Uzbekistan visa for Italian citizens

No, for tourist visits of up to 30 days. Italy is on Uzbekistan’s visa-free list, introduced in 2018–2019. Italian travellers are among the most frequent European visitors to Uzbekistan; the memory of Marco Polo and the Silk Road, and the beauty of the tiled cities, make the country a natural destination.

Before you leave, check the official portal e-visa.gov.uz and the Viaggiare Sicuri page of the Italian Foreign Ministry. 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 and come back during a regional trip, a new visa-free period generally starts on re-entry; check the rules first.

• Passport: valid at least six months beyond your stay is the safe rule. The Italian identity card (carta d’identità) is not valid.
• Travel insurance with medical cover and repatriation.
• Medicines: some medicines common in Italy, including certain strong painkillers, sleeping pills, benzodiazepines and ADHD medication, are controlled in Uzbekistan. Bring them in original packaging with a prescription or a doctor’s certificate, preferably in English.
• Drones require permission.

At immigration, present your passport; you may be asked for the address of your first hotel and your 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 any registration slips. See Tashkent airport.

Uzbekistan Airways has operated direct flights from Milan and Rome to Tashkent, and charter flights have flown Italian groups to cities such as Urgench and Samarkand in high season; check current schedules. Otherwise, connect via Istanbul, Dubai, Doha or other hubs. Flights take around 6 hours direct. See domestic flights.

Time difference: Uzbekistan is 4 hours ahead of Italy 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 in the cities, and cards are accepted in many hotels and restaurants; cash is still needed for bazaars, taxis and small cafés. See money in Central Asia.

Italian citizens can usually visit Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan visa-free for limited stays. Tajikistan offers visa-free entry or an e-visa to many nationalities, plus a GBAO permit for the Pamirs; a popular combination is Samarkand with Penjikent and the Seven Lakes via the Jartepa border. Turkmenistan requires a visa with a letter of invitation. See Central Asia visas.

English and Russian are the main foreign languages used in tourism. Italian-speaking guides exist in Uzbekistan, especially in the main cities, but should be requested well in advance. Many Italian travellers come in organised groups in spring and autumn; book hotels and trains early in April–May and September–October. Learn a few words of Uzbek with our Uzbek phrases.

Most Italian visitors spend 8–14 days in Uzbekistan. A classic route is Tashkent → Samarkand by the Afrosiyob train → Bukhara → Khiva across the desert, then a flight from Urgench back to Tashkent. Many add Shakhrisabz, the birthplace of Timur, or the desert fortresses of ancient Khorezm near Khiva. The busiest months are April–May and September–October, when trains and good hotels sell out, so book early. See our 7-day and 10-day itineraries, and Tashkent to Samarkand for the first leg.

The Italian Embassy is in Tashkent. Save its contact details and consider registering your trip on the Italian Foreign Ministry’s Dove siamo nel mondo service.