Visa to Uzbekistan: Types and Categories

The legal regulation of the visa regime is a key element of state sovereignty, migration policy, and international cooperation. Uzbek legislation provides that foreign citizens and stateless persons may enter Uzbekistan for personal and official purposes, as tourists, for recreation, study, employment, medical treatment, and permanent residence. Thus, the legislator immediately establishes the multi-purpose nature of the visa regime, under which a visa serves not merely as an entry permit, but also as an instrument for the legal differentiation of the foreign national’s purpose of stay.

The visa issuance procedure is regulated by Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan No. 408 dated 21 November 1996, “On the Procedure for Entry, Exit, Stay, and Transit Passage of Foreign Citizens and Stateless Persons in Uzbekistan.”

As a general rule, visas to Uzbekistan are issued by consular institutions of the Republic of Uzbekistan abroad, and, where such institutions are absent, by consular institutions of other states subject to the existence of a relevant bilateral agreement. In addition, visas may be issued through the subdivisions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) at Uzbekistan’s international airports. The general rule is that entry visas are issued for a period not exceeding one year, and, in cases stipulated by law, for up to three years.

From the standpoint of legal nature, the Uzbek visa model is structured on several levels:

1. basic categories of non-electronic visas;
2. special regimes, such as the electronic visa, investment visa, and IT visa;
3. special exit mechanisms, including the issuance of an EXIT visa in special cases;
4. extension regimes depending on the purpose of stay, the status of the inviting party, and the competence of the relevant state authority.

Some visas are linked to the person’s international legal and diplomatic status, others to administrative accreditation, and still others to the purpose of the visit. This is important because the same foreign national’s entry is assessed not only by reference to the purpose of travel, but also by the capacity in which that person appears before the state: as a diplomat, a representative office employee, a business visitor, or a tourist.

Tourist, Electronic, and Transit Visas as Simplified Forms of Entry

The regulation of the tourist visa is of particular interest. The legislation provides that, in order to obtain it, a foreign citizen applies to a consular institution and submits a completed application form, a national passport, and an invitation from a tourism organization duly operating in the territory of Uzbekistan. The processing period for a tourist visa is no more than three days, excluding public holidays and weekends. If there is no Uzbek consular institution in the foreign state, tourist visas may be issued by the MFA’s consular bureau at airports.

The electronic visa occupies a special place. Citizens of certain foreign states may obtain an electronic visa through the portal e-visa.gov.uz without applying to consular institutions or to the Consular-Legal Department of the MFA. Such an electronic visa is issued for single-, double-, or multiple-entry for a period of 30 days, and the application review period is two business days, excluding the date of submission. By its legal nature, this is no longer a classical consular visa, but a digitized administrative form of admitting a foreign national to the territory of the state.

The transit visa also has independent significance. To obtain it, the applicant must provide a national passport, a visa for the country of destination, and travel documents confirming the date of departure from Uzbekistan to a third state. For foreign drivers transiting through the territory of the republic, an additional package of documents is required, including an international driving permit and documents relating to the vehicle and cargo. The processing period for a transit visa is three days.

Special Visa Regimes: Investment Visa and IT Visa

A significant feature of visa legislation is the establishment of special visa regimes designed to stimulate the economy and innovation.

1. Investment Visa

The legislation provides that foreign citizens who have invested in Uzbekistan by acquiring shares and participatory interests in business entities in the amount of at least 8,500 BCUs = USD 300,000 (1 BCU = UZS 412,000), as well as by establishing an enterprise with foreign investment, are issued a multiple-entry investment visa valid for three years. A fundamentally important feature is that its validity period may be extended an unlimited number of times without the need to leave the Republic of Uzbekistan.

2. IT Visa

For foreign investors and specialists in the field of information technology, as well as for a number of persons associated with the IT Park and digital start-ups, a multiple-entry IT visa is provided for up to three years, with the possibility of extension without leaving the country. To obtain such a visa, a recommendation from the IT Park Directorate is required, and the document processing period must not exceed three days. For citizens of countries enjoying a visa-free regime, the IT Park’s recommendation may be treated as equivalent to an IT visa.

From a theoretical point of view, the investment visa and the IT visa demonstrate the transformation of the visa from an instrument of control into an instrument for the selective attraction of desirable categories of migrants — capital, technology, knowledge, and highly qualified labor.

Legal Status of Family Members and Related Visa Status

The legislation establishes the family-derivative nature of a number of visa regimes. Thus, family members of holders of an investment visa and an IT visa — namely a spouse, parents, and children — are issued a guest visa for the validity period of the principal visa, with the right to extend it without leaving the republic. A similar derivative approach may also be seen with respect to other categories of foreign citizens where the principal status is long-term or specially protected in nature.

This solution demonstrates that, in Uzbek law, a visa has not only an individual but also a family-law aspect, since the migration stability of the principal applicant is ensured through the legalization of the stay of close relatives.

Competence of Authorities and Visa Extension Procedure

The legislation divides powers between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the internal affairs bodies (MIA). The MFA and its territorial subdivisions handle the extension of visas for certain categories of foreigners, primarily accredited representatives of international and foreign structures, official and parliamentary delegations, other persons with diplomatic status, and certain persons invited by them. For all other categories, issues relating to exit visas and extension of the period of stay are handled by the migration and personalization units of the MIA system.

The legislation also establishes an important rule: the visa extension period must not exceed the maximum period established for the relevant visa category in the list of non-electronic visa categories. At the same time, repeated extension is not excluded as such. In addition, inviting individuals and legal entities must apply for an extension no later than 10 days before the expiry of the visa.

Special Cases: EXIT Visa and Extraordinary Situations

A special place in the legislation is occupied by the EXIT visa. This is a special exit visa issued to a foreign citizen in cases where the person entered Uzbekistan under a visa-free regime, on an electronic visa, or on a tourist visa, but was unable to leave the territory of the republic within the prescribed period due to an accident, injury, or another serious illness resulting in hospitalization or treatment at a medical institution. Such a visa is issued by the authorized MIA body separately in each individual case, without the application of administrative penalties, on the basis of a medical institution’s opinion, which must specify the treatment period. After completion of treatment, the foreign citizen or his or her legal representative must, within three business days, submit an application and other necessary documents to the authorized body for issuance of the EXIT visa.

This provision shows that visa regulation in Uzbekistan is built not only on the principle of formal control, but also on the principle of humanitarian adjustment of the stay regime.

The visa system of the Republic of Uzbekistan constitutes a complex and functionally differentiated legal mechanism. Its core consists of categories of non-electronic visas, among which diplomatic, service, official, business, and tourist visas may be identified. Alongside them, the legislator establishes special legal regimes in the form of the electronic visa, investment visa, IT visa, and EXIT visa.

Visa Categories Most in Demand by the Companies

Visa category	Basis for issuance	Package of documents	Visa validity period	Authorized authority
S-1	For permanently accredited employees of foreign representative offices, international intergovernmental organizations, foreign governmental organizations, as well as registered international and foreign NGOs, and their family members	1) visa application form; 2) invitation; 3) national passport; 4) for employees of international and foreign NGOs — accreditation card issued by the Ministry of Justice	For the accreditation period	Consular institutions of the Republic of Uzbekistan; upon extension — the MFA and its subdivisions
S-2	For temporarily staying employees of the above-mentioned structures and their family members	1) visa application form; 2) invitation; 3) national passport; 4) where applicable — accreditation document	Up to 3 months	Consular institutions of the Republic of Uzbekistan; upon extension — the MFA and its subdivisions
S-3	For persons arriving on official assignment at the invitation of state bodies, economic management bodies, and certain organizations	1) visa application form; 2) invitation from the relevant body/organization; 3) national passport	Up to 1 year	Consular institutions of the Republic of Uzbekistan / MFA subdivisions
B-1	For employees of permanent representative offices of foreign firms and companies, foreign banks, and other financial organizations	1) visa application form; 2) invitation/petition of the organization; 3) national passport; 4) employee accreditation document of the representative office or a document confirming inclusion in the staff of a foreign bank/financial organization	For the accreditation period; in some cases, multiple-entry for up to 3 years	Consular institutions of the Republic of Uzbekistan; in certain cases, the authorized MIA body
B-2	For temporarily staying representatives of business circles	1) visa application form; 2) invitation; 3) national passport	Up to 1 year	Consular institutions of the Republic of Uzbekistan / MFA subdivisions
E	For foreign citizens arriving for employment in Uzbekistan	1) visa application form; 2) national passport; 3) work permit for employment in Uzbekistan, issued by the authorized body; 4) where entry is arranged by the employer — invitation/petition of the enterprise	For the period of the confirmed right to engage in labor activity	Consular institutions of the Republic of Uzbekistan; upon extension — the authorized MIA body
EXIT	For foreigners who entered visa-free, on an electronic visa, or on a tourist visa and were unable to leave in due time due to an accident, injury, or serious illness	1) application by the foreign citizen or his/her legal representative; 2) medical institution opinion specifying the treatment period; 3) other case-related documents	On a case-by-case basis, for the period necessary for departure after treatment	Authorized MIA body
INV	For foreign citizens who have invested in Uzbekistan by acquiring shares/participatory interests or by establishing an enterprise with foreign investment	1) petition of the enterprise with foreign investment; 2) national passport; 3) one of the certificates confirming investments made: from the Central Securities Depository or from justice authorities; 4) when processed abroad — application form of the prescribed template; 5) upon visa issuance — visa application form	Multiple-entry, up to 3 years; extendable without limitation without departure	Abroad — the Consular-Legal Department of the MFA, territorial subdivisions of the MFA, and consular institutions; within the country — the authorized MIA body
IT visa	For foreign investors and specialists in the IT sector, as well as persons associated with IT Park and digital start-ups	1) recommendation of the IT Park Directorate; 2) copy of the invitee’s passport; 3) application form of the prescribed template; 4) when issued at a consulate or airport — national passport and visa application form	Multiple-entry, up to 3 years; with the possibility of extension without departure	Abroad — the Consular-Legal Department of the MFA, territorial subdivisions of the MFA, and consular institutions; within the country — the authorized MIA body
PV-1	Guest visa upon invitation of a citizen of Uzbekistan	1) visa application form; 2) invitation; 3) national passport	Up to 1 year	Consular institutions of the Republic of Uzbekistan; authorization is processed through the internal affairs bodies at the place of residence of the inviting person
PV-2	Guest visa upon invitation of a foreign citizen permanently accredited and registered in Uzbekistan	1) visa application form; 2) invitation; 3) national passport	Up to 1 year	Consular institutions of the Republic of Uzbekistan / authorized MIA body
VTD	For compatriots — persons born in Uzbekistan — and their family members, where there is an invitation from a relative who is a citizen of Uzbekistan permanently residing in the country	1) visa application form; 2) invitation from a relative who is a citizen of Uzbekistan; 3) national passport; 4) upon extension — documents confirming the degree of kinship	Up to 2 years	Consular institutions of the Republic of Uzbekistan; upon extension — the authorized MIA body