Uzbekistan visa from the UAE

A UAE residence permit does not change Uzbekistan’s entry rules: what matters is the passport you travel on.

• UAE citizens (Emiratis): visa-free entry for short tourist stays.
• Residents with passports from visa-free countries, such as the UK, most EU states, Türkiye, Malaysia or Indonesia: visa-free for the period allowed to your nationality, usually 30 days.
• Residents with other passports, for example India, Pakistan, the Philippines or Egypt: usually the e-visa, applied for online.

Check the current rules for your passport on the official portal e-visa.gov.uz before you book. See our main Uzbekistan visa guide and, for example, Uzbekistan visa for Indian citizens.

1. Apply only on the official portal e-visa.gov.uz.
2. Enter your passport details, travel dates and first hotel.
3. Upload a passport scan and a photo, and pay the fee online.
4. Receive the e-visa by email, usually within a few working days.

Apply at least one to two weeks before travel. The standard tourist e-visa is usually single entry.

The UAE is one of the best-connected regions for Uzbekistan. Airlines including flydubai, Air Arabia, Etihad, Uzbekistan Airways and others have operated flights from Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi to Tashkent, and some also to Samarkand, Bukhara, Urgench, Fergana or Namangan. Flight time is about 3 hours. Routes and frequencies change by season; check current schedules. See domestic flights and Samarkand airport.

Time difference: Uzbekistan is 1 hour ahead of the UAE.

Thanks to the short flight, Uzbekistan is ideal for a long weekend or a week’s holiday:

• 3–4 days: fly to Samarkand, take the Afrosiyob train to Bukhara, and fly back from Bukhara or Tashkent. See Samarkand to Bukhara.
• 5–7 days: add Khiva, flying back from Urgench. See Bukhara to Khiva.
• Winter escape: snow and skiing at Amirsoy near Tashkent, a contrast to the Gulf.

Spring and autumn are ideal; in summer, Uzbekistan is hot but drier and cooler at night than the Gulf.

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. Shops and restaurants stay open late in summer, and the evening is the best time to walk around the old towns.

• Passport valid at least six months beyond your stay; keep your UAE residence permit valid for your return.
• Medicines: some medicines are controlled in Uzbekistan; carry them in original packaging with a prescription.
• Registration: hotels register you automatically. See registration in Uzbekistan.
• Customs: declare large amounts of cash. See Uzbekistan customs rules.

The currency is the Uzbek som. US dollars in clean notes are easiest to exchange; dirhams can be changed at some banks in Tashkent but less easily elsewhere. ATMs accept Visa and Mastercard in the cities. Carry cash for bazaars and taxis. See money in Central Asia.

Food is almost always halal, and visitors from the Gulf will find familiar elements: rice dishes, grilled meat, bread and tea, with a Central Asian twist. Mosques are everywhere. Dress modestly at religious sites, and remove your shoes where carpets are laid.