Uzbekistan: visa runs on visa-free

[jwong]

Data point: I entered Uzbekistan twice and had no issues. First time was from Khujand to Tahskent and then I hopped over to Mazar-i-Sharif from Termez. Came back to Termez after and had no issues. However, both times, they seemed to not know that it is now visa free for [most] Western passport holders but they were able to find the info and stamp me in without me saying anything (just took longer). I'm Canadian.

[B7474U3]

Data Point:

I did a day trip from Tashkent to Khujand via the Oybek Crossing using a UK passport (visa-free), going to Khujand in the morning and coming back to Tashkent the same evening.

The crossing was quick and straight forward in both directions. On the return to Uzbekistan my passport was stamped and I was on my way with no problems at all. I was also giving a little slip detailing the registration requirements which I was not given when I first arrived at Tashkent.

[ekaterinaelliott]

Hello everyone!

Am wondering if someone can tell me if the following will count as a 'visa run'.

Travelling on Australian passport.

I land in Tashkent and spend 8 hours in the airport until my flight to Astana.I'm then planning to travel around Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan and then re-enter Uzbekistan via air, into Tashkent again.

Will my initial visa reset after my first arrival and exit, 8 hours later? And when i enter the second time (which will still be in the 30 day window) will i get another 30 days?

Thank you!

[steven]

You will not enter Uzbekistan the first time so you will not get a stamp then. You will stay in the transit zone.

If you do go out of the airport, you will be stamped in, and then stamped out as you leave the country. When you return to Uzbekistan you will be stamped in again.

Everytime you get stamped in you get 30 days.

[Rapunzel]

Hi!
I'm a Polish citizen and I don't need visa to enter Uzbekistan for up to 30 days but I'd like to stay there longer. Do you happen to know if it's possible for me to apply for 90 days e-visa? If not what are my other options?
Thank you very much for any information!

[steven]

Are you in the country now? Uzbekistan has given free visa extensions for everyone until June 1st because of coronavirus.

If you are not in UZ now, you need to do a visa-run. Kazakhstan is no longer visa free until november because of corona so you need to go to Kyrgyzstan.

[wanderingcrank]

Data point.

UK passport holder.

Visa run at Jartepa (Samarkand, Uzbekistan to Durman, Tajikistan). Excited on day 25 of 30 (3rd May 2023).

Really easy visa run. Exited Uzbekistan and immediately re-entered without needing to pass into Tajikistan. No problem getting stamped, just a little confusion because I was on a bike. Never asked for registration slips.

[HugoL]

For Australians:

Currently the official Smartraveller advice is that Australian passport holders are only entitled to visa-free entry once and we need a e-visa if we wish to enter the country multiple times. Can't say DFAT is giving the wrong advice but from personal experience this is at the very least not enforced at all, as I enter the country three times within the space of one week. No questions asked at all.

[charlie.conridge]

Data point:

06 April 2024.

My girlfriend and I did a visa run to Yallama border, we went through the Uzbekistan side, did not enter Kazakhstan, just turned back round and went back into Uzbekistan. Went OK, got a few funny looks but got stamped back in.

We were travelling by bike so were in the pedestrian entrance / exit.

Whole process took 1.5 hours ish.

Both on UK passports.

Did not have to pay any money or anything or answer any difficult questions. They did put our bags through the scanner.

Nearby Atameken border crossing was closed for foreigners when we got there, not sure if this is recent or how long it will be in place.