How to send money to Turkmenistan in 2026: manats to family on the day of sending or dollars and euros to a foreign currency account
The easiest way to send money to family in Turkmenistan is a money transfer service: manats are paid out at points across the country on the day of sending, and the recipient needs a passport and a control number. For a wedding, renovation or studies, a bank transfer in dollars or euros to a foreign currency account at a state bank works. In 2026, from $1,000 the sender may need an income certificate or a statement.
In short
- The official rate is 3.5 manats per dollar, unchanged since 1 January 2015.
- Cash pickup transfers are paid out in manats on a passport and a control number.
- A personal foreign currency account at the state bank is kept free of charge.
- A company holds 2 accounts: in manats and in foreign currency.
- Large capital is kept abroad and sent into the country in parts for expenses.
In detail
How money reaches the recipient in Turkmenistan: a summary for 8 October 2026
The summary was checked on 8 October 2026 against the bulletin of the Central Bank of Turkmenistan valid from 9 October: 3.5 manats per dollar. Turkmenistan has 3 routes, and the choice between them depends on what the recipient needs the money in: manats for expenses or dollars in an account.
| Route | On 8 October 2026 | Received in | Time | What the recipient needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Money transfer service, cash pickup | works | manats at the official rate | from minutes to a day | a passport and the transfer's control number |
| Bank transfer to a foreign currency account | works | dollars or euros in the account | several business days through correspondent banks | a foreign currency account in their own name at a state bank |
| Bank transfer to a manat card account | works | manats at the official rate | once credited to the account | the account number and the name as in the passport |
| Transfer to a company account under a contract | works | the contract currency | several business days | the contract and the invoice in the payment purpose |
Almost all Turkmen banks belong to the state and work under the supervision of the Central Bank; 12 commercial banks take part in its payment system. International payments in foreign currency go mainly through the State Bank for Foreign Economic Affairs: it receives and sends transfers in manats and in foreign currency, in your own name and in favour of other people. Write to a manager where you are sending from and how much: they will suggest which route reaches your recipient faster.
The 3.5 manats per dollar rate: how much the family will receive
The Central Bank has held the official rate of 3.5 manats per dollar since 1 January 2015. The manat is not traded on world currency markets, so a transfer paid out in manats is converted at exactly this rate. For the euro and the lira the rate is also set by the Central Bank bulletin, not by the market. Example: a brother in Istanbul sends $2,000 (7,000 manats) for a wedding, and the family in Turkmenabat receives exactly 7,000 manats at the payout point, because the rate is known in advance.
| Sent | Received in manats at the rate from 9 October 2026 |
|---|---|
| $300 | 1,050 manats |
| $560 (€500) | about 1,958 manats |
| $410 (20,000 Turkish lira) | about 1,422 manats |
If the family spends the money inside the country, a payout in manats is simplest: there is a payout point in almost every town. If the recipient is saving or paying for studies and medical care abroad, it is more convenient to send the money by bank transfer in dollars to their foreign currency account, so the sum stays in foreign currency. To pay for children's studies and medical care abroad, the bank sells foreign currency to parents at the official rate, against the contract with the university or clinic and the invoice.
The head offices of all state banks are in Ashgabat, so a foreign currency account and a card are most conveniently opened in the capital and then used in your own town.
A transfer to a foreign currency account at a state bank in Turkmenistan
Under the tariffs of the State Bank for Foreign Economic Affairs, a personal account in manats and in foreign currency is kept free of charge, 0 manats a month. Such an account receives bank transfers in dollars and euros from abroad and holds them in foreign currency; it is also convenient for receiving a salary from a foreign employer or payment under a contract abroad. It is opened in person at a branch with a passport; a foreigner also needs a visa or a residence permit and registration at their place of stay.
For the transfer the sender needs the account holder's full name, the account number and the bank's international code, which the recipient gets at the branch. A dollar payment goes through correspondent banks, so it is better to send a small test sum first, and the large transfer after it has arrived.
Is a dollar transfer from your bank not going through? There are usually more options than it seems: tell a manager about your situation, and they will choose a legal route for your country and sum.
We will help you send money to Turkmenistan
Mistakes cost more than fees: the recipient's name not as in the passport, a payout in manats when the family needs foreign currency, a large sum without documents on the sender's income, a company payment without the contract in the purpose. We will help you avoid them: we will choose the route and currency of the transfer, prepare the payment purpose and the source-of-funds documents, and suggest where to keep your main capital near Turkmenistan.
Details and terms are with a manager in the chat: everything depends on the sum, the sending country and your situation.
Money to family in Ashgabat, Mary and other towns
Most transfers to Turkmenistan are family support from those working in other countries, and for them 1 visit to a payout point settles everything. The sender gives the recipient's full name, country and town, pays for the transfer and tells the recipient the control number. The recipient comes with a passport and the number and collects the manats the same day. For the payout to go without questions, the sender tells the recipient 3 things: the control number, the exact sum and the sending country, which they will be asked for at the payout point.
The recipient's name is written as it appears in their passport: Turkmen passports are issued in Latin letters, and one extra or missing letter delays the payout. So it is better for the recipient to send the sender a photo of the passport page with their name.
Payout points work in Ashgabat, Turkmenabat, Dashoguz and other towns. If the family lives in a village, it is more convenient to send the transfer to the nearest regional centre, where there are more points and payout is faster.
A transfer to a company in Turkmenistan and payment under a contract
A company in Turkmenistan holds 2 accounts: in manats for settlements inside the country and in dollars or euros for payments from abroad. A foreign partner transfers money to the foreign currency account under a contract and puts the number and date of the contract and invoice in the payment purpose. The foreign trade contracts of Turkmen companies are registered by the State Commodity and Raw Materials Exchange, and the bank matches each payment with the registered contract, so the sum and currency in the payment must match the contract. How to register a company is described on the company registration in Turkmenistan page.
How much to send at a time: from family support to capital
- Up to $1,000. Monthly support for family: a money transfer service, payout in manats on the day of sending, the recipient needs only a passport, and the sender pays the transfer fee in their own country.
- $1,000-10,000. A wedding, renovation, a car, studies: a bank transfer in dollars to the recipient's foreign currency account, with the purpose of the payment. The sender may need an income certificate or a statement if their bank asks where the money comes from.
- From $10,000. Savings and capital: the main sum is kept in a bank account outside Turkmenistan, and as much as is needed for specific expenses is sent into the country. A manager will choose a route for your sum; workable legal options usually exist. All ways of moving capital are gathered on the capital relocation page.
Which source-of-funds documents to prepare for a large transfer is covered in proof of source of funds, and the rules of the sending country in sending large sums abroad.
Where to keep savings near Turkmenistan
Residents of Turkmenistan and their relatives abroad most often keep savings in 4 countries, from which money then reaches Turkmenistan in parts. The scheme is simple: a salary or revenue arrives in an account in one of these countries, and from there a bank transfer in dollars or a cash pickup transfer in manats goes to the family.
- In Turkey: many people work there, and an account is opened with a tax number.
- In the UAE: an account in dollars and dirhams, business and trade.
- In Kazakhstan: an account with an individual number.
- In Georgia: an account with a passport in 1 visit.
Sending money to neighbouring countries
- How to send money to Uzbekistan: soums, a card and an account
- How to send money to Kazakhstan: tenge, foreign currency and an individual number
- How to send money to Azerbaijan: manats and a foreign currency account
- How to send money to Tajikistan: somoni and transfers to family
- How to send money to Kyrgyzstan: soms and a card
- How to send money to Afghanistan: the afghani rate and bank details
All legal ways of moving capital are on the capital relocation page.
FAQ
Is a transfer paid out in manats in Turkmenistan?
Can you send money to a card in Turkmenistan from abroad?
Can you receive a transfer in Turkmenistan without a bank account?
Do you pay for keeping a foreign currency account at a state bank in Turkmenistan?
Do you need to come to Turkmenistan to open an account?
Does the state bank of Turkmenistan accept transfers in euros?
How many accounts does a company in Turkmenistan need?
We will suggest the best way to send your money
We will choose a transfer method for your amount and country, prepare the documents on the origin of the money for the bank, make the transfer through licensed partners and follow it until the money is credited. Ask your question in the chat - the manager will suggest the best terms and the cost. The legal side with banks and government bodies is handled by Murblz specialists and locally licensed partners.
Details and cost are with the manager in the chat. Describe your situation and we will reply right away.
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