Uzbekistan Expands Visa-Free Access to Six Middle Eastern Nations

Uzbekistan has extended its visa-free travel policy to citizens of six additional countries, while also lengthening the permitted stay for visitors from China.

According to a Cabinet resolution dated October 21, nationals of Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait and Jordan can now visit Uzbekistan for up to 30 days without a visa.

For Chinese citizens, the visa-free period has been increased from seven to 30 days, though the rule for Hong Kong residents remains unchanged.

The government has also simplified the process of obtaining business visas for 15 countries. Citizens from Austria, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, Italy, Latvia, Malaysia, France, the Czech Republic, Switzerland and Japan can now receive visas within two working days.

Applicants from the United Arab Emirates, Iran and Pakistan will receive theirs within three working days, although processing for Iranian and Pakistani nationals may take up to 10 days if additional checks are required.

Since June this year, Uzbek citizens have also enjoyed a 30-day visa-free stay in China, though the agreement does not apply to travel to Hong Kong or Macao.

Separately, from October 12, 2025, the European Union introduced the new Entry/Exit System (EES), which replaces passport stamps with digital border registration. The system also applies to travellers from Uzbekistan.

Kursiv also reports that from January to August 2025, Uzbekistan received 287,700 foreign visitors travelling for commercial purposes.