Turkmenistan, long one of the world's most closed countries, has adopted a law that will bring in electronic visas and make it easier for foreigners to enter.
Since it became independent after the Soviet Union's collapse in 1991, the gas-rich Central Asian nation has placed strict entry requirements on would-be visitors. All foreign nationals have needed to obtain a visa in advance, and supply a formal "letter of invitation." Even so, many have been turned down for unclear reasons.
