of this report’s publication assesses that travelers should exercise increased caution in Tajikistan due the risk of terrorism, unexploded landmines, occasional violence near the border with the Kyrgyz Republic, and limited ability to assist U.S.-Tajik dual nationals.
Unexploded landmines and cluster munitions are a hazard along the Afghan-Tajik and Uzbek-Tajik borders, as well as in the Vakhsh and Rasht valleys. Pay attention to land mine warning signs. Do not venture off the road into areas marked with red and white plastic tape. Avoid roadside ditches, shoulders, and unmarked trails in these regions. Never touch anything resembling unexploded munitions.
Be cautious when traveling near, along, and through the Tajikistan-Kyrgyz Republic land border as there have been several instances of armed skirmishes between Tajik and Kyrgyz border guards over the past five years, particularly in the Isfara area and the Vorukh enclave. In March 2025, the March 13, 2025, signing and subsequent ratification of bilateral agreements between the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan have facilitated the resumption of cross-border movement at the Guliston–Kyzyl-Bel and Madaniyat–Kayragach border crossing points.
Tajikistan does not recognize dual nationality with the United States. Dual U.S.-Tajik citizens and U.S. citizens of Tajik descent may be subject to additional scrutiny and harassment from local authorities and may be denied access to U.S. consular officials while in detention.
Reconsider travel in proximity of Tajikistan's border with Afghanistan due to terrorism. The current political situation in Afghanistan creates a challenging and unpredictable security environment in the border areas. Travel in the mountainous region along the Afghan border can be dangerous due to the proximity of militant groups across the border. Due to the risks, U.S. government employees working in Tajikistan must obtain special authorization to travel to border areas with Afghanistan. U.S. citizens should remain alert and avoid activities that develop predictable patterns of movement. If documenting travel on social media, ensure your privacy settings do not reveal your exact location.
Reconsider travel to the Gorno-Badakhshon Autonomous Oblast (GBAO). The challenging and unpredictable environment in northern Afghanistan has the potential to create insecurity in neighboring Tajikistan’s GBAO region. GBAO is a restricted region for non-Tajik citizens, requiring travel permits from Tajik authorities. Violent clashes with security forces have erupted in GBAO in recent years, and the government of Tajikistan can suspend travel permits for non-Tajik citizens on short notice. Due to the risks, U.S. government employees working in Tajikistan must obtain special authorization to travel to GBAO.
Crime
The U.S. Department of State has assessed Dushanbe as being a MEDIUM-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 Tajikistan.
To report a crime in Tajikistan, call 02 or 102 for police, 21-08-30, 227-98-98, and/or 227-22-24.
Criminal activity in Dushanbe is moderate. Crime directed toward Western expatriates and foreign entities is relatively low. Although there are few indications that criminals target Westerners, outsiders are quickly and easily identifiable, and perceived as being affluent. Incidents are not usually violent, but pickpocketing, muggings, and armed robberies do occur. Other criminal activity, such as narcotics trafficking, can result in violence. Police may not open minor or routine cases for Tajikistani citizens but are quick to respond to Embassy requests.
Tajikistan faces several economic, political, border, and overall security challenges that can affect the crime rate. Tajikistan is reliant on migrant labor remittances from the large Tajik diaspora working in Russia; thus, when the Russian economy suffers, the Tajik economy suffers. This, in turn, may be a new source of economic hardship and possibly some increase in crime. Exacerbating this is the local police’s inability and occasional unwillingness to detect, deter, and investigate criminal activity. However, crime has generally trended downwards in the last few years.
Check the security of any location you are staying in overnight. Choose an apartment with secure doors and windows, a security service or guard, and limited access to the main entrances. Expatriates may be vulnerable to home robbery, so the physical security of your housing is important; consider having grilles on lower floor windows, living on well-illuminated streets, and lighting your entrance well. Secure valuables in your home or hotel. Travel in pairs, especially at night. Sexual harassment of unaccompanied women is very common. Carry a copy of your passport (separate from your wallet) with you at all times.
Be careful in establishments that serve alcohol and be on the lookout for any drugs slipped into your drink. Insist servers open any drinks in your presence. Follow the same personal security rules you would follow in any major city, particularly one in the former Soviet Union. Dushanbe does have a nightlife scene, and some clubs have prostitutes. Engaging in prostitution is illegal in Tajikistan and may also lead to prosecution in the U.S. under some circumstances. Tajikistan maintains zero tolerance for alcohol-related incidents.
Kidnapping Threat
The U.S. Department of State has not included a Kidnapping “K” Indicator on the Travel Advisory for Tajikistan.
The threat of kidnapping is generally low in Tajikistan. However, criminal or drug trafficking gangs operating along the border or in remote locations could conduct a kidnapping for financial gain.
Terrorism
The U.S. Department of State has assessed Dushanbe as being a MEDIUM-threat location for terrorism directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests.
The U.S. Department of State has included a Terrorism “T” Indicator on the Travel Advisory for Tajikistan, indicating that terrorist attacks have occurred and/or specific threats against civilians, groups, or other targets may exist.
Supporters of regional terrorist groups, like Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), the Islamic Jihad Union (IJU), Jamaat Ansarallah (JA), as well as ISIS, aim to overthrow Central Asian governments and create a state governed by Sharia law. Because Afghanistan and Tajikistan share more than 800 miles of common border, these groups are a significant concern. As of 2017, local authorities reported that approximately 1,900 Tajik citizens had joined militant groups outside the country over the past several years. However, there have not been any successful terror attacks for several years.
Several reports of varying reliability over the past several years note unexploded IEDs found within Tajik borders. Because of increased security at official U.S. facilities, terrorists may seek softer civilian targets. Avoid large public gatherings when possible.
Tajik authorities maintain a high level of security to thwart terrorist attacks. This could lead terrorists to seek softer targets including facilities where U.S. citizens and other foreigners congregate such as residential areas; clubs and restaurants; markets; places of worship; schools; hotels; outdoor recreational events, including popular hiking areas; and resorts. U.S. citizens should avoid predictable patterns of movement and revealing their personal information and location on social media. If using social media, ensure your privacy settings are appropriately set.
Political Violence and Civil Unrest
The U.S. Department of State has assessed Dushanbe as being a MEDIUM-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 Tajikistan. 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
Tajiks generally support their president, crediting him with ending a devastating civil war and maintaining peace in a country otherwise prone to divisiveness on regional and religious bases. They view him as having the strength, skill, and experience to balance all sides.
There are ongoing territorial disputes along Tajikistan’s borders with Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, each with the potential to develop into limited armed conflict with very little warning. There have been several instances of armed skirmishes between Tajik and Kyrgyz border guards over the past five years, particularly in the Isfara area and the Vorukh enclave. A recent warming of Tajik-Uzbek relations has eased concerns on that border.
In April 2021, a border dispute led to Tajik and Kyrgyz government forces exchanging gunfire, resulting in more than 200 injuries and more than 20 fatalities. While not unprecedented, this incident was the largest in scale, severity, and lethality in the past decade. Sporadic localized skirmishes can occur without warning in disputed border areas.
GBAO in the Pamirs is a restricted region for non-Tajik citizens. GBAO, beginning on the west side of the border with Afghanistan’s Badakhshan province, covers most of the eastern portion of Tajikistan. To cross into GBAO, an expatriate must use designated checkpoints and have special permission in the form of a passport stamp one can only obtain from the Interior Ministry’s Department of Visas and Registration in Dushanbe. This permission is usually not difficult to obtain, but processing can take up to two weeks. The government closes GBAO to foreigners periodically. In 2018, there were heightened tensions between the Tajik government and GBAO authorities when the President visited GBAO, fired several government officials, and deployed additional police and security officials to counter the perception of widespread corruption. From Dushanbe into GBAO, the initial posts for checking GBAO permission sit near Shurobod in the Khatlon Region and just north of Qalai-Khum in the Darvos Region.
Serious clashes have occurred between Tajik security forces and ethnic Pamiris in GBAO in 2012, 2014, 2018 and, most recently, in November 2021 and May 2022. In November 2021, large protests erupted in GBAO over the killing of a local resident by police, in which four other citizens were killed in the ensuing conflict. Authorities cut off internet connection for multiple months. When new clashes broke out after local authorities rejected requests from residents, hundreds of Khorog residents protested and demanded transparent investigations and the resignation of the newly Dushanbe-appointed local authorities. The crackdown from Tajik security forces resulted in at least 25 Pamiris killed, according to international media, and 14 security officers, according to official government statements. The response by Tajik security forces was officially justified as an “anti-terror operation” and authorities continue to monitor the community to root-out criminal organizations. Journalists and activists have been the target of harassment and detentions. The tensions between the government and residents in the region are likely to continue; flare ups may be triggered by events such as those that occurred in November 2021.
Protests & Demonstrations
The potential for spontaneous civil unrest exists, but incidents are rare. Local authorities largely control the scale of demonstrations.
The specter of the civil war more than two decades ago is never far from Tajik thoughts. However, only the most extreme perceived injustices would bring people into the streets. Government cronyism, pervasive corruption, and low standards of living are sources of discontent. Much of the working male population is abroad, which not only limits the number of potential participants in unrest but supplies much needed remittances that make up more than a third of Tajikistan’s GDP.
Anti-U.S./Anti-Western Sentiment
Tajiks primarily receive outside news and television programming from Tajik government-approved media outlets, which screens the news for any unfavorable content. Much of the news programming comes from Russia, exposing Tajiks to Russia’s increasingly anti-U.S. media. Despite this, Tajiks generally hold a positive view toward Westerners, and anti-U.S. behavior is rare.
Law Enforcement
The Ministry of Internal Affairs, Drug Control Agency, Agency on State Financial Control and the Fight against Corruption (Anticorruption Agency), State Committee for National Security, State Tax Committee, and Customs Service share civilian law enforcement responsibilities. All law enforcement agencies and the Customs Service report directly to the president. The Ministry of Internal Affairs is primarily responsible for public order and manages police. The Drug Control Agency, Anticorruption Agency, and State Tax Committee have mandates to investigate specific crimes. The State Committee for National Security is responsible for intelligence gathering, controls the Border Service, and investigates cases linked to alleged extremist political or religious activity, trafficking in persons, and politically sensitive cases. Agency responsibilities overlap significantly, and law enforcement organizations deferred to the State Committee for National Security.
Police Response
The police primarily focus on the prevention and disruption of security threats. There are reliable reports of police extortion and bribery, and police are generally unable to respond to crimes in progress. Lack of resources, low salaries, and inadequate training contribute to high corruption and a lack of professionalism among law enforcement agencies.
Carry your passport and visa (or copies); if you encounter a situation involving the police, they will ask for it. Police may attempt to extort a small bribe from you, though bribery is illegal. Travelers confronted with a demand for a bribe should ask for the official’s name and official identification number, then report the incident at the nearest police station.
Travelers with Special Considerations
For specific traveler concerns in Tajikistan, 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 Tajikistan.
Tajikistan is an authoritarian state dominated politically by President Emomali Rahmon and his supporters. The constitution provides for a multiparty political system, but the government has historically obstructed political pluralism and continues to do so. The constitution outlaws non-secular political parties.
Political detention and restrictions are targeted toward those who are seen as a challenge the authoritarian state. This can include arbitrary arrest and political detention, censorship, interference with privacy or the right to assemble, restrictions on nongovernmental organizations, and significant restrictions on political participation and widespread corruption of officials and law enforcement.
The government generally provides a rationale for arrests, but detainees and civil society groups frequently report that authorities falsify charges or inflated minor incidents to make politically motivated arrests. Officials frequently engage in corrupt practices with impunity.
Cybersecurity
Internet connectivity is improving rapidly across Tajikistan. To date, instances of cybercrime are comparatively infrequent and unsophisticated, making this security threat a low priority for law enforcement, which has only a minimal cybersecurity capability. A notable amount of local internet traffic runs through Russia, which is a recognized source of cybercrime. Note that Tajikistan often blocks websites such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube at the national level. Access to many sites is either restricted, limited, or periodically limited. Sometimes access to the internet is restricted nationwide when there is a news flash or online event that the Tajik authorities want to block to manage public perception of events. A traveler may have to use a VPN to connect to news or social media sites blocked within Tajikistan.
Import/Export Restrictions
There are currency restrictions for importing or exporting more than $3,000 USD of currency or financial instruments, including gold. Regulations regarding the import and export of material goods are complicated. Businesses should consult local experts and the Tajik customs service for specific advice.
There are no restrictions on the import of satellite phones.
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.
