Visas: Tajik visas
can also be obtained at the Dushanbe airport upon arrival for Americans if
travelers arrive with two visa photos and contact information for their local
inviting party. This "upon arrival" visa service does not apply to land
borders. Border controls are rare but there are frequent internal checkpoints,
and if you intend moving outside Dushanbe you must have impeccable documents.
You can currently get visas at Tajik consulates in Moscow and Bonn. If you do
arrive in Tajikistan without a visa, the immigration department of the Foreign
Ministry in Dushanbe may give you one. Note that every Tajik town that you
intend visiting or passing through should be listed on your visa. As a result of
border tensions and smuggling, the army and militia do not appreciate the
presence of foreigners, and if officials are not completely satisfied with your
papers you will probably be deported. Health risks: Hepatitis A & E, altitude sickness, cholera, diphtheria,
typhoid, undulant fever, and a slight risk of malaria in the south. Don't drink
the water, even if the locals say it's OK to drink.
