Uzbekistan Embassy in Almaty report

[McManaman]

Hey guys! Here a spanish guy in Almaty. I just got yesterday my visa, and the normal procedure took me 5 days (two fridays had to go since 3 to 5, one to give out the papers, and other to pay and get the visa). With the urgent procedure you can take it in the same day. I did it without LOI.

[gateskatherine]

Are people generally being granted 30 day visas or are they limiting it to 15 days? We want a 30 day visa to leave some wiggle room in case we have trouble with our Turkmenistan visa in Tashkent.

[steven]

30 days has never been an issue.

[NixyJungle]

I went today to Uzbekistan consulate in Almaty. It's completely insane. There are hundreds of Uzbek people pushing all around trying to either extend their passport or change citizenship. I was there since 3 pm. There were 5 more people waiting for visa. Only 6 of us waiting for visa but he didn't take our passports until 5:50. Then it was too late to go to the bank and pay the fee (bank near the consulate closes at 6 pm). Luckily there is another bank of the same branch where you can using ATM. The bank is at the corner of Mukanova street and Tele bi street (4,5 km from the consulate).

Later we came back and he said that he can't give us visas today but we have to come tomorrow.

For all of you going to get visa, you have to literally fight with Uzbek people to get to the consul and apply for visa. He was kindly telling us that he will come to us shortly and we will get our visas, but after 2 hours he was still busy with Uzbek people.

Btw. consulate looks like doner kebab restaurant

[NixyJungle]

Another important update. The consulate doesn't work on Wednesdays. On this website it's written opening time - Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri, but it's actually Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri. I was there on Wednesday and I was told that they don't accept visa applications on Wednesday.

[tennisabstract]

Mostly just echoing what others have said... (by the way, thanks for all the reports! definitely helped me out)

I showed up a few minutes after 2pm, and there was already a large crowd (~100 people) of Uzbeks milling around. Around 2:25, one of the guards called out "Visa!" a few times, and let those of us applying for visas through a gate, basically just to wait in line. At 2:45, we were led into the office and two guys started processing the applications. (Don't forget the passport copy -- one woman didn't have it and she was told to go find a place to make the copy. Apparently that wasn't easy as I didn't see her again this afternoon.)

They didn't want to give me directions to the bank in English, just told me to follow two other guys who knew where they were going. Anyway, making payment at the bank was quick, I was back at the embassy around 3pm, and my passport was ready at 3:30. Some other visa applicants (there were 15-20 total today) arrived right at 3pm, and they got in, though I think the process ended up taking quite a bit longer for them.

One note -- I got my LOI through Caravanistan's partner, who strongly suggested that I push my start date back to Sep 5 or 6. Hoping to get lucky, I asked for Sep 2 (my end date can't be changed, and I wanted as much time in UZB as possible) ... and got it!

[gateskatherine]

We got our visa with Australian passports no worries. The Embassy only accepts visa applications on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays between 3pm and 5pm. That said, we were able to apply at 2pm so opening hours appear to be somewhat flexible.

You need to provide:
- copy of your Letter of Invitation (LOI)
- completed application form (your LOI provider usually fills this out for you)
- passport photo
- your passport
- bank receipt for the visa fee (US$75)

We arranged our LOI through Topchan Hostel in Tashkent for US$40 per person. We have to stay there for at least one night, which is a fair deal.

We got our visa within an hour. A full report is here: http://thetravelators.com/2016/08/02/uz ... in-almaty/

[vanivan]

Applied today (after hitting the Iranian embassy in the morning). Straightforward, but chaotic -- while the relatively fewer people applying for visas line up in front of the gate, the people lined up in front of the window got into a shoving/yelling match. I lined up around 2 pm -- no need to put my name down on the list, which was for people in the window line.

At 3:15 pm, a staff member opened the door, letting a bunch of people in -- but told me and other visa applicants to wait. We got to enter around 3:30 and had to wait around in the room, with no one at the counter. I was first in line, and was attended to at 4 when I handed in my passport, photo, and forms. They called my names around 4:30. By that point, the room seemed a lot emptier and other people looking for tourist visas were able to walk in without lining up.

I got my visa around 5. If I had to do it again, I'd probably walk in around 4:30.

I had requested dates 5 days earlier than those listed on my LOI, and they were granted. The staff was polite but English was limited and they seemed utterly swamped with work.

[sushan]

Nov 2016, Canada passport with LOI requesting eight days of travel visa. Pretty much as above, after a struggle near to the death to get through the people crowding the gate when it was first opened at about 3:15 the rest was smooth sailing. Followed the others to the bank and just handed the original receipts over instead of copying them. Had visa by 4:30.

[Tom27]

February 2017; Dutch passport requesting 30 day visa with LOI

Arrived at 14.20. Also very crowded. Doors opened right after 15.00. Left gate is for visas and those requesting visa were let in first. In the room again the left door is where you hand in your paperwork. After 15 minutes I got a receipt to take with me to the bank. Directions to the bank: to the right out of the gate, cross the intersection and take the street to the left. After about 500 meters the CenterCredit bank is on your righthandside. I took my original bank receipt plus receipt from embassy back to the embassy. Again a ten minute wait and I was out with my visa. They speak some English and according to a Mexican with me in line they are happy to try spanish as well.