Uzbekistan is not visa-free for all Indians — here is who actually qualifies
A decree effective 1 September lets Indian citizens enter for 30 days without a visa, but only if they hold a live multiple-entry visa from one of eight countries and an onward ticket.
What the decree actually says
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed a decree on 29 August 2026 titled "On simplifying the procedure for entering the Republic of Uzbekistan for foreign citizens holding internationally recognized visas". It took effect on 1 September 2026.
Under it, an Indian citizen may enter Uzbekistan without an Uzbek visa for up to 30 days — but only while holding a valid multiple-entry business or tourist visa issued by Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, a Schengen Area state, the United Kingdom or the United States. Uzbek outlets, including the state news agency, also report a second condition: the traveller must hold an air ticket for onward or return travel to India or a third country.
Why the coverage went wrong
The confusion is traceable. On 30 August, during Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Tashkent, the announcement was reported as a "30-day visa-free regime" for Indian citizens with no conditions attached. The conditions only became visible when the decree took effect and Uzbek publications set out its terms on 3 September. By then the unqualified version had already run widely in India.
The practical difference is large. If you hold a live US, UK or Schengen multiple-entry visa, this is a genuine and immediate simplification. If you do not — which is most Indian passport holders — nothing has changed, and you still need an Uzbek visa or e-visa.
What is not established
Four details are not stated in any source we could open, and we are not going to guess them: the decree number; whether the exemption applies at land borders as well as airports; whether a residence permit from one of those countries qualifies in place of a visa; and whether the qualifying visa must already have been used at least once. No fee is mentioned anywhere. We could not open an official Uzbek government page — the visa portal, the foreign ministry and the national tourism site all return empty pages to a reader — so the terms above come from Uzbek news sources rather than from the instrument itself. Check your own eligibility with the Embassy of Uzbekistan before booking, and see our visa guides for how conditional exemptions like this generally work.
The exemption is one-way: Uzbek citizens still require a visa to visit India.
Sources
This report is based on the following published sources. Rules and schedules change — confirm with the issuing authority before you travel.
- India: visa-free entry to Uzbekistan for holders of internationally recognised visas — Gazeta.uz, 03 September 2026
- Uzbekistan eases entry for select Indian visa holders — UZDaily, 03 September 2026
- Entry procedure simplified for foreigners holding internationally recognised visas — YUZ.uz (Uzbek state news agency), 03 September 2026
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