Uzbekistan has decided to cancel or ease visa requirements for 27 countries. Tajikistan is not mentioned among these countries.
Uzbekistan’s news website Uzreport reports that by a decree, signed by Uzbekistan's President-elect Shavkat Mirziyoyev on December 2, citizens of Australia, Austria, Britain, Germany, Denmark, Spain, Italy, Canada, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, South Korea, Singapore, Finland, Switzerland, and Japan can enter the country without a visa for tourism purposes for up to 30 days.
The decree also states that citizens aged 55 or over from the United States, Belgium, France, Poland, Hungary, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Indonesia, China, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Israel can enter Uzbekistan without a visa for up to 30 days for tourism purposes.
Tourists from all 27 countries will have to pay a $50.00 entrance fee. The decree comes into force on April 1, 2017.
The stated aim of the measure is “to create favorable economic and institutional conditions for intensive development of tourism as a strategic sector of the economy.”
The Uzbek government also plans to introduce an e-visa system as of 2018.
The cancellation of visas is a good start and a positive sign that will hopefully open up Uzbekistan to many more visitors in the years to come.
