Uzbekistan plans to introduce 30-day visa-free entry for US citizens

Dhaka :  Uzbekistan is preparing to introduce a new visa-free entry program for U.S. visitors, aiming to simplify travel procedures and attract more international tourists. 

The initiative is currently under development by government officials in response to directives from President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

Though no timeline has yet been formalised for the lifting of current Uzbek visa requirements for US visitors, according to President Mirziyoyev’s decree on 15 May 2025, officials have been given a three-month timeline to put the plans together.

As the entry rules currently stand, there is a difference in Uzbek visa conditions for US citizens depending on applicants’ ages. Would-be visitors over the age of 55 are already allowed to enter visa-free but younger candidates applying to cross the country’s borders are required to pay $20 for an electronic visa. 

However, distinctions between visitors based on age are expected to be eliminated under a new visa-free regime for everyone.

The unilateral move comes as part of the double-landlocked Central Asian nation’s strategy to grow its travel and tourism sector. That aim has seen the recent introduction of a Golden Visa scheme and the announcement of a 30-day visa-waiver for Chinese visitors available from 1 June 2025, making a total of 90 countries whose citizens now benefit from reduced friction when travelling to Uzbekistan.

-B