Uzbekistan is an interesting and hospitable country with numerous attractions, developed infrastructure and various mysterious places. Therefore, many Russian citizens want to visit this state for travel or work. Initially, you should figure out whether you need a foreign passport to Uzbekistan, whether you need to prepare a visa, and also what difficulties you will encounter when crossing the border.
Uzbekistan is a country that is part of the CIS
The Commonwealth of Independent States is represented by an international organization through which relations arising between citizens of these countries are regulated. All these countries used to be part of the USSR. Russia is a member of the CIS along with Uzbekistan.
The CIS was formed on a voluntary basis, but all countries that are members of this organization must pursue the same goals. These include:
- cooperation in various fields of activity represented by economics, culture or politics;
- assistance during participant development;
- respect for the rights and freedoms available to every person;
- provision of legal assistance;
- joint resolution of various conflicts.
Citizens living in the CIS countries receive certain concessions when visiting other states.
Important! The CIS additionally includes Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, so a simplified border crossing procedure is offered for Russians visiting these states.
Uzbekistan: border crossing rules
Russians need a foreign passport when traveling to Uzbekistan.
This state is hospitable for Russian citizens, so there are usually no difficulties when crossing the border. However, some mandatory requirements must be met. It is advisable to study the special leaflet in advance, and to enter any city only if you have previously found a place to stay.
A visa-free regime is offered for Russians, but residents of non-CIS countries will have to obtain a visa.
Registration after arrival
After arriving in Uzbekistan, a foreigner must contact the passport office and provide the address of his place of residence. If a tourist is staying at a hotel, the hotel employees take over the registration functions.
Due to the fact that this obligation may be missed, a foreigner should take care of registration and monitor the actions of personnel.
If a trip to Uzbekistan falls on holidays or weekends and lasts less than 3 days, it is not necessary to register. This rule also applies if the route involves frequent travel, and the period of stay in each locality is up to 3 days.
Entry rules for Russians
If a Russian plans to enter Uzbekistan, he does not need to obtain a visa. You will only need to prepare international passports for a trip to Uzbekistan, as well as register.
If the trip is long, you will additionally have to apply for a visa. This applies to situations where a person stays in Tashkent or another city for 60 days or more.
Right to visa-free entry
Citizens of the Russian Federation have the right to visit the country without special permission. According to the law, staying in the country for 60 days is allowed. Tourists who plan to stay in the state for a longer period of time apply for a visa to Uzbekistan.
Do I need a foreign passport?
To travel to Uzbekistan you need a foreign passport. The rule applies to all Russians. The exception is special cases in which a foreigner presents an identity document other than a passport:
- A paper indicating that the citizen is a member of the aircraft crew.
- Diplomatic worker's certificate.
- Seaman's certificate.
Requirements
The passport must meet the following requirements:
- Meet standards.
- The validity period must cover the period of stay in the state.
If children are included in the parents’ passport, you need to have personal papers for each child.
Entry with a Russian passport
It is impossible to travel to Uzbekistan with a Russian passport. A Russian citizen simply will not be able to cross the border. Therefore, you should not plan trips to Uzbekistan using a Russian passport, since you will have to refuse the trip at the border.
Initially, you will have to take care of obtaining a passport. This must be done in advance in order to have time to receive the document before flying on an airplane or crossing the border on another transport.
Even if an Uzbek citizen has dual citizenship, a Russian passport is not recognized in his home country. Therefore, you will have to enter using a passport of Uzbekistan.
Which passport is suitable for travel if you are a Russian citizen?
So, to travel to Uzbekistan you need to have a foreign passport of a Russian citizen of the old or new type (biometric). There is no strict requirement here.
But it is important to track the validity period of the document. It must be valid for the entire duration of the trip plus 30 days thereafter. It’s easy to check the deadline – just look at the first page of the document. For old-style passports, the validity period reaches 5 years, for new ones - 10 years.
Necessary documents and requirements
A Russian, like a Ukrainian, must prepare certain documentation before traveling. Entry into Uzbekistan with Russian passports is prohibited, so the following documents are prepared:
- a foreign passport, which every visitor over 16 years old must have;
- Russian passport;
- if the visitor is an employee of a diplomatic mission, then he must have a diplomatic passport;
- pilots and flight attendants prepare aircraft crew certificates;
- seafarers must have their own passport;
- Children who have not yet turned 14 years old can be included in their parents’ passports.
If a citizen receives a new biometric passport, he will not be able to include his children in it. Therefore, you will have to obtain separate passports for children. If a child travels without parents or only with his mother, then permission from the second parent may be required, and it must be notarized.
Entry requirements to Uzbekistan
The rule applies to all Russians: a foreign passport to Uzbekistan is needed for travel, and a visa is not required provided that the travel period does not exceed 2 months.
Validity period of the passport
The validity period of a foreign passport to enter Uzbekistan must be no less than the trip itself. There are no other additional requirements.
The rules for entry into Uzbekistan for Russians are on the official website of the consular information portal of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Documents that replace a foreign passport include the following:
- Seaman's certificate;
- A certificate that proves membership in the crew of an aircraft;
- Diplomatic passport.
Example of a seaman's certificate
Is it possible for a child who is included in the parents’ foreign passport to travel to Uzbekistan?
To the question of whether children need a foreign passport to travel to the country in question, the answer is yes in cases where information about them is not indicated in the parents’ document.
You can enter children into the parents’ passport, then nothing additional will be required.
Receiving registration passes
Foreign passports are required to enter Uzbekistan. Without this document you will not be able to cross the border. Additionally, according to the law of this country, every foreigner must register at his place of residence. To do this, you can choose a hotel, inn or apartment owned by relatives or strangers.
The registration card is issued by the direct owner of the hotel. This document contains information about obtaining temporary registration. Additionally, a memo is issued that describes the rules for staying in the country. A foreign passport is also needed for Russians when traveling to Tashkent. This document must be present when visiting any city. It must be handed over to the hotel owner for registration.
Mandatory registration
According to the current rules, any foreigner within 72 hours, not counting weekends and holidays, after crossing the border of Uzbekistan is required to register at the place of stay, i.e., where he plans to live while in the country. These requirements are also mandatory for Russian citizens. If you plan to stay at a hotel or inn, the registration procedure occurs automatically immediately after booking a room or checking into the hotel immediately upon arrival.
At the hotel, the tourist must be provided with a registration form, which, after filling out, must be kept in the passport and presented to the Uzbek police in case of document verification. However, not all hotels provide such a service, and this point must be taken into account when organizing your trip. Some hotels are silent about the lack of rights to accommodate foreign guests. In this case, lack of registration can create great difficulties when leaving Uzbekistan.
If the hotel is not licensed to accommodate foreigners, the traveler should contact the local Visa and Registration Office to register their stay in the country. It is not recommended to stay in private houses, although local residents are always ready to rent out housing to foreign tourists, because if a foreigner is accommodated in such a sector, it will not be possible to obtain registration.
Uzbek legislation provides exceptions to the rules for registering foreign citizens. If a citizen of the Russian Federation has a valid international passport and his entry into the country coincided with a weekend or holiday, then he will be able to register on the first working day. If a traveler plans to take a sightseeing tour of the country and his stay in one place is less than 3 days, registration is not required at all.
When is check-in required upon arrival?
Registration is required if the duration of the trip exceeds three days. Therefore, within three days after arrival, the owner of the residential premises where the foreigner lives must complete the necessary registration steps. To do this, he needs a traveler's foreign passport.
Not every hotel has a license to accept foreigners. Some owners of organizations do not even inform visitors that they do not have the right to accommodate foreigners. Border service specialists check the availability of temporary registration when a person leaves the country. If a violation is detected, the citizen will be held accountable. Therefore, it is advisable to initially choose reliable and proven hotels.
Customs regulations
Travelers must remember and comply with Uzbek rules and requirements, otherwise they may be found to be in violation. Therefore, the following nuances are taken into account:
- It is not allowed to import or export more than 260 dollars, since otherwise you need to obtain permission from the Central Bank;
- You can carry no more than 1.5 liters of strong alcohol or 2 liters of low-alcohol drinks on a train or other transport;
- it is allowed to import up to 1 thousand cigarettes or up to 1 kg of tobacco;
- all precious items represented by jewelry, furs or equipment must be declared, and their value cannot exceed 10 thousand dollars, otherwise a fee will have to be paid.
Therefore, before entering or entering the territory of Uzbekistan, you should study the rules for staying on the territory of this state.
Duration of stay and registration procedure
Before traveling, it is important to prepare a passport for a trip to Uzbekistan and declare the items being carried, if necessary.
The length of stay determines the need for a visa and other permits.
Trip up to 2 months
If you are planning a short trip, then you just need to have your passport with you. Registration is carried out by the owner of the residential premises where the Russian tourist is staying.
Typically, such short trips are intended for relaxation on a purchased tour or visiting relatives.
Stamp of Uzbekistan in the Russian passport
Long stay
If a transfer for work to Uzbekistan is carried out, then the person will have to stay here for quite a long time. Under such conditions, you will have to obtain a visa. To do this, you need an invitation from an Uzbek or a company.
If the purpose of the trip is to conduct work activities, then an invitation is drawn up by the employer. But if a person is just traveling, then he needs an invitation from a private person. If a Russian citizen plans to study in Uzbekistan, then the invitation is drawn up by the management of the selected educational institution.
In what cases is a visa required?
A visa is required if a Russian citizen plans to stay in the state for more than two months. It is formalized by employees of the country's embassy, and a simplified scheme is provided for Russians.
Important! To apply for any visa, you can contact the OVIR, but for a long visit to the country you need a significant reason, represented by study, work or tourism.
Visa to Uzbekistan
Registration of visa permits
To obtain a visa, you need to prepare an invitation from the receiving party. Additionally, a form for obtaining a permit, a medical insurance policy, and a certificate of income, which contains information about cash receipts for six months, are filled out.
To obtain a visa, a 35x45 mm photo is required, as well as a guarantee that the person will find a place to live. Other documents may be required, depending on the purpose of visiting the state. A visa is issued within 10 days, and its cost depends on the length of stay.
You can use the simplified procedure for obtaining a visa, for which it is issued on the E-visa online portal. To do this, you need to fill out a form and pay a fee of $20. The document is issued within 3 days. The e-visa is sent to your email address in PDF format. But it allows you to stay on the territory of Uzbekistan for only 30 days.
You can apply for a visa even after arrival, for which you will have to contact representatives of the Russian Embassy.
Long stay in the country
Let us repeat, for long-term residence in the Republic of Uzbekistan you need a permit and a visa. Depending on the reasons for the long period of stay, the following types of visas are distinguished:
- Diplomatic.
Issued to members of the diplomatic corps and high-ranking officials.
- Educational.
Designed for those wishing to receive education in the Republic of Uzbekistan, provided for the duration of their studies.
- Working.
For persons working in the Republic of Uzbekistan, or joint commercial projects.
- Tourist.
For those who want to deeply get acquainted with all the sights, study the culture and Uzbek life.
A similar entry document is issued at the Embassy of the Republic of Uzbekistan. By submitting an application remotely and providing all necessary documents at the second stage during a personal meeting.
The period for consideration of the application does not exceed seven working days. If the decision is positive, you can receive a stamp with permission in your passport within four days.
You will have to pay a fee for the document provided. Its size depends on the length of stay, as well as on how often the guest prefers to travel to the territory of Uzbekistan.
Children under 16 years old are issued free of charge.
Interested persons can familiarize themselves with the conditions, amount of the fee and a detailed list of required documents on the websites of the diplomatic mission of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
IMPORTANT: Before your trip, you need to study the list of items, valuables and money allowed for transportation, as well as how to register them.
What documents are needed for children?
Information about minors must be included in the invitation. Children also need a foreign passport to Tashkent. It is allowed to enter information about the child in the parent’s passport if the child is under 14 years old. Teenagers will have to draw up their own document.
If a child is traveling with one parent, then an additional notarized consent from the second is required.
Entry rules
Uzbekistan is one of the hospitable countries that are always ready to receive people from Russia.
There should not be any particular difficulties crossing the border, but you must follow the established rules. If a person is traveling for up to 2 months, he will not need a visa. It is needed only in cases where a foreigner plans to stay on the territory of the state for longer than 60 days. The question of whether a foreign passport is needed can be answered unequivocally. Yes, its presence is necessary for Russians, otherwise they will not be able to cross the border. It is mandatory for all travelers over 16 years of age. Moreover, you need a valid passport, and its validity should not expire during the trip. As for children, they can travel without presenting a passport. The main requirement is that parents must have information about their children with photographs in the document.
Another important rule regarding children is that when a minor travels with one parent, there must be permission from the second, if he is not deprived of his rights and is alive. If a child is traveling with a stranger, he must have notarized permission from both parents.
There are also restrictions on the import of certain items. It is prohibited to take weapons, drugs, fruits and vegetables, some types of non-prescription medications and extremist printed materials with you. Also, you cannot transport animals unless you have permission to do so.
Features of traveling by private car
You can visit Uzbekistan not only by train or plane, but also by your own car. To do this, you need to prepare a route that will help you get to the desired hotel. You need to have the following documents with you:
- international passports for all passengers and the driver;
- Russian driver's license;
- car registration certificate;
- inspection certificate;
- insurance certificate.
Additionally, you will have to fill out a declaration, for which you enter information about the passport details of citizens, the purpose of the trip, and also include data about the car. The cost of imported valuables is indicated. Upon entry, your car and personal belongings are searched. All items will have to be unloaded, and storage media will also be inspected. Due to such thorough checks, a queue always forms at the border.
If a Russian citizen decides to visit Uzbekistan, he will have to arrange for a foreign passport in advance. If the trip is long, you will additionally need to obtain a visa. Tourists should study the rules for crossing the border and the specifics of importing and exporting various valuables from the country. They must register at their place of residence, otherwise they will be held accountable. The ease and safety of a tourist or work trip depends on the correct preparation for travel.
Customs regulations of Uzbekistan
- The import of currency in unlimited quantities is allowed. In addition, each person entering must fill out a customs declaration.
- If a foreigner exports national currency in an amount of more than 280 US dollars, then he needs to obtain a special permit from the National Bank.
- Only persons over 16 years of age have the right to import alcohol into the country.
- Cosmetics, equipment and perfumery products are allowed for import, but only in quantities needed by one person.
- It is prohibited to import medicines without prescriptions, ammunition, fruit and berry crops, printed and religious products that can violate the religious beliefs and views of residents of Uzbekistan, drugs and substances that are equivalent to them. Animals are allowed to be taken to Uzbekistan if there is appropriate permission.
- They strictly monitor the import and export of cultural objects, art, and paintings; jewelry, fur, precious metals. To export such items from the country, you will need permission from the Ministry of Culture of Uzbekistan.
Russians often buy cosmetics or other items while traveling. There are no special restrictions on export, but only if the purchase amount does not exceed 1 thousand US dollars. Before export, you need to fill out a declaration at customs. All purchases are duty free.
