While many nationalities are not required to get a visa to enter Uzbekistan, some still do, but most of the time, it's just an e-visa. For Philippines passport holders like me, I am eligible to apply for an Uzbekistan e-visa which I am so happy about! If you also need one, follow this guide with my step-by-step application process for the Uzbekistan E-Visa!
DISCLAIMER AS OF JUNE 2024: UAE Residents with valid Emirates ID (should be valid for more than 3 months) are entitled to visit Uzbekistan WITHOUT a prior visa or e-visa. However, this policy is NOT documented nor recorded anywhere which is why I applied for an e-visa.
Tourist E-Visa Eligibility
To check your eligibility for an e-visa (or any visa), you may visit the Wikipedia page of Uzbekistan Visa Policy.
Application Process
Now that you have checked your eligibility, go to the Official Electronic Visa Portal of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
When you open the website (the photo above), it's a very straightforward process and you can start your application right away. For the next steps, follow the below:
- Select 'Application for E-Visa'
- Select your nationality, passport, visa entry type, and trip purpose
- Select your travel dates
- Fill out your personal information
- Upload your photo and passport copy (NOTE: The photo must have a size of 35x45 mm with a resolution of 300 dpi. Image dimensions should not exceed 1 Mb. Also, you may face some 'ICAO Standard' issues like me when uploading the files. In that case, you may refer to this forum on TripAdvisor and the instructions shared were useful.
- Application Activation - Recheck your personal information, fill out your email address, then enter the text from the image, and click the Save button.
- Application Code will be sent to YOUR email. Click the link (from your e-mail) and copy the code. Keep the application code with you and use it to track your visa status (refer to the last photo in the gallery slide below).
- Upon clicking the activation code, click the Payment Button.
- Pay for your E-visa.
- Wait for the e-mail confirmation. ๐
Some screenshot photos for your reference:
E-Visa Cost
My Single Entry E-Visa cost $21.5 (including a commission fee of $1.50). Upon conversion into my bank's currency (AED), it is AED 78.98. A Double Entry Visa is $35 while a Multiple Entry Visa is $50.
E-Visa Application Process & Result
The e-visa application process took 4 days for me (applied on 11-Sep and it came out on 15-Sep). The digital copy is enough at the passport control and it is not required to be printed out.
Should I just show my Emirates or apply for an E-Visa?
This question is entirely a personal preference I would say and my answer may not be logical for everyone else. To justify my thought process (as to why I applied for an E-Visa), it's because I get unlucky in the odd situations. In case my unlucky charm strikes back, I wanted to make sure I would not be refused to enter the country.
Also, I am curious about how easy the application process is so that I can guide other fellow travelers who are non-UAE Residents.
So now based on my experience, do I recommend applying for an e-visa? Yes. Hear me out. As mentioned above, the (waiving of) visa policy for UAE Residents is undocumented so far. I was asked for a visa when I checked my luggage in Dubai so I assumed that the visa policy is not common knowledge yet.
When I arrived in Tashkent, they asked me again for an e-visa despite my multiple UAE residence visa pages in the passport. Then, when I departed, I already showed my Emirates ID with my passport, but they still asked for my Uzbekistan e-visa.
Knowing that my trip can be smooth just by paying a small fee, I'd highly recommend applying for one considering that there are scenarios and the potential language barrier that could hinder my planned vacation because of a visa issue. That's all folks and I hope that you find this application process of the Uzbekistan E-Visa useful for your upcoming trip!
Ready to explore the colorful country of Uzbekistan? Check my UZBEKISTAN BLOG POSTS!
