Uzbekistan Announces 30-Day Visa-Free Entry for Indians

What Changed

Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced that Indian citizens will get visa-free access to Uzbekistan for stays of up to 30 days. Uzbekistan's tourism authorities confirmed this as part of a new tourism cooperation programme. However, no official start date has been announced yet, and the exact entry procedures are still pending.

Who This Affects

Once operational, Indian passport holders will be able to enter Uzbekistan without applying for a visa beforehand. The 30-day exemption applies to tourism and other permitted purposes under the final rules. Any stay beyond 30 days will require a visa or immigration permission.

What You Need to Do

Before booking or travelling:

• Confirm the visa-free policy is officially in force by checking Uzbekistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Uzbek Embassy in India, or your airline
• Do not assume the announcement alone is enough - immigration and airline systems must be updated
• Carry a valid Indian passport with the required validity period
• Prepare normal travel documents: return or onward flight details, accommodation information, and any other documents immigration officials may request
• Keep any existing e-visa or pending application until the exemption is confirmed as operational

Direct connectivity between India and Uzbekistan already exists, with 14 weekly flights currently operating. Air India has codeshare arrangements covering Delhi-Tashkent, Mumbai-Tashkent, and seasonal Goa-Tashkent routes.

Additional Benefit

UPI payments will be enabled through Uzbekistan's UZQR system, allowing Indian travellers to use UPI-enabled apps for merchant payments at participating locations.