I don't know what it is about these tiny "countries" that aren't really countries. For some reason they feel they need to make visiting their place either difficult or expensive, or both. Abkhazia, the breakaway republic of Georgia, is no different. But with a little patience, getting in is TOTALLY worth it.There is a lot of misinformation out there. Even international students i
had met in Tbilisi said it was impossible. I'm here to confirm that as of late 2009, it is possible. The first thing to do is to visit the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Abkhazia. It's in English, so no problem. The problem for me came when i tried to look at the visa information page, it was only in Russian (but they now have it in English, fancy). Odd as logically this seems to be the page that foreigners would need in English. But amazingly, since i was in Abkhazia, they have made the website and application form much more user friendly, including pretty much everything in English. Good on 'em!!
You need to e-mail (midraconsul@mail.ru & mid@abhazia.net) a jpg image of your passport and a copy of the visa application form. They ask for a recent photo, but it's more of a hope as opposed to a requirement. The theory is that the permission to enter Abkhazia should be done in 5 days. But it's never that easy. I had to call (+7 840 226 5792 +7 840 226 7069 and a new number +7 840 226 3948)a few times. Trying to actually get a hold of the consul is a challenge. And once you do, his word is not necessarily his bond. "Supposedly", he sent a copy of my registration to the "border" guards, so I could get in no problem. He gave me his personal mobile number in case there were problem. There were problems when I got to the border as they had no permission and he wasn't answering his phone. After repeated calls, turns out it was the borders fault, not the consuls, yeah... sure... whatever.
I entered and exited to/from Georgia. It is possible to enter from Georgia
and leave to Russia (if you have a Russian visa), but you CAN NOT enter from Russia and leave into Georgia. The border crossing, problems aside, is no problem. There are mini-buses (2 Lari) and taxis (10 Lari) to the border. The Georgians will write your name in a book, and ask some questions. Nothing too serious. You walk the heavily militarized no-mans land, although there are horse-buggies available if you have a lot of stuff. The Abkhazians will write your name in a book and ask some questions, nothing serious. Then mini-buses (50 rubles) takes you to the tiny, run-down village of Gali, where you can connect to the "capital" Sukhumi. It is important to change money before arrival, as there is NO money changer at the border (and i didn't see one in Gali) Once in Sukhumi, you need to visit the MID to pick up your visa ($20). For the moment you can't pay at the ministry, the bank is in the centre.
The visa (just a paper which looks like a visa) is NOT placed in your passport. And you get no stamps for Georgia or Abkhazia. This can not be considered a border run.
35 comments:
Thanks for you help - Im going to try this at next week. What did you like about Abhkazia?
Sukhumi was cool for a day. Novy Afon was really pretty. I'm updating my blog as we speak, with details for both.
Great! I will comment to you after few weeks, whether have I succeeded or failed to cross the border.
New info about visa and travel issues is available in the following link in English http://therepublicofabkhazia.org/pages/contact-us/visitor-info.shtml
Since the codes in Abkhazia have changed recently if you can not reach with the phone numbers try to call +7840-2263948 (the previous code +9954-4263948)
Joe,
I am pretty familiar with entry into Abkhazia. I am sure the easiest way is through Russia. I have done it several ways. The first time I simply explained I didn't have a visa to the border guards and they gave me the time to go to Sukhom and get it done. Since i was there on a weekend, it did not happen. But there was no problem upon my return.
I have never had any problems entering Abkhazia. But probably my Russian language skills make it easier for me.
Now I have a longer term visa and it is easier for me. But if you ever go back, let me know and I can probably make it easier for you.
Bruce
Yes Bruce, it is technically easier to enter from Russia. The "war front" is the borde with Georgia. One might conclude war=bureaucracy
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If we can recollect a previous news when US blamed Russia for the earthquake in Georgio. What do you guys think? Is it really possible to create an earthquake by humans?
I came across this [url=http://universalages.com/hot-news/what-happened-in-haiti-is-it-related-to-haarp/]article about Haiti Earthquake[/url] in some blog it seems very interesting, but conspiracy theories have always been there.
So there wasn't any problem entering back to Georgia from Abkhazia again and then exiting Georgia later?
Actually both sets of guards the Georgian and the Abkhazian/Russian remembered me. it's not like there are a lot of foreigners using the crossing. They were perfectly nice and the Georgians really wanted to see the pictures. Curiosity, not intelligence gathering.
Now the English version of Abkhazian MID page is more user-friendly. In particular, there is visa information in English:
http://www.mfaabkhazia.org/en/mfa_chart/visa_to_abkhazia/
Sorry, the correct address is http://www.mfaabkhazia.org/
en/mfa_chart/visa_to_abkhazia/
Important to know that if you entered Abkhazia from the Russian side, and you leave your Abkhazian Visa in your passport, you can immediately be arrested during a future visit to Georgia.
They take an unauthorized (by Georgian officials) as illegal.
Goya, Actually i noted in the Blog post that it is nearly impossible to enter via Russia and Exit to Georgia. Although i personally know people who have done it.
I meant that even few months after visiting Abkhazia, entering Georgia with an Abkhazian stamp/Visa will get you into serious problems if you had no Georgian clearance.
Not only when exiting Abkhazia to Georgia
You receive no stamp when leaving Georgia as they consider Abkhazia their territory. And the Abkhazia "visa" doesn't actually get stuck in your passport. It's just a piece of paper that looks like a visa. The Abkhazians but no indications in your passport that you've ever been there.
I am very interested in traveling to this part of the world, but I don't speak a word of Russian. Does this make it extraordinarily difficult?
Of course speaking the local language makes travel to any country easier. But i've travelled to plenty of places where i neither spoke the local language nor did they speak English. You'll get by. Not to worry.
Of course speaking the local language makes travel to any country easier. But i've travelled to plenty of places where i neither spoke the local language nor did they speak English. You'll get by. Not to worry.
Hi! I'm a spanish guy and early I'll go in Abkhazia some weeks.
I'm filling their Application Form to get the clearance and the visa.
But in section 30 "Purpose of visit" they ask me to write EXACTLY the place of stay and the addresses of the persons of reference in Abkhazia.
But I don't knOw now where I will stay and I have no person of reference, What I write ??
Nobody makes it easy to get to Abkhazia. Especially Russia. I am in Novorossiisk right now. The locals have Abkhazia on their lists of excursions, usually 36 hr. quick visits to Gagra and Novi Afon. Now mutlientry Russian visas demand a complete itinerary for departures and returns. So, how do I know when I will go to Abkhazia? I don't. Who knows if these excursion buses really do leave every Wednesday? They don't! They don't leave until they sell a full bus of tourists. And finally, the excursion doesn't go to Sukhum, so getting a visa is out of the question. So how to make a plan if these bureaurats get in the way? Well, maybe some year in the future, Sergey Bagapsh will make things easier for us.
Hi Joe,
We are planning Black sea trip on a counter clockwise direction so we will enter Abkhazia from Georgia. Gan you please tell me something more about the "border" crossing. We are with normal road motorbikes. Is it possible to pass that muddy road and how long it is? Thanks.
Nikolay
The border crossing itself is paved, though heavily fortified. Watch for the knotted gun statue. Once on the other side, the road is full of potholes, but drivable. It's not until you're in town that they become muddy. But that photo was after a couple days of heavy rain.
Toward Sukhumi, the roads are fine, not great but fine. You'll have no problem managing with the bikes
Hey Nikolay,
a friend would do the same route Georgia-Abkhazia-Russia on a motorbike in the end of the month. Would you let me updated about your trip and efforts?
Joe, do you think Georgians will allow to cross by motorbike? And I guess Abkhazians will oblige to pay the insurance as on Psou border...
As crossed by foot, i simply cannot give any specific advice on motorbikes. Sorry.
@Tiziano, we are leaving on 15th August so I will not be able to give you any info. However I will be grateful if you give me some update from your friend's trip. My email is damon@rally-club.net.
@Joe, I'm thinking here about Abkh - Georgia crossing. My info is that it's impossible but legally it looks ok. If you enter from Russia to Abkhasia and then Georgia it's more understandable to have problems, because the Georgians considered you as illegally entered their territory. But what about Georgia - Abkhasia - Georgia?
You can't go Russia-Abkhazia-Georgia. You simply will not be allowed in by the Georgians.
Many travellers, including my buddy Graydon, do Georgia-Abkhazia-Russia with no problems. http://graydonstravels.blogspot.com/2011/06/cracking-up-in-sochi.html
I had no problems at all getting back into Georgia from Abkhazia. The guards were curious about my photos as none of them have actually been there. But that's it.
Thanks for the infos anyway. We've got some kind of confirmation (from various sources and from inside the MFA as well) that it's indeed possible to cross by motorbike (and apparently by car too), through the Ingur border post. The only requirement is that you need to mail the MFA the details of the car (model, plate number, etc...), so they will transmit them to the border guards. In case they haven't done, it's useful to have a printed copy of the mail and MFA phne contacts. The rest won't be an issue, as Joe and others stated.
@Joe: Does exiting Abkhazia through Psou and re-entering Georgia from Azerbaijan later pose any issue (such as no Georgian exit stamps on the passport)?
I have never heard of anyone who has tried.
BTW, you cannot travel overland from Russia to Azerbaijan without Russian/Azerbaijani passports. No foreigners can.
@Tiziano, I called today MFA in Abkhasia because we are already waiting 2 weeks for the permit. They checked and my mail has been received. Opened it, they saw motorcycle and Ingur border and didn't say anything about providing the number plate.
Just told me that I will receive the permit later.
@Nikolai: I've been told by two different people (a Russian guide and a person working at the MFA) that the details should be sent to the MFA who will then transmit them to the border. I know it's not "official" information, but it is coming from trusted sources, maybe it's good to send them, so to avoid any hassle at the border. And it seems no insurance is needed (as on Psou), just all your valid documents.
My friend got the reply within two days and by mistake he got two letters of clearance, one with entrance from Psou and one from Ingur.
I'll keep you posted about my friend's experience...hopefully all will be good :)
don't know the reasons yet, but my friend has been refused to enter at the border.... :(
Hello, what did you all filled out at box 30: "exact specification of the place of stay as well as the reason of the stay and the addresses of the persons of reference in abkhazie."
Can I just look up an address of a hotel or something?
Yes, that's all i did. http://wikitravel.org/en/Sukhumi lists a bunch of hotels. A real reservation was not required for the visa permission.
That's bad news, Tiziano. Please, keep us informed. It's strange why they were not allowed since they have even permits. I though nobody checks these permits. Who stopped them - the Georgian on Abkh (Russians)? Did they wait for shift change?
Hmm - Interesting stuff. I will be there withing next two weeks trying to get into Abkhazia, just got my clearance letter yesterday...
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