How to get a GBAO Permit to Visit the Pamirs in Tajikistan

How to get a GBAO Permit to Visit the Pamirs in Tajikistan was originally published in November 2024

If you’re going to Tajikistan and planning to visit the Pamir, you will need to obtain a GBAO permit to travel into the autonomous region of the country.

Those applying for the Tajik e-visa can apply for the GBAO permit online when filing their e-visa application, however, those entering visa-free or with the visa-on-arrival scheme will need to either hire an agent to obtain the GBAO permit for you or do it yourself at an OVIR office once you are in the country.

In this quick guide, you will find everything you need to know in order to get a GBAO permit for your travels in the Pamir.

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What is GBAO?

GBAO stands for Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast, the region of the country that the Pamir sits in. The GBAO accounts for 45% of Tajikistan’s landmass, however, it is sparsely populated and home to only 2% of the roughly 10 million population of the country (it was 3% but many Pamiris have left the country).

Several districts comprise the modern GBAO, which historically were self-governing mini-states until the 19th century when the Russians began to colonize the region. In 1925, the Russians designated the GBAO as an autonomous republic and in 1929 it was shifted into an autonomous oblast of the Tajik SSR.

The current districts of the GBAO include Darvaz, Vanj, Rushon, Shughnon, Roshtqala, Ishkoshim, and Murghab District.

GBAO Checkpoints

As you travel along the Pamir Highway, you will pass numerous GBAO checkpoints. Typically, your passport and GBAO permit will be checked (though, sometimes they may just wave you through) and at some, your permit number and passport info will be recorded in a notebook in the office.

Likely, the first GBAO checkpoint you will encounter will be the Shurubod Pass Checkpoint if starting in Dushanbe, or the border checkpoint at Kyzyl Art Pass, if beginning in Osh, Kyrgyzstan. Less commonly, you may be entering at Qolma Pass with China.

How to get a GBAO Permit

You have a few options for obtaining a GBAO permit, including with the Tajik E-Visa, at an OVIR office in the country, at a Tajik embassy or consulate if already on the road, or via an agent. Find info on each method below.

Tajik E-Visa

This is by and far the easiest route to obtaining a GBAO permit. Simply check the box for ‘GBAO permit’ on the Tajik e-visa application. The GBAO permit will add $20 USD to the cost of your e-visa (and in my opinion well worth the cost as to not have to deal with applying at OVIR).

Read up more on the various Tajik visas in the post Tajikistan Visas: Everything you need to know.

Through an Agent

If you will be entering Tajikistan visa-free or with the visa-on-arrival and do not want to deal with obtaining the GBAO permit on your own, you can pay a bit extra to have a local agent handle getting the permit for you.

I do 100% recommend paying an agent just to save you time and hassle so that you do not have to waste 1-2 days of your trip dealing with OVIR.

If you would like to get your GBAO permit through an agent, we can help facilitate it for you for a total of $20 USD including the permit fee. Please send an email to us and we will get the process started for you ASAP.

Note that if you plan to enter Tajikistan visa-free and at either Kyzyl Art Pass from Kyrgyzstan or at Qolma Pass from China you will need to arrange your GBAO permit in advance through an agent, as you will need to show proof of your GBAO permit at the border crossing.

At OVIR

If you have opted to enter Tajikistan visa-free or with the visa-on-arrival, you can get your GBAO permit at an OVIR office (Department of Visas and Registration).

Each OVIR office will have varying requirements (and sometimes those requirements and/or costs can differ from day to day or depending on who is working that day).

You can expect a GBAO permit from one of the OVIR offices to range in price from 50 TJS to 150 TJS.

There are OVIR offices in Dushanbe, Khorog, Khujand, and Murghab. I personally have experience at the Dushanbe OVIR and at Khorog OVIR, which you can read about in their subsequent posts linked above.

One thing to note, if you plan to arrive in Tajikistan via the Kyzyl Art Border Crossing with Kyrgyzstan or the Qolma Pass Border Crossing with China, you will need to pre-arrange your GBAO permit in advance of your arrival at the border you will need to show proof of GBAO at the border in order to enter. You will need to hire an agent to obtain it for you.

Locations of OVIR Offices

Dushanbe: Mirzo Tursunzoda Street 5 (near the Opera Ballet Theatre)
Khorog: Just south of the Khorog Airport (right off of the Pamir Highway)
Khujand: Lermontov Street (near the intersection with Firdausi Street)
Murghab: Murghab-Tashkurgan Road (near the Lenin Statue)

At a Tajik Embassy or Consulate

If you are getting your visa at a Tajik embassy or consulate, you can request to purchase your GBAO permit from them, though do know that not all will offer them, and the ones that do can vary in price.

The cost of obtaining your GBAO permit from an embassy or consulate seems to average around $20 USD (give or take).