CONSULAR SERVICE
I. Consular activities.
II. Consular offices of Turkmenistan abroad and their functions.
III. Tariff of the consular fees of Turkmenistan charged outside the territory of Turkmenistan.
In accordance with the law of Turkmenistan "On the consular service", the legal framework for the activity, the procedure for opening and functioning of the consular offices of Turkmenistan, the appointment of their officials and employees, as well as the functions of the consul to protect the rights and interests of Turkmenistan, its citizens and legal entities abroad, are determined. The Law of Turkmenistan «On Migration» and other regulatory legal acts of Turkmenistan regulates categories and types of visas, as well as the procedure for their registration and issuance.
I. Consular activities
1. Ensuring consular relations of Turkmenistan with foreign countries, protecting the rights and legitimate interests of Turkmenistan, its citizens and legal entities abroad is coordinated by the Consular Service Department - a structural subdivision of the central office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan.
2. In accordance with the law of Turkmenistan "On the consular service", the following are currently open and functioning:
1) Consulate General of Turkmenistan in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in Herat;
2) Consulate General of Turkmenistan in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in the city of Mazari -Sharif;
3) Consulate General of Turkmenistan in the Islamic Republic of Iran in Mashhad;
4) Consulate General of Turkmenistan in the Republic of Turkey in Istanbul;
5) Consulate General of Turkmenistan in the Russian Federation in Kazan;
6) Consulate General of Turkmenistan in the United Arab Emirates in Dubai;
7) Consulate of Turkmenistan in the Russian Federation in Astrakhan;
8) Consulate of Turkmenistan in the Federal Republic of Germany in Frankfurt am Main;
9) Consulate of Turkmenistan in the Republic of Kazakhstan in Aktau, as well as the consular office of the Embassy of Turkmenistan in the Republic of Kazakhstan in Almaty.
The consular offices also include the consular departments of the diplomatic missions of Turkmenistan abroad. They are designed to protect the rights and interests of Turkmenistan, legal entities and citizens of Turkmenistan.
3. Within their competence, consular officials carry out notarial acts, registration of acts of civil status, legalize documents and various acts drawn up by the authorities of the consular district or issued by these authorities. Along with protecting the rights and representing the legitimate interests of citizens of Turkmenistan who are abroad, they inform them about the laws and rules of stay in force in a foreign state, give them the necessary recommendations, and respond appropriately to ensure security in case of emergencies.
4. The legal status of citizens of Turkmenistan abroad is determined primarily by the legislation of the state of their residence. The provisions of consular conventions and treaties on legal assistance in civil, family and criminal matters are of great importance.
II. Consular offices of Turkmenistan abroad and their functions
1. Information on the procedure for requesting documents
Citizens of Turkmenistan have the right to apply to diplomatic missions and consular offices of Turkmenistan abroad to request the necessary documents. In cases where the document required by the citizen is located on the territory of Turkmenistan, the following procedure for its request is applied.
The interested person applies to the diplomatic mission or consular office in the state of his stay and fills out two copies of the questionnaire of the established form for each requested document, and pays the corresponding consular fee and payment for reimbursement of actual expenses.
A diplomatic mission or a consular office through the Department of Consular Service (DCS) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan sends a completed request to the relevant archival institutions in the territory of Turkmenistan. After the search is completed, archival institutions through the DCS of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan return the requested documents to the diplomatic mission or consular office. In cases where it is not possible to find a document, the archival institution informs the applicant about this also through the DCS of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan.
The originals of passports, workbooks, military cards are not subject to requisition, sending abroad. If necessary, certificates of work experience and military service can be sent abroad.
Depending on the category of the request for the recovery of documents, the following bodies carry out their execution in Turkmenistan:
- Central Archive of the Civil Registry Office of Turkmenistan;
- Main Archive Department under the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan;
- Ministry of Internal Affairs of Turkmenistan;
- National Red Crescent Society of Turkmenistan;
- The Central Archive of the Civil Registry Office of the Ministry of Adalat of Turkmenistan, etc.
Citizens of Turkmenistan residing in Turkmenistan can apply to the DCS of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan on the request for documents from other states.
The procedure for making a request and the timing of the execution of the request depend on the completeness of the initial data and the requirements of the legislation of the state of origin of the document. It should be borne in mind that it takes quite a long time to request documents from abroad.
2. Information on the procedure for legalizing documents
Legalization is a confirmation that a document issued by the authorities of the state or drawn up with the participation of these authorities complies with the legislation of this state. It consists in verifying the authenticity of the signature of the official who signed the document and the seal of the authorized state body.
In accordance with international practice, the legalization of passports and documents replacing them is not required,
Documents and acts that contradict the legislation of Turkmenistan or may in their content harm the interests of Turkmenistan or contain information discrediting the honor and dignity of citizens, as well as originals and copies of passports, workbooks, military cards, identity cards, ownership of property, documents directly related to commercial or customs operations (invoices, documents on the movement of goods across the border, agreements on the supply of goods, customs declarations, etc.) do not require the legalization.
Legalization of documents for use abroad.
Legalization of documents for use abroad is carried out as follows:
1) A notary's office in Turkmenistan certifies a copy of the document;
2) The Ministry of Adalat (Justice) of Turkmenistan certifies the authenticity of the notary's signature and seal;
3) The DCS of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan confirms the authenticity of the seal of the Ministry of Adalat (Justice) of Turkmenistan and the signature of the official.
After legalization in the DCS of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, the documents are legalized in the diplomatic mission or consular office of the state where they will be used. At the same time, the foreign consul confirms, on the basis of the samples he has, the authenticity of the signature and seal of the authorized officer of the DCS of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan.
Documents are legalized, as a rule, in notarized copies. The exception is documents on the formation of a sample established for use abroad, which are legalized in the DCS of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan in originals if there is free space for gluing a special sticker.
A consular fee, payment for reimbursement of actual expenses and a sticker are charged for the legalization in the DCS of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan.
Legalization of foreign documents for use on the territory of Turkmenistan.
Foreign documents intended for use on the territory of Turkmenistan are legalized in diplomatic missions or consular offices of Turkmenistan abroad after their legalization in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or other authorized body of the state of origin of the document.
Documents of foreign states imported into Turkmenistan without legalization in diplomatic missions or consular offices of Turkmenistan abroad are preliminary legalized in the diplomatic missions of the foreign state located on the territory of Turkmenistan, where they were drawn up, and then in the DCS of the MFA of Turkmenistan.
Bilateral agreements on legal assistance and legal relations in civil, family and criminal matters, concluded by Turkmenistan, as well as the Convention on legal assistance and legal relations in civil, family and criminal matters, signed on January 22, 1993 in Minsk by the CIS member states, determine the procedure, according to which documents issued by the official authorities of one contracting party are considered official and enjoy the probative force of official documents in the territory of another contracting party without any additional certification, that is, without legalization.
3. Consular registration and registration of citizens of Turkmenistan abroad.
General provisions.
In accordance with Art. 30 of the Law of Turkmenistan "On Consular Service", diplomatic missions or consular offices of Turkmenistan abroad carry out registration and registration of citizens of Turkmenistan located on the territory of their consular district. Citizens of Turkmenistan who are outside of Turkmenistan have the right to register (be registered with a consular officer) at a diplomatic mission or consular office of Turkmenistan.
The possibility of registering citizens for consular registration remotely electronically through the official websites of diplomatic missions and consular offices of Turkmenistan abroad is provided.
Registration of consular registration of citizens of Turkmenistan is free of charge.
The DCS of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan strongly recommends taking advantage of this opportunity. Although not obligatory, this procedure will allow solving many issues without traveling to Turkmenistan (providing information about upcoming elections and referendums, issuing a passport of a citizen of Turkmenistan, certificates for returning to Turkmenistan, registration of acts of civil status, etc.), and will also facilitate the return to their homeland in the event of hostilities, riots or natural disasters in the receiving state.
For consular registration in a diplomatic mission or consular office of Turkmenistan or through Internet sites, a card of the established form is filled in electronically.
III. Tariffs of consular fees of Turkmenistan
For registration and issuance of visas, the legislation of Turkmenistan provides for the following consular fees:
1) For single entry visas:
- up to 10 days - 20 US dollars;
- up to 20 days - 30 USD;
- up to 1 month - 40 USD;
- for each subsequent month - 30 US dollars.
2) For multiple entry visas:
- up to 1 month - 60 US dollars;
- for each subsequent month - 40 US dollars.
3) For transit visas:
- single up to 5 days - 20 US dollars;
- double up to 5 days each time - 40 USD.
4) For the issuance of visas at the international airport of Ashgabat, an additional charge is 50 US dollars.
When issuing visas, a fee is also charged to reimburse the actual costs associated with issuing visas. The amount of such fees depends on the place where visas are issued (regardless of the nationality of the applicant).
Consular actions are carried out within 10 calendar days from the moment the documents are received by the institution that performs them. For urgent consular activities within 3 working days, as well as for consular activities outside working hours, weekends and holidays, the fee rates increase by 100 percent.
Note: For citizens of states with which there are relevant bilateral agreements and understanding, a different procedure for issuing entry visas to Turkmenistan may be provided.
