Uzbekistan visa for Dutch citizens

No, for tourism of up to 30 days. The Netherlands is on Uzbekistan’s visa-free list, introduced as the country opened up to tourism in 2018–2019. This makes it easy to combine Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva in a single trip of two or three weeks.

Check the latest rules on the official portal e-visa.gov.uz and the travel advice of the Dutch government (Nederland Wereldwijd) before you travel. See our Uzbekistan visa guide for the general rules.

For more than 30 days, or for work, study or business, you need a visa obtained in advance, as an e-visa where available or through an Uzbek embassy or consulate. Use only official channels. If you leave Uzbekistan for a neighbouring country and return, a new visa-free period generally begins on re-entry; check the current rules first.

• Passport: valid at least six months beyond your stay is the safe rule. The Dutch identity card is not valid for entry.
• Travel insurance with medical cover abroad and repatriation.
• Medicines: some medicines common in the Netherlands, such as certain strong painkillers, sleeping pills, benzodiazepines and ADHD medication, are controlled in Uzbekistan. Carry them in original packaging with a prescription or a doctor’s statement in English. Cannabis products are illegal.
• Drones require permission.

At immigration, present your passport; you may be asked for your first hotel and return ticket. Declare large amounts of cash and keep the form. Foreign visitors must be registered where they stay; hotels and licensed guesthouses do it automatically. Keep your registration slips. See Tashkent airport.

There are usually no direct flights between Amsterdam and Uzbekistan. Most Dutch travellers connect via Istanbul (Turkish Airlines), Frankfurt, the Gulf (Dubai, Doha) or other hubs, sometimes with onward flights to Samarkand, Bukhara or Urgench. Travel time is usually 9–12 hours including the connection. Some travellers use direct flights to Tashkent from nearby German or other European airports. See domestic flights.

Time difference: Uzbekistan is 4 hours ahead of the Netherlands in winter and 3 hours ahead in summer.

The currency is the Uzbek som. Euros and US dollars in clean notes are easy to exchange at banks and official exchange offices. ATMs accept Visa and Mastercard; Dutch Maestro or V Pay cards may not work, so bring a credit card or a debit card with a Visa or Mastercard logo. Cash is needed for bazaars, taxis and small places. See money in Central Asia.

Dutch citizens can usually visit Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan visa-free for limited stays. Tajikistan offers visa-free entry or an e-visa to many nationalities, with a permit for the Pamirs. Turkmenistan requires a visa with a letter of invitation from a local agency. See Central Asia visas and border crossings.

Many Dutch travellers come to Central Asia by bicycle or for trekking. Cycling along the Silk Road through Uzbekistan is possible, but distances in the desert are long and summers very hot; plan water stops carefully, and remember that you must still be registered, for example by staying in hotels or keeping evidence of where you stayed. For the mountains, see Ugam-Chatkal National Park.

The Netherlands does not necessarily have a resident embassy in Tashkent; check on the Dutch government’s website which embassy is responsible for Uzbekistan, and save its details. EU citizens can seek help from the embassy of another EU member state if their own country is not represented.