Good news for Indian travellers: Uzbekistan has opened its doors visa-free. Since 1 September 2026, Indians holding a valid multiple-entry visa from the USA, UK, Schengen countries or five other nations can fly into Tashkent and stay up to 30 days without any visa for Uzbekistan.
The Embassy of India in Tashkent confirmed the new rule in a notice dated 22 September 2026. It puts the Silk Road cities of Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva within easy reach for lakhs of Indians who already carry a US, UK or Schengen visa.
But it is not visa-free for every Indian. Here’s the quick check.
Check your Uzbekistan eligibility: WhatsApp your passport’s first page and your existing visa to +91 63003 03169, or call +91 99597 77776. Our visa desk replies the same working day.
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Uzbekistan Visa for Indians at a Glance
| Agency | IMAD Travel Pvt Ltd — IATA-certified, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, since 2011 |
| New rule | Visa-free entry for Indians from 1 September 2026, confirmed by the Embassy of India, Tashkent on 22 September 2026 |
| Who qualifies | Indians holding a valid multiple-entry tourist or business visa from the USA, UK, Schengen states, Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea or New Zealand |
| Stay allowed | Up to 30 days from the date of entry |
| Conditions | Qualifying visa must be in your latest valid passport · onward or return air ticket required |
| Everyone else | E-visa on the official portal, e-visa.gov.uz |
| E-visa fees | USD 20 single entry · USD 35 double · USD 50 multiple |
| E-visa processing | 3 working days, not counting weekends and holidays |
| E-visa validity | 90 days from the application date, stay up to 30 days |
| Main cities | Tashkent · Samarkand · Bukhara · Khiva |
| Also searched as | Uzbekistan visa for Indians · Uzbekistan visa-free for Indians · Uzbekistan e-visa for Indians · Uzbekistan visa fees for Indians |
| IMAD help | Free eligibility check · e-visa guidance · Uzbekistan packages — each available on its own |
Uzbekistan Visa for Indians: Which Route Are You?
The headlines say “visa-free”, but the rule has one big condition. Uzbekistan is not opening its borders to every Indian passport. It is trusting Indians who have already been checked and approved by another major country’s visa system. If the USA, UK or a Schengen country has given you a multiple-entry visa, Uzbekistan accepts that as proof you are a genuine traveller and waves you in.
So the question is not “Am I Indian?” but “What visas do I already hold?” Find yourself in the table below.
| Traveller | Needs e-visa? |
|---|---|
| Holds a valid multiple-entry US / UK / Schengen / Canada / Australia / Japan / South Korea / New Zealand visa, in the current passport | No. Visa-free for up to 30 days ✈️ |
| Everyone else: first-time travellers, single-entry visa holders, visa in an old passport | Yes. E-visa is still required — easy, online, from USD 20 |
Not sure which one you are? Our visa services team will check your passport and existing visas and tell you in one WhatsApp message — this check is free-standing, with no tour booking needed.
What Changed on 1 September 2026
| Before 1 Sep 2026 | From 1 Sep 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Indians with a qualifying multiple-entry visa | E-visa needed | Visa-free, up to 30 days |
| All other Indians | E-visa needed | E-visa needed (no change) |
| Extra condition | — | Onward or return air ticket |
| Source | — | Embassy of India, Tashkent, notice of 22 Sep 2026 |
What this means in practice. Until August, every Indian, even a frequent flyer with a ten-year US visa, had to apply for an Uzbekistan e-visa before flying. From 1 September, that group can simply book a flight and go. Nothing has changed for travellers without a qualifying visa: the e-visa route stays exactly as it was.
The Embassy of India in Tashkent first posted about the rule on 14 September and published a clearer notice on 22 September 2026, setting out the full list of countries and the passport condition. That second notice is the one this article follows.
The 8 Visas That Unlock Visa-Free Uzbekistan
Your visa from any of these countries must be multiple-entry and still valid:
| # | Country |
|---|---|
| 1 | United States of America |
| 2 | United Kingdom |
| 3 | Schengen member states |
| 4 | Canada |
| 5 | Australia |
| 6 | Japan |
| 7 | Republic of Korea (South Korea) |
| 8 | New Zealand |
A single-entry or double-entry visa from these countries does not qualify. Neither does an expired one.
How to check if your visa is multiple-entry. Open your passport to the visa page and look at the “Entries” field. A US visa shows M for multiple entries. A Schengen visa shows MULT. If it shows 1 or 2, it is single- or double-entry and does not qualify. Then check the “Valid until” or “Expiration” date: the visa must still be valid on the day you land in Tashkent.
Tip: if you already hold a multiple-entry Schengen or UK visa from a recent Europe trip, you may be eligible right now — check its validity date.
Two Catches That Can Stop You at the Airport
1. The visa must be in your latest passport. The Embassy of India is clear: the exemption applies only on the latest valid passport. A US or Schengen visa sitting in an old or expired passport is not accepted by the Uzbek authorities — even if the visa itself is still valid.
2. Carry an onward air ticket. You must show a confirmed ticket out of Uzbekistan — back to India or on to another country.
Why the passport rule catches so many people. Many Indians renew their passport while an old US or UK visa is still valid, and keep travelling with both passports together. Other countries often accept this. Uzbekistan does not. For this exemption, the qualifying visa must be stamped in the passport you are travelling on. If your valid visa is in the old passport, the safe route is to apply for the e-visa. It costs USD 20 and takes three working days.
Do You Qualify? Three Quick Examples
Example 1: a couple with a Schengen visa from their Europe trip. They visited France in May on a multiple-entry Schengen visa valid until next April, in their current passports. They qualify. They can fly to Tashkent visa-free and stay up to 30 days, as long as they carry a return ticket.
Example 2: a businessman with a 10-year US visa in an old passport. His B1/B2 visa is multiple-entry and still valid, but he renewed his passport last year and the visa is in the old one. He does not qualify. He should apply for the e-visa before flying.
Example 3: a family on their first international trip. They hold no other visas. They need the e-visa. Three single-entry e-visas cost USD 20 each, and the family can apply online in one sitting.
Don’t Qualify? Get the Uzbekistan E-Visa Online
If you don’t hold one of the eight visas, you can still go — apply online on Uzbekistan’s official e-visa portal, e-visa.gov.uz.
E-visa type (Indian ordinary passport, tourism) |
|---|
| E-visa type (Indian ordinary passport, tourism) | Fee |
|---|---|
| Single entry | USD 20 |
| Double entry | USD 35 |
| Multiple entry | USD 50 |
| Stay allowed | Up to 30 days |
| Validity window | 90 days from the application date — you choose your arrival and departure dates inside this window |
| Processing time | 3 working days, not counting weekends and holidays |
| Language | Fill the form in English only |
| Passport | Enter Uzbekistan with the same passport used for the application — details must match exactly |
- Apply only on e-visa.gov.uz. Other websites charging more are private agents.
- Apply at least a week before you fly, so a public holiday in Uzbekistan doesn’t delay your visa.
How the application works, step by step. The official portal takes you through six short screens:
- Country: choose India, Ordinary Passport, your entry type and Tourism.
- Date: pick your arrival and departure dates. The stay can’t exceed 30 days, and both dates must fall inside the 90-day validity window.
- Personal information: enter your details exactly as they appear in your passport, in English.
- Photo and passport: upload a photo and a scan of your passport’s photo page.
- Activation: confirm your application.
- Payment: pay the fee online. Processing takes three working days.
Once approved, download and print the e-visa, and carry it with your passport.
Fees and processing as shown on e-visa.gov.uz on 23 September 2026. Government fees can change — check the portal before you pay.
Documents to Carry at Tashkent Immigration
| Document | Visa-free route | E-visa route |
|---|---|---|
| Latest valid passport | ✅ | ✅ |
| Valid multiple-entry visa (US/UK/Schengen/CA/AU/JP/KR/NZ) in that passport | ✅ | — |
| Printed e-visa | — | ✅ |
| Onward or return air ticket | ✅ | ✅ recommended |
| Hotel bookings | ✅ recommended | ✅ recommended |
Immigration at Tashkent is usually straightforward, but carry paper copies of your return ticket and hotel bookings along with your phone. If you’re entering visa-free, keep the page with your US, UK or Schengen visa ready to show; the officer needs to see that it is multiple-entry and still valid.
Why Some Sites Still Say “Visa Required”
The rule took effect on 1 September 2026, and the Embassy of India published its clarification on 22 September 2026. Many travel pages were written before that and haven’t caught up. Some news reports went the other way and said Uzbekistan is visa-free for all Indians — that isn’t correct either. Uzbekistan’s own e-visa portal still carries its older notice text. The rule on this page comes straight from the Embassy’s notice.
Time to Plan That Silk Road Trip
Tashkent is where most flights land: a modern capital with wide boulevards, Soviet-era metro stations that look like museums, and the busy Chorsu Bazaar. Samarkand is the showpiece. Its Registan square, framed by three tiled madrasas, is one of the most photographed sights in Central Asia. Bukhara feels like a living old town, with domed bazaars, a tall medieval minaret and quiet courtyards. Khiva, far to the west, is a walled city whose inner town, Itchan Kala, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
A week is enough for a first trip: Tashkent, then the high-speed train to Samarkand and Bukhara, with Khiva if you have an extra two days. Indian food is easy to find in Tashkent, and the local cuisine, with rice pilaf (plov), kebabs and fresh bread, suits most Indian palates.
Turquoise domes in Samarkand, the old caravan city of Bukhara, the walled town of Khiva and modern Tashkent — Uzbekistan is one of the most rewarding short trips from India, and now simpler than ever for anyone with a US, UK or Schengen visa.
- Explore our Uzbekistan destination guide for cities, season and routes.
- See the 7-day Uzbekistan tour package from India for a ready itinerary.
- Read the 7 must-visit places in Uzbekistan.
How IMAD Travel Helps with Your Uzbekistan Visa
IATA-certified since 2011, with our office in Banjara Hills, Hyderabad.
- Free eligibility check — send your passport’s first page and your existing visa; we confirm whether you can go visa-free.
- E-visa help — if you need one, we guide you through the official portal so your dates fit the 90-day window and your details match your passport.
- Trip planning, only if you want it — flights, hotels or a full Uzbekistan package.
You can take just the visa check on its own. There is no obligation to book a package or a flight with us.
Is Uzbekistan visa-free for Indians now?
Yes — but only for Indians who hold a valid multiple-entry tourist or business visa from the USA, UK, Schengen states, Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea or New Zealand. They can stay up to 30 days. All other Indians need an e-visa.
Since when is Uzbekistan visa-free for Indians?
From 1 September 2026, confirmed by the Embassy of India in Tashkent on 22 September 2026.
Does a single-entry Schengen or US visa qualify?
No. The visa must be multiple-entry and still valid.
My US visa is in my old passport. Can I use it?
No. The Uzbek authorities accept the exemption only on your latest valid passport.
How much is the Uzbekistan e-visa for Indians?
USD 20 single entry, USD 35 double entry and USD 50 multiple entry, as listed on e-visa.gov.uz on 23 September 2026.
How long does the e-visa take, and how long is it valid?
Three working days, not counting weekends and holidays. It is valid for 90 days from the date you apply, with a stay of up to 30 days.
Last verified: 23 September 2026 — Embassy of India, Tashkent (notice of 22 September 2026) and e-visa.gov.uz.
