Uzbekistan Visa and Entry Requirements

Who can visit Uzbekistan without a visa, how to get an e-visa, the 3-day registration rule, customs limits and what to check before you fly.

Uzbekistan has opened up quickly over the past few years. Most travellers from Europe, North America, East Asia and the Gulf can now arrive with just a passport, and most others can get an electronic visa online in a few days. This guide explains the rules that matter for a holiday: visas, passport validity, registration and customs.

Do I need a visa for Uzbekistan?

Citizens of almost 90 countries can visit Uzbekistan visa-free for up to 30 days as tourists. The list includes:

• the European Union countries, the United Kingdom and most other European countries;
• Canada, Australia and New Zealand;
• Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Israel and Turkey;
• the United States — visa-free for all US citizens since 1 January 2026 (before that only travellers aged 55 and over).

Citizens of most former Soviet countries, such as Kazakhstan, Russia and Azerbaijan, can stay longer without a visa. Several other countries, including China and some Gulf states, have their own visa-free schemes with special conditions.

The 30 days are counted from the day you enter. Visa-free entry covers tourism and short business trips, not work. If you want to stay longer, you need a visa.

How to get an Uzbekistan e-visa

If your country is not on the visa-free list, you can usually apply for an electronic visa on the official website e-visa.gov.uz:

1. Fill in the online form and upload a passport scan and a photo.
2. Pay the fee online by card.
3. The e-visa normally arrives by e-mail within a few working days. Print it or keep it on your phone.

E-visas are issued for single, double or multiple entries, for stays of up to 30 days. Use only the official portal: other websites that look official charge extra fees.

Passport validity

Your passport must be valid for at least three months after the day you arrive. Make sure you get an entry stamp: border officers check it when you leave.

Registration: the 3-day rule

Every foreign visitor must be registered within 3 days of arrival, weekends included. In practice this is easy:

• Hotels, hostels and guesthouses register you automatically when you check in. You do not need to do anything.
• If you stay in a private home, your host must register you, either at the local migration office or online through the Emehmon system.
• If you camp or travel in a camper van, you must register yourself on Emehmon and pay the daily tourist tax.

Keep your accommodation details and any registration slips until you leave. If you cannot show where you stayed, you can be fined for each missing day. If you move to another city and stay there for more than three days, you need to be registered there too, which your next hotel does for you.

Customs: money, medicines and drones

• Cash: you must declare amounts above 10,000 US dollars (or the equivalent) on the customs form. Fill in two copies, have both stamped and keep one until you leave: you may not take out more foreign currency than you brought in.
• Medicines: carry prescription medicines in their original packaging with a copy of the prescription, and declare them. Some common painkillers containing codeine are controlled in Uzbekistan.
• Drones: bringing in and flying a drone needs prior permission. Without it, drones are confiscated at the border, so leave yours at home.
• Precious metals and stones: jewellery of precious metals and stones weighing more than 65 grams in total must be declared.

Arriving by land

Uzbekistan has land borders with Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Afghanistan. Popular crossings for travellers are Tashkent–Shymkent (Kazakhstan), Andijan–Osh and Fergana Valley crossings (Kyrgyzstan) and Samarkand–Penjikent (Tajikistan). Customs checks at land borders are usually stricter than at airports, especially for medicines.

Before you fly: a checklist

• Check the visa rules for your passport on e-visa.gov.uz.
• Passport valid for 3+ months after arrival, with free pages.
• Travel insurance that covers medical treatment.
• Booking details of your first hotel (needed for registration).
• Some cash in US dollars or euros, plus a Visa or Mastercard card — see our guide to money in Uzbekistan.

Once your documents are sorted, start planning the route: our Uzbekistan itinerary shows how to split 7, 10 or 14 days between Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva.