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How to get the GBAO permit?

Last updated: 12 juillet 2023 01:39

GBAO (Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast) makes up nearly forty-five percent of the Tajikistan's land area, but only two percent of its population. This is the region, where is located Pamir and Pamir Mountains.

GBAO region of Tajikistan is a special border zone and to travel there an additional permit is required, called GBAO permit.

Since 2004, the GBAO permit is issued on a slip of paper issued by OVIR (the Department of visas and registration of foreign citizens). The GBAO permit will list the regions in Gorno-Badakhshan that you are allowed to visit, which will be some or all of: Darvaz, Vanj, Rushan, Shugnan, Ishkashim, Roshtqala and Murghab. Make sure that all the regions you plan to visit are listed. 

Worth to mention, that when you have the GBAO permit, which can lists all regions, there will be some areas inside the GBAO that require seperate permision. They are:

1) Sarez lake permit
2) Zorkul lake permit
3) National park permit

How to obtain GBAO permit?

There are below different ways to obtain the GBAO permit:

1) Via OVIR:
After your arrival in Dushanbe, you can apply yourself by physically visiting the Department of visas and registration of foreign citizens (OVIR) of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Do not forget to have your passport with you. Usually, you apply one day, and get the permit next day.

2) Via evisa.tj along with visa:
Alternatively, you can obtain GBAO permit along with the evisa: when you apply for evisa, tick the GBAO permit also, to get both at once. The visa wll be issued electronically and send to your email after some days.

For the citizens of the visa-free regime countries: although you do not need visa, you still can apply for visa and apply for the GBAO permit in the same application, since you cannot get apply for the GBAO permit online seperately. This is very handy if you plan to stay in Tajikistan for more than 14 days, since otherwise you will need registration on your arrival at the OVIR, and without registration OVIR cannot give you for more than 14 days (counting from your entering day to Tajikistan), . 

3) Via the Embassy of Tajikistan in your country:
If you obtain the GBAO permit (and Tajikistan visa) via the Embassy of Tajikistan in your country or your neighbour country, you need a Letter of Invitation from a travel agency who provides your tour to Tajkistan.  

4) Via us:
4.a: In case you have the Tajik visa, but not GBAO permit, you can send us a copy of your passport along with the permit fee and we organize the permit before arrival to Tajikistan. 

4.b: Also if your country is listed in the list of visa-free regime countries, and your stay in Tajikistan will be less or equal to 14 days, then we can obtain the GBAO permit for you before your arrival to Tajikistan. Please note that if you're planning to stay in Tajikistan for more than 14 days, we cannot obtain the permit for you. In this case you will need to visit OVIR on arrival with your original passport and a letter from your hotel, and register yourself at your hotel, and get the GBAO permit at the same time.  

The documents we need to obtain the GBAO permit for you is only your passport. We also need to know your arrival date and departing date to/from Tajikistan, too.   

You will get the original copies from us when you are in Dushanbe

 

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