Uzbekistan visa for Indian citizens

Yes. Indian passport holders are not on Uzbekistan’s general visa-free list, but are eligible for the electronic visa (e-visa), which makes the process simple. Rules can change, and in some cases visa-free schemes for specific groups or transit have been announced, so check the current situation on the official portal e-visa.gov.uz and with the Embassy of Uzbekistan in New Delhi before you book. See our main Uzbekistan visa guide.

1. Go to the official portal e-visa.gov.uz. Avoid intermediary websites that look official and charge extra.
2. Fill in the form with your passport details, travel dates and the address of your first hotel.
3. Upload a passport scan and a recent photo meeting the requirements.
4. Pay the visa fee online by card.
5. Receive the e-visa by email, usually within a few working days. Print it and keep a digital copy.

The standard tourist e-visa is usually single entry and valid for a limited stay. If you plan to leave and re-enter Uzbekistan, for example for a side trip to Kyrgyzstan, check whether you need a double- or multiple-entry visa.

Uzbekistan has offered visa-free transit of up to five days to citizens of many countries arriving by air with an onward ticket to a third country. Check whether Indian citizens are currently eligible and what conditions apply before relying on it.

• Passport valid at least six months beyond your stay, with blank pages.
• Printed e-visa, return or onward ticket, and hotel bookings.
• Travel insurance with medical cover.
• Medicines in original packaging with a prescription; some medicines common in India are controlled in Uzbekistan.

At immigration, declare large amounts of cash. Hotels register your stay automatically; see registration in Uzbekistan.

Direct flights connect Delhi with Tashkent, taking around 2.5–3 hours, operated by Uzbekistan Airways and Indian carriers; other Indian cities have had seasonal or connecting services. Check current schedules. See Tashkent airport.

Time difference: Uzbekistan is 30 minutes behind India.

The currency is the Uzbek som. Bring US dollars in clean notes to exchange; rupees are difficult to change. ATMs accept Visa and Mastercard in the cities; RuPay cards may not work. Keep cash for bazaars, taxis and small cafés. See money in Central Asia.

Vegetarian food is available, though Uzbek cuisine is meat-heavy: look for vegetable soups, salads, bread, dairy, pulses, fruit and manti or samsa with pumpkin or potato. Indian restaurants exist in Tashkent.

Many Indian visitors are drawn by history: Babur, founder of the Mughal empire, was born in Andijan in the Fergana Valley, a descendant of Timur, whose tomb is in Samarkand. See the Babur museum in Andijan and the Gur-Emir mausoleum.

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. If you are vegetarian, learn to say go‘shtsiz, "without meat", in Uzbek; it helps in cafés and at the bazaar.

Visa rules for Indian citizens in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan differ: some offer e-visas or visa-free stays; check each before planning a combined trip. Turkmenistan requires a visa with a letter of invitation. See Central Asia visas. The Embassy of India is in Tashkent.