Uzbekistan announces 30-day visa-free entry for Indian citizens

Uzbekistan will let Indian citizens enter without a visa for up to 30 days, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced on 30 August 2026 during delegation-level talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Tashkent. The announcement came on the second day of Modi's state visit, which ran from 29 to 30 August, and was the most concrete travel measure to emerge from it. For Indian passport holders it removes a step that has applied to every trip until now: applying and paying for an electronic visa before departure. What has not been published is when the regime starts, or under which legal instrument.

What was announced

Speaking alongside Modi, Mirziyoyev said the change would widen ordinary travel between the two countries. "The visa-free regime will be valid for 30 days and will contribute to further increasing mutual travel between Uzbekistan and India," he said, adding that it "will make a significant contribution to strengthening people-to-people contacts, tourism and business exchanges between the two countries." He described India as "our reliable strategic partner" and noted that bilateral trade had "exceeded US$1 billion for the first time" last year. The measure was carried by Uzbek media the same evening and by Indian and Gulf outlets reporting from Tashkent.

What Indian travellers do today

Uzbekistan has run an electronic visa system for Indian nationals rather than requiring an embassy appointment, so the current burden is moderate rather than severe. Commercial visa guides list the single-entry e-visa at around US$20, with double- and multiple-entry options costing more, a validity of 30 days, processing in roughly two to three working days, and no possibility of extending once inside the country. Those figures are not published on a single official Uzbek page and should be treated as indicative. The point of the announcement is that, once implemented, the application, the fee and the waiting period disappear for a stay of up to 30 days.

Who this affects

The obvious group is leisure travellers: Uzbekistan's Silk Road cities draw a steady flow of Indian tourists, and there are already 14 direct flights a week between the two countries. The less obvious group is business travellers and people scouting a move. Mirziyoyev said the number of joint ventures between the two countries has risen sevenfold in recent years, and a 30-day visa-free window is long enough for a site visit, a round of meetings, or a first look at a city you are considering relocating to.

The wider agreement it sits inside

The visa measure was one part of a broader package. According to the official Joint Statement published by the Indian Prime Minister's Office, the two countries elevated their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, set a target of US$5 billion in annual trade by 2030, and agreed to establish a framework for the long-term supply of uranium from Uzbekistan to India. They also created a Coordination Council at foreign-minister level and raised their Joint Commission from secretary to ministerial level. India and Uzbekistan established diplomatic relations on 18 March 1992 and first declared a Strategic Partnership in 2011.

What to do now

Treat this as announced but not yet operational. Until Uzbekistan publishes a decree or its Ministry of Foreign Affairs updates its entry-requirements page, airlines and border officers will keep working from the current rules, and arriving without a visa on the strength of a press report risks being denied boarding. Keep applying for the e-visa for any trip in the next few weeks, watch for an official start date, and only drop the application once the change appears on an Uzbek government page. If you are weighing Central Asia against other destinations, our country guides (/country-guides) set out entry and residence rules country by country.