Uzbekistan has announced a 30-day visa-free entry arrangement for Indian citizens, a move President Shavkat Mirziyoyev says will strengthen tourism, business, and people-to-people ties between the two countries. The announcement came during delegation-level talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Tashkent on August 30, 2026, as part of Modi’s two-day state visit to Uzbekistan.
What Was Announced
Under the new arrangement, Indian passport holders would be able to enter and stay in Uzbekistan for up to 30 days without applying for a visa. The exemption is reciprocal: Uzbek citizens would receive an equivalent 30-day visa waiver for travel to India. The two governments also signed a Tourism Cooperation Programme covering 2026 to 2028, and Uzbek officials tied the visa move to expanding flight connectivity, with around 14 direct weekly flights currently operating between the two countries.
Why It Matters
India and Uzbekistan trace their diplomatic relationship back to 1992 and elevated it to a Strategic Partnership in 2011. Bilateral trade crossed the one-billion-dollar mark for the first time last year, and the number of joint ventures between the two countries has grown sharply in recent years. Removing visa friction is expected to make Uzbekistan’s Silk Road destinations, including Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva, and Tashkent, considerably more accessible to Indian holidaymakers, entrepreneurs, and students.
Not Yet in Effect
Travellers should note that the waiver has been announced but had not been formally implemented as of early September 2026. Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not yet added India to its published list of countries eligible for the 30-day visa-free stay, and questions remain open around passport categories covered, whether the 30 days applies per entry or per rolling period, and whether it can be extended locally. Until an official effective date is confirmed, Indian travellers heading to Uzbekistan should continue applying for an e-Visa or confirm eligibility for the 5-day transit facility before booking flights.
What Travellers Should Do Now
- Continue using the existing Uzbekistan e-Visa process until the visa-free policy is formally notified.
- Check passport validity requirements, return-ticket proof, accommodation proof, and sufficient funds, which remain standard entry conditions regardless of the visa-free status.
- Watch for an official notification from Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs or India’s Bureau of Immigration confirming the start date and eligible passport categories.
This article will be updated once Uzbekistan formally notifies the visa-free policy and confirms its effective date.
