Crossing borders
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| Liste des synthèses > Crossing borders |
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Visas
No visa are requested for a EU-citizens for :
EU-countries, Serbia-Montenegro (3 months), Bulgaria (3 months), Romania (3 months), Turkey (3 months) and Georgia (1 month).
Tourist visas are requested in Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kirgistan, Tajikistan and China.
In most cases, they are valid 30 days and cost 30-60 Euros.
Uzbekistan, Kirgistan, and China (with exception of Tibet) are open to Western tourists without invitation letter.
Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan request invitation letters. In Azerbaijan, and Tajikistan, a hotel reservation in the country can be sufficient.
Iran and Turkmenistan are more sensitive countries.
I am planing to apply for a 7-day transit visa for Turkmenistan in Ankara when I'll know better at which dates I'll be able to be at the border, and then, extend it in the country with the emigration authorities.
For Iran, there is a risk that the geopolitical situation gets worse by the time I reach the border. However, if it makes sense at that time, I would like to apply for a tourist visa in Ankara as well.
I'll post more updated information here in the next few months.
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Night Train between France and Germany
For your information, bike reservations are mandatory on the German Deutsche Bahn trains (15 EUR/bike).
The French SNCF does not make those reservations and one needs to get directly in contact with DB to sort the case out (DB's office in Paris : +33 144 589 550). |
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How and where to get a visa to Iran
- In Istanbul (Turkey) : a tourist visa for a French Citizen to Iran costs 50 USD and takes 10 days to be delivered.
- In Tbilisi (Georgia) : Iranean visa are available there but I was told it takes up to 3 weeks. Be sure you go to the Iranean Consulate between 9.00 and 12.00 am as it is closed in the afternoon.
- In Yerevan (Armenia) : Afford 10 days and 125 USD as you have to rely upon a travel agency to obtain your visa. No direct applications are accepted
- In Baku (Azerbaijan) : A tourist visa to Iran costs 63 USD and takes 10-13 days to be delivered.
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Crossing Border : Azerbaijan
- Make sure you do not mention Armenia or have any object from Armenia with you when crossing the border. Azeri Customs Officers may become a lot more scrutaneous and may also confiscate your Armenian souvenirs, as those two countries are not in friendly terms nowadays.
- If you have an Armenia visa in your passport, expect more questions and be ready to open your bags for inspection.
- Maps : Make sure your maps of Armenia, of the Caucasian region and/or of Azerbaijan show the Nagorno Karabakh area belonging to Azerbaijan, not to Armenia nor it appears as an independent state. Azeri Custom Officers may tear apart, destroy or confiscate any other maps. This applies to maps and charts in your Travel Guides as well.
- Pictures : If you are inspected and things become nasty, be ready to show and justify every picture you have with you. You'd better delete all the photographs you have of Armenia and - above all - of Karabakh before this moment !
- My experience of the border-crossing was excellent as it only took me 15 minutes to pass : Speak some Turkish, try your Russian, smile and be patient as much as you can and it should be no problem as well !
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Crossing Border : Nagorno Karabakh
- You need a tourist visa to travel through Nagorno Karabakh, which costs 28 USD for 5 days. It exists a 21 day-visa probably around 50 USD.
- This visa is only available in Yerevan, at the N. Karabakh Embassy.
- Make sure your visa will be stamped onto a separated paper as any evidence in your passport of your stay in Karabakh prevents you to entering Azerbaijan later on.
- Once you are in Nagorno Karabakh, you have to go to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Stepanakert within 3 days after your arrival in Karabakh to get your visa stamped again, your journey approved by the local authorities and receive the relevant sauf-conduit.
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