Citizens of Russia, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan can enter Uzbekistan with an ID card

To further develop tourism, business, and friendly relations, Uzbekistan is working on simplifying the entry procedure for citizens of Russia, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan. This was reported by the Russian publication “Izvestia” citing the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Uzbekistan.

According to the information, currently, citizens of these countries can enter Uzbekistan only with a foreign passport. However, in the near future, they may be allowed to enter Uzbekistan without a visa for up to 30 days using an internal passport or ID card.

— We are holding negotiations with partner countries on enabling entry using ID cards. This initiative will serve to encourage tourism and business ties and make travel more convenient, — the official comment from the MFA states.

It is worth noting that Uzbekistan had previously taken similar steps with Kyrgyzstan. Since 2023, citizens of both countries have been able to cross the border using ID cards or internal documents. This experience is currently yielding positive results.

At present, Russian citizens can enter only Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan in Central Asia using internal passports. Uzbekistan remains among the countries that still require a foreign passport. Furthermore, if a Russian citizen plans to stay in Uzbekistan for more than 15 days, they must register temporarily at their place of residence.

Simplifying the entry regime is expected to primarily lead to an increase in tourist flow. In 2024 alone, the number of tourists coming to Uzbekistan from Russia increased by 20%, reaching 870,000. It is forecasted that this number will approach 1 million in 2025.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and government officials are working on preparing all contractual and legal frameworks to implement this initiative. If this initiative is implemented soon, it will undoubtedly open new opportunities for tourism and the economy in Uzbekistan.