Uzbekistan visa for Chinese citizens

For short trips, in most cases no. In 2025 Uzbekistan and China brought into force an agreement on mutual visa-free travel for holders of ordinary passports, for limited stays. This followed years in which Chinese tourists used the e-visa. The agreement reflects the close ties between the two countries along the modern "Belt and Road".

Details, such as the maximum length of each stay and the total days allowed within a period, are set by the agreement and may change. Always check the official portal e-visa.gov.uz and the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ consular information before you travel. See our main Uzbekistan visa guide.

Note that rules for passports from Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan may differ; check separately.

For stays beyond the visa-free limit, or for work, study or business, apply for the appropriate visa in advance, as an e-visa where available or through the Uzbek embassy or consulates in China. Use only official channels.

• Passport: valid at least six months beyond your stay is the safe rule.
• Travel insurance with medical cover.
• Medicines: some medicines may be controlled in Uzbekistan; carry them in original packaging with a prescription.
• Drones require permission.

At immigration, present your passport; you may be asked for your hotel and return ticket. Declare large amounts of cash. Foreign visitors must be registered where they stay; hotels do it automatically. See registration in Uzbekistan and Tashkent airport.

Direct flights connect Tashkent with Beijing, Urumqi, Guangzhou and other Chinese cities, operated by Uzbekistan Airways and Chinese carriers; some routes also reach Samarkand. Check current schedules. Overland, routes from Kashgar cross Kyrgyzstan to the Fergana Valley; see the Dustlik border.

Time difference: Uzbekistan is 3 hours behind Beijing time all year.

The currency is the Uzbek som. US dollars in clean notes are easiest to exchange; yuan can be changed at some banks in Tashkent. UnionPay cards are accepted at some ATMs and shops, and payment links with Chinese mobile wallets have expanded, but acceptance is not universal. Carry cash for bazaars and taxis, and a Visa or Mastercard as a backup. See money in Central Asia.

For Chinese travellers, Uzbekistan is the heart of the ancient Silk Road that linked China with the West. The Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang passed through Samarkand and Termez in the 7th century on his way to India, and Chinese silk, ceramics and paper reached the markets of Samarkand and Bukhara. Visit the Afrosiyob museum in Samarkand, with its Sogdian wall paintings showing Chinese envoys, and the Buddhist sites of Termez.

Uzbekistan is generally a safe and welcoming country for visitors. A few practical points make a trip easier: buy a local SIM card with your passport on arrival for maps and ride-hailing apps (see SIM cards and internet); use apps or agree prices in advance for taxis; book Afrosiyob train tickets early in spring and autumn; and dress modestly at mosques and shrines. English is spoken in hotels, and Russian widely; Chinese-speaking guides exist but are few, so book early if you need one.

A classic 7–10-day route: Tashkent → Samarkand → Bukhara → Khiva, then fly back to Tashkent from Urgench. The best seasons are April–May and September–October. See Tashkent to Samarkand and our 7-day itinerary.

Rules for Chinese citizens in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan differ and have been changing; check each country. Turkmenistan requires a visa with a letter of invitation. See Central Asia visas. The Embassy of China is in Tashkent.