Uzbekistan

Terrorist attacks have happened in Uzbekistan and could occur anywhere and at any time. Be alert to possible threats, especially in public places. Terrorists may target tourist areas or other places frequented by foreigners and where large crowds may gather.

Possible targets include:

• places of worship or religious holidays
• hotels, clubs, restaurants and cafes
• markets and shopping malls
• outdoor recreation events, including festivals, concerts, and sporting venues
• public transport, airports and railway hubs

To stay safe:

• be aware while in places known to be possible targets
• report suspicious activities or items to the police
• check the media for new threats
• take official warnings seriously
• follow the instructions of local authorities

If there’s an attack, leave the area as soon as it's safe to do so.

Terrorism is a threat worldwide.

More information:

• Terrorist threats

Regional political tensions and conflict add to security threats. Threats are more severe in Uzbekistan's border regions.

Border with Afghanistan

The high threat of terrorist attacks makes Afghanistan very dangerous.

The last reported incident of terrorists raiding into Uzbekistan was in 2022.

Borders with Tajikistan and the Kyrgyz Republic

Security in the regions bordering Tajikistan and the Kyrgyz Republic is volatile.

Occasionally, there is armed conflict in rural areas in the east of Uzbekistan. The conflict is between extremist or criminal groups and government forces.

Landmines

There are unmarked landmines in parts of Uzbekistan bordering Afghanistan, Tajikistan and the Kyrgyz Republic.

If you travel to these areas despite our advice, be alert to possible hazards.

Demonstrations and protests

Demonstrations can turn violent. Ensure you have security plans in place.

The security situation is volatile in Uzbekistan's border regions.

In 2022, violent protests occurred in Karakalpakstan, leading to injuries and deaths. 

If you travel to these regions despite the risks, monitor developments. Security may worsen without warning. Have other plans ready.

To stay safe during civil unrest:

• avoid large gatherings and protests
• monitor the media for possible unrest
• follow the advice of local authorities

Public protests and events that draw large groups of people can turn violent.

More information:

• Demonstrations and civil unrest

You could encounter crime in Uzbekistan.

Thieves target foreigners, often with pickpocketing and other petty crimes.

Robberies occur, especially on trains and in unofficial taxis.

Some criminals pose as police officers then rob victims.

Crime levels are higher at night, including on trains.

There have been reports of harassment, mistreatment and extortion by police and other local officials.

To stay safe, be very careful in all parts of Uzbekistan and:

• don't walk alone
• monitor the media for new safety or security risks

Drink Spiking

Drink spiking can happen anywhere. Be alert to the potential risks, and don't leave food or drinks unattended. Pay attention when your drinks are being mixed. If you feel any symptoms, tell your friends immediately. Ask someone you trust and know well to take you to a safe place. If a friend shows any of these symptoms, don't leave them alone. You may need to seek medical care.

Methanol poisoning

Locals and foreigners, including Australians, have died or become seriously ill from poisoned drinks overseas. Methanol is highly toxic. As little as one shot can be fatal. Methanol can be added or accidentally created during poor quality alcohol distillation and production. Protect yourself by making smart drink choices. Choose branded beers, ciders, wines and premixed cocktails in sealed bottles and cans. Get urgent medical help if you suspect you’ve been poisoned. 

More information:

• Partying safely while overseas

Cyber security 

You may be at risk of cyber-based threats during overseas travel to any country. Digital identity theft is a growing concern. Your devices and personal data can be compromised, especially if you’re connecting to Wi-Fi, using or connecting to shared or public computers, or to Bluetooth. 

Social media can also be risky in destinations where there are social or political tensions, or laws that may seem unreasonable by Australian standards. Travellers have been arrested for things they have said on social media. Don't comment on local or political events on your social media. 

More information:  

• Cyber security when travelling overseas 

Kidnapping

Kidnapping can happen anywhere, anytime, including in destinations that are typically at lower risk.  

The Australian Government's longstanding policy is that it doesn't make payments or concessions to kidnappers. 

More information: 

• Kidnapping 

Uzbekistan is in an active earthquake zone.

If a natural disaster or severe weather happens:

• secure your passport in a safe, waterproof place
• monitor local media and other sources such as the Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System
• follow the advice of local authorities
• keep in contact with friends and family

Get comprehensive travel insurance before you leave. 

Your policy needs to cover all overseas medical costs, including medical evacuation. The Australian Government won't pay for these costs.

If you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford to travel. This applies to everyone, no matter how healthy and fit you are.

If you're not insured, you may have to pay many thousands of dollars up-front for medical care.

Confirm:

• what activities and care your policy covers
• that your insurance covers you for the whole time you'll be away

Consider your physical and mental health before you travel, especially if you have an existing medical condition. 

See your doctor or travel clinic to:

• have a basic health check-up
• ask if your travel plans may affect your health
• plan any vaccinations you need

Do this at least 8 weeks before you leave.

If you have immediate concerns for your welfare or the welfare of another Australian, call the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on +61 2 6261 3305 or contact your nearest Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate to discuss counselling hotlines and services available in your location.

More information:

• General health advice
• Healthy holiday tips (Healthdirect Australia)

Not all medication available over the counter or by prescription in Australia is available in other countries. Some may even be considered illegal or a controlled substance, even if prescribed by an Australian doctor.

Sleeping tablets or medicines containing codeine are controlled in Uzbekistan.

If you plan to take medication, check if it's legal in Uzbekistan. Take enough legal medicine for your trip.

Carry copies of your prescription and a letter from your doctor, translated into Russian or Uzbek. The letter must state:

• your diagnosis
• the name of the prescription
• the required dosage
• the length of time you need to take it
• that it's for personnel use

Declare all medications on arrival. You could face fines or criminal charges if either:

• you don't declare a medication, or
• the quantity exceeds legal limits

Officials may charge you for undeclared or excessive medicine quantities even if you have a doctor's prescription and letter.

Contact the nearest embassy or consulate of Uzbekistan for advice.

More information:

• Medicine
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan
• State Customs Committee of Uzbekistan

HIV/AIDS

HIV/AIDS is prevalent. Take steps to reduce your risk of exposure to the virus.

Insect-borne diseases

Travel in forested areas may expose you to tick bites. Ticks can carry diseases. Ticks are very common in country areas and are most active from spring to autumn.

To reduce your risk of tick-borne disease:

• regularly check your body for ticks during and after visits to forest areas
• remove ticks from your body as soon as possible

To protect yourself from illness:

• ensure your accommodation is insect-proof
• use insect repellent
• wear long, loose, light-coloured clothing
• consider taking medicine to prevent malaria

Seek medical advice if you have a fever, muscle pain, rash or severe headache.

Other health risks

Waterborne, foodborne, parasitic and other infectious diseases are prevalent. These include:

• tuberculosis
• typhoid
• brucellosis
• hepatitis
• rabies

More serious outbreaks occur from time to time.

To protect yourself from illness:

• in rural areas, drink boiled water or bottled water with sealed lids
• avoid ice cubes in rural areas
• avoid raw and undercooked food, such as salads

Seek medical advice if you have a fever or diarrhoea.

More information:

• Infectious diseases

Medical facilities are limited in Uzbekistan. Medicines and equipment are often in short supply.

You often need to pay in cash up-front before doctors or hospitals will treat you. This includes for emergency care.

If you become seriously ill or injured, you may need to be moved to a place with better facilities. Medical evacuation can be very expensive.

You're subject to all local laws and penalties, including those that may appear harsh by Australian standards. Research local laws before travelling.

Law enforcement agencies in Uzbekistan cooperate closely with agencies in Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries. If you commit an offence in one of these countries, you may be detained in another (including at the border) and extradited for prosecution.

If you're arrested or jailed, the Australian Government will do what it can to help you under our Consular Services Charter. But we can't get you out of trouble or out of jail.

Drugs

Penalties for drug offences are severe. They include lengthy prison sentences served in local jails.

More information:

• Carrying or using drugs

Other laws

Police often ask to check your identity. Always carry your passport and visa.

Things that are illegal in Uzbekistan include:

• same-sex relationships between males (LGBTQIA+ persons are generally discriminated against and have been subject to harassment, verbal and physical abuse, across the country)
• not declaring medications you're carrying on entry (see 'Travel').

It's also illegal to take photos of:

• government or military buildings
• public transport infrastructure, including metro stations

More information:

• LGBTQIA+ travellers

Some Australian criminal laws still apply when you're overseas. If you break these laws, you may face prosecution in Australia.

More information:

• Staying within the law and respecting customs

Uzbekistan doesn't recognise dual nationality.

An Uzbekistan citizen may lose their Uzbekistan citizenship when they become a citizen of another country.

More information:

• Embassy of Uzbekistan

National service

Uzbekistan has national service obligations.

If you keep your Uzbekistan citizenship and visit Uzbekistan, you may need to do national service.

There are penalties for citizens of Uzbekistan who serve in the military or security forces of another country.

More information:

• Dual nationals

Standards of dress and behaviour are conservative.

Take care not to offend. If in doubt, dress conservatively and seek local advice.

The Islamic holy month of Ramadan is observed in Uzbekistan. Respect religious and cultural customs and laws.

During Ramadan, eating, drinking and smoking may be illegal in public during the day. If you're not fasting, avoid these activities around people who are. Seek local advice to avoid offence.

Explore our Ramadan page to learn more, including dates for Ramadan.

Visas

You don't need a visa to stay in Uzbekistan for up to 30 days.

If you're staying longer than 30 days, you must obtain a visa prior to arrival in Uzbekistan.

More information:

• Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan

Visa rules

Entry and exit conditions can change at short notice. Contact the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Singapore (accredited to Australia) for details about visas and other travel requirements.

Uzbekistan visas specify validity, number of entries, and length of stay. Check your visa details when you get it.

The length of stay on your visa may differ from the length you asked for in your application.

Authorities may fine, detain or deport you if you:

• arrive in the country before the visa validity period
• overstay your visa

Border measures

The land border with Afghanistan is closed until further notice.

Contact your airline or your nearest embassy or consulate of Uzbekistan to confirm entry requirements.

Declare all medications and other restricted items on arrival (see 'Health').

Stays of more than 3 days

If your stay is for 3 or more days, weekend days included, you'll need to register with local authorities.

Register in each city in which you intend to stay. Most hotels do this for their guests, but you're legally responsible.

Confirm with check-in staff that they have registered you.

If you stay in private accommodation or your hotel doesn't offer this service, register either:

• at the local Department of Foreign Travel and Exit Registration Office (OVIR), or
• through the online registration system

Uzbekistan's borders with neighbouring countries can close without notice.

The land border with Afghanistan is closed until further notice.

Most border crossings are only open to local residents.

Check with local authorities which border crossings are open and if they're available for you to pass through. Do this before you travel.

Validity

Some countries won't let you enter unless your passport is valid for 6 months after you plan to leave that country. This can apply even if you're just transiting or stopping over.

Some foreign governments and airlines apply the rule inconsistently. Travellers can receive conflicting advice from different sources.

You can end up stranded if your passport is not valid for more than 6 months.

The Australian Government does not set these rules. Check your passport's expiry date before you travel. If you're not sure it'll be valid for long enough, consider getting a new passport.

Lost or stolen passport

Your passport is a valuable document. It's attractive to people who may try to use your identity to commit crimes.

Some people may try to trick you into giving them your passport. Always keep it in a safe place.

If your passport is lost or stolen, tell the Australian Government as soon as possible:

• In Australia, contact the Australian Passport Information Service.
• If you're overseas, contact the nearest Australian embassy or consulate.

If you get a new passport, make sure you get your Uzbekistan visa transferred into your new passport. If your visa is in a cancelled or expired passport, you may not be able to exit or enter the country.

More information:

• Embassy or consulate of Uzbekistan, if you're outside Uzbekistan
• Your local OVIR (Department of Foreign Travel and Exit office), if you're in Uzbekistan

Passport with 'X' gender identifier 

Australian passports comply with international standards for sex and gender. If your passport has an 'X' in the sex field, we can’t guarantee your entry or transit to other countries. Ask the embassy or consulate of your destinations if they’ll accept your passport with an 'X' gender marker. Check all transit destinations too.

More information:  

• LGBTQIA+ travellers 

The currency of Uzbekistan is the Uzbekistan Som (UZS).

Rules apply to the import and export of foreign currency.

Complete 2 customs declaration forms on arrival. Customs authorities will keep one form. Keep the other form because you'll need to show it when you leave.

More information:

• Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan
• State Customs Committee of Uzbekistan
• Embassy or consulate of Uzbekistan

Access to money

Banks, hotel exchange offices and the currency exchange office at the new terminal of the Tashkent airport exchange UZS for US dollars.

Uzbekistan is mostly a cash economy. However, some places accept:

• credit cards
• debit cards, mainly Visa
• traveller's cheques

Traveller's cheques in Australian dollars are not accepted.

Ask your bank if your ATM card will work in Uzbekistan. ATMs are often broken or out of cash.

Landmines

Unmarked landmines are a threat in regions bordering Afghanistan, Tajikistan and the Kyrgyz Republic (see 'Safety').

Driving permit

You can drive in Uzbekistan if you have both:

• an Australian driver's licence (digital driver's licences may not be accepted)
• an International Driving Permit (IDP)

You must get your IDP before departing Australia.

Road travel

You're more likely to be killed in a car accident in Uzbekistan as in Australia.

Rural roads are particularly treacherous, including in the Tian Shan and Fan Mountains.

Drivers must pay a fee to bring cars into Uzbekistan. The size of the fee depends on how long you'll stay. Pay at border crossings.

You need an official permit for any travel to:

• Termez on the Afghan border
• areas of Surkhandarya in the south-east

Security checkpoints are common.

Check you have the right insurance before driving.

Driving to border regions is risky. If you do, check in advance if the borders are open.

More information:

• Driving or riding

Motorcycles

Check your insurance policy covers you using a motorcycle, quad bike or similar vehicle.

Always wear a helmet.

Taxis

Use only registered taxis and limousines. Arrange them through your hotel if you can.

Public transport

If you plan to take the bus or train, check your itinerary carefully. Some domestic routes transit through bordering countries.

If this is the case, make sure you hold visas for the transit countries.

Rail travel can be unreliable and dangerous due to crime.

More information:

• Transport and getting around safely

Air travel

In 2022, the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) issued a ‘red notice’ highlighting significant safety concerns with all Russian airlines.  A number of countries, including the United States and the European Union have banned Russian air carriers from their airspace. Should you choose to take a Russian airline, check your insurance provisions and understand the risks associated with transport by Russian airlines.

DFAT doesn't provide information on the safety of individual commercial airlines or flight paths. If you're flying domestically or internationally, you should research your aviation provider.

Check Uzbekistan's air safety profile with the Aviation Safety Network.

More information:

• Air travel

Depending on what you need, contact your:

• family and friends
• travel agent
• insurance provider
• employer
• airline

Unified emergency number

Сall 112ю

Fire and rescue services

Call 101.

Medical emergencies

Call 103.

Police

Call 102.

Always get a police report when you report a crime.

Your insurer should have a 24-hour emergency number.

Ministry of Emergency Situations - Rescue Services (including for mountain rescue, ground search and rescue, air-water rescue)

Call 1050.

The Australian Government aims to provide high quality consular assistance. There are limits to what we can do. Read the Consular Services Charter to understand how we can assist you overseas.

Australia doesn't have an embassy in Uzbekistan. You can get consular help from the Australian Embassy in Russia.

Australian Embassy, Moscow

13 Kropotkinsky Pereulok
Moscow 119034
Russia
Phone: (+7 495) 956-6070
Website: russia.embassy.gov.au
X: @PosolAustralia
Telegram: Contact @AusEmbMoscow

Check the Embassy website for details about opening hours and any temporary closures.

24-hour Consular Emergency Centre

In a consular emergency, if you can't contact an embassy, call the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on:

• +61 2 6261 3305 from overseas
• 1300 555 135 in Australia