Registration in Uzbekistan for foreign visitors

Like several former Soviet countries, Uzbekistan requires foreign citizens to be registered with the authorities at the address where they are staying. In the past this involved visits to the OVIR office (the department of visas and registration) and paper slips stamped by every hotel; travellers were sometimes asked at the border to show slips for every night. The system was notorious.

Since the reforms of 2018–2019, registration has become much simpler and is now largely electronic. For most tourists, it happens automatically and needs no action. But the obligation still exists, and it is worth understanding.

When you check in, the hotel or licensed guesthouse takes your passport details and registers you online through the national system for registering foreign guests. Some places give you a printed slip or a confirmation; others do not, as the record is stored electronically. If you want a slip, ask at reception.

This applies to hotels, hostels and B&Bs that are officially registered as accommodation providers, which includes the vast majority of places on booking websites.

If you stay in a private apartment or with friends or family, your host is responsible for registering you, usually through the online system or at the local office of the migration service. Make sure this is done, especially for longer stays. Some short-term rental apartments are not registered as accommodation businesses; ask the owner how they will register you before booking.

• Overnight trains: a night on a train is covered by your ticket; keep it.
• Yurt camps and desert camps on organised tours: the camp or tour operator normally handles registration, or the night is covered by your tour documents.
• Short stays: stays of only a few days in one place may be exempt, and the threshold has changed over time. For example, citizens of some CIS countries, such as Russia, need to register only after 15 days; see Uzbekistan for Russian citizens. Check the current threshold before you travel.

Keep your registration slips, booking confirmations and train tickets until you leave Uzbekistan. Today they are rarely checked at departure, but border officers can still ask where you stayed, particularly if there are gaps in your record. Gaps of a night or two when moving between cities are normal. If you leave Uzbekistan for a neighbouring country and return, you are registered again at your new accommodation.

Failure to register when required can lead to a fine and, in serious cases, problems leaving the country or future entry difficulties. For tourists staying in hotels, this risk is practically zero because registration is automatic. The people most at risk are those staying long periods in private homes without their host registering them. If in doubt, ask your host or a local travel agency to check.

If you stay for a long time, for work, study or with family, registration must be renewed according to the rules for your visa or residence status. Employers and universities usually handle this. See Uzbekistan visa and entry rules.

• Choose officially registered hotels and guesthouses.
• Ask for a registration slip if you like to have paper proof.
• Keep train tickets and tour documents for nights in transit or camps.
• If you travel with us, we make sure every night of your tour is covered.

See also Uzbekistan customs rules and Tashkent airport.