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How to get to Uzbekistan
The most convenient way to travel to Uzbekistan is by plane to Tashkent,
the capital of the country, from the main international airports of
Europe, Asia and Middle East. Tashkent is served by several international
airlines. National company Uzbekistan Airways offers regular flights to
London, Frankfurt am Main, Paris, Peking, Bangkok, Delhi, Istanbul, Kuala
Lumpur, New York, Seoul, and Tel Aviv. Further, in addition Uzbekistan
Airways offers flights to many destinations within the CIS and
Uzbekistan. Also you can get to Uzbekistan by train, this kind of trip.
Arrival
Customs Declaration Forms
Upon arrival at any international airport or land border of Uzbekistan
make sure that you fill out 2 (two) copies of the Customs Declaration
Form (“Entry Custom Declaration Form”) at the customs check point. Please
make sure to accurately indicate all types and exact amounts of foreign
currency you are carrying and declare all valuables, including expensive
items such as jewelry, electronics and photo equipment. One copy of the
Entry Custom Declaration Form is kept by the customs officer, and the
second copy is stamped and returned to you. You are strongly advised to
keep the second copy of the Entry Customs Declaration Form until
departure, as it contains information about the amount of valuables and
foreign currency being brought for your trip to Uzbekistan. Upon
departure, travelers will be permitted to take out valuables and foreign
currency up to the amount indicated in the Entry Customs Declaration
Form. There is no “Green Line” at Uzbek custom check points.
Registration
All foreign nationals are required to register if they stay longer than
72 hours in Uzbekistan. If you are staying at licensed hotels,
registration is done automatically when you check in (although a few
budget hotels are not allowed to handle this service). Your hotel will
give you a registration slip, which you should carry in your passport at
all times for the duration of your trip (If you run into trouble with the
authorities, they will want to see your registration slips). We do not
advice to stay at private houses during your travel to Uzbekistan as you
will not be able to obtain a registration at the local OVIR office and
may have problems upon departure.
When leaving Uzbekistan at passport control your passport and visa
validity will be checked. Sometimes the immigration officer might also
request that you show registration forms from hotels or local OVIR
office. So make sure to have your hotel registration slips handy
(preferably clipped into your passport) when you pass through passport
control.
Accommodation
Uzbekistan tourism infrastructure has been actively developing during the
past few years, making the travel to Uzbekistan more comfortable. Many
good hotels were built in Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva and other
big cities, which comply with modern hotel standards. In addition, there
are some family-run hotels and B&B hotels which offer a suitable
accommodation at much lower price. Most hotel rooms are equipped with a
shower, private bath, air conditioning, telephone, satellite TV with
international channels like CNN, BBC, ESPN.
Cash and travelers checks
It is possible to exchange US Dollars, Euros, UK pounds and Japanese Yen
into Uzbek soums at banks and exchange offices in hotels. Exchange
offices and banks do not accept hard currency banknotes that are old,
worn out, have handwriting on, torn, lined or wrinkled. Such banknotes
are accepted only in one branch of National Bank of Uzbekistan in
Tashkent for about a 10% fee. It is extremely difficult to change soums
back into dollars at reasonable exchange rates, so it is advised that you
spend what soums you have before leaving the country. American Express
Travelers Cheques are not recommended during your trip to Uzbekistan, as
they draw hefty fees and cannot be exchanged at favorable rates.
Credit Cards and ATM Machines
Credit cards are not widely accepted in Uzbekistan outside of upscale
restaurants and hotels in Tashkent. Shops, restaurants and local
transport prefer to be paid in Uzbek soums. Some upscale hotels in
Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara accept Visa cards. Master cards are less
frequently accepted. ATM machines are not widespread in Uzbekistan.
Upscale hotels in Tashkent usually have separate ATMs for Mastercard and
Visa cards that dispense US dollars, but one or both are often out of
order or out of cash. A few banks in Tashkent across the country have
ATMs that accept Visa or Mastercard as well, although they are subject to
the same uncertainties. Always have a backup plan. A more reliable way to
get dollars is to go to a local bank and get a cash advance on your
credit card. A few banks accept Visa cards (UzKDB Bank, National Bank of
Uzbekistan, RBS Bank), while only Asaka Bank can perform Mastercard cash
advances. Banks charge 2 to 4% of the amount being withdrawn for this
service.
Bank working hours: from 09:00 till 16:00, lunch break from 13:00 to
14:00
Closed on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.
Exchange offices working hours: from 08:00 till 18:00 and 24 hours in big
hotels.
Personal medication
There are medications circulation of which on the territory of Uzbekistan
is prohibited or limited. Generally, the limited circulation medications
list consists of sedative, tranquilizing, and pain relieving drugs (for
example, Temazepam, Valium, Xanax, Morphine, Codeine, Librium/Novopoxide,
Halcion, ProSom, Xanax, Ativan).
If you intend to bring medications to Uzbekistan which is in limited
circulation in Uzbekistan, we strongly advise you declaring them on
arrival and departure from Uzbekistan in customs declaration form and
bring the doctor prescription in English. Not declaring the medication or
absence of doctor’s prescription is subject to responsibility, up to
criminal.
An extended list of medications circulation of which is prohibited or
limited on the territory of Uzbekistan is available here.
Departure from Uzbekistan
Preparing for departure
The departure procedure at the airport is straightforward: Check in for
the flight, go through customs (please see Customs Declaration Forms
instructions for departure) and passport control, pass through security
and board the plane. For international flights travelers are advised to
arrive at the airport 2 ˝ to 3 hours before their departure time. Before
leaving the hotel for the airport please check the following documents:
passport, registration forms provided by hotels or OVIR (the police
branch that handles visas and registrations - see "Registration", below),
Entry Customs Declaration Form, air-ticket and validity of Uzbekistan
visa in your passport. If your Uzbekistan visa expired before your day of
departure, the penalty at the airport at departure applied might be up to
US$ 3,000. If you need to extend your visa please contact Advantour in
advance (at least 5 days before your departure).
Departure
Upon departure at the customs checkpoint you will be requested to fill
out 1 copy of the Customs Declaration Form. Please make sure to indicate
the all types and exact amounts of foreign currency you are carrying and
declare all valuables. Remember, you are allowed to take out valuables
and foreign currency up to the amount indicated in the Entry Customs
Declaration Form, filled out upon arrival. In case if traveler has more
cash than it was declared upon arrival, travelers will have to prove the
source of the money (ATM receipt or any other bank documents). When
source cannot be proved, money will have to stay in Uzbekistan, traveler
will be requested to leave the exceeding amount with friends, travel
agency, or even can be confiscated if there is no one to leave the money
with. It gets more complicated if you lose the Entry Custom Declaration
Form, you may not be able to take out any amount cash or valuables. At
customs you may be requested to show declared valuables and recount
foreign currency indicated in Customs Declaration Form.
Handicrafts and souvenirs
At the customs checkpoint the customs officer might request to see any
handicrafts and souvenir items you have bought in order to ensure you are
not illegally exporting items of cultural value or antiques. If you are
bringing such items out of the country be sure to have proper
documentation. For other souvenirs, it's a good idea to have a receipt or
certificate from the shop that states that the item is mass-produced. If
you don't have a certificate, there is an expert from the Ministry of
Culture of Uzbekistan on duty at the airport who is tasked with
inspecting suspected items. An "inspection fee" must be paid on site; the
amount of the fee depends on the nature and value of item being
inspected. When making purchases during your travel in Uzbekistan it is
advised to keep receipts and request certificates of items that may have
cultural value and/or look like antique. Items that have cultural value
and souvenirs out of Uzbekistan:
- Antique items (carpets, ceramics, suzanis, musical instruments,
paintings, etc) that were created 50 (fifty) or more years ago are not
allowed to be taken out of Uzbekistan.
- Items of cultural value that were made within the last 50 (fifty) years
(including fully handmade artwork, exclusive handicrafts, artwork that
contains precious metals and stones, items or fragments of items found
during archeological excavations, ancient books, musical instruments, and
various kinds of weapons that have historical or cultural value) require
a special certificate from the Ministry of Culture of Uzbekistan in order
to be taken out of Uzbekistan. If you have bought any items of cultural
value, please contact your agent at Advantour in advance.
Mass-produced items - ordinary souvenirs, machine-made suzanis, carpets,
embroidery products made within last 50 (fifty) years - require no
special certificate. However, to prove that such items are indeed
mass-produced you should get a receipt or certificate stating such from
the shop where you purchased the item. If a customs officer has doubts
about whether or not items you are carrying have cultural value, and you
cannot produce the necessary documentation, he or she will ask the expert
from the Ministry of Culture on duty at the expert to inspect the item.
The inspection fee must be paid on-the-spot in cash by the owner of the
item in question. The amount of the fee depends on size and value of the
item. The minimum fee starts from about 25,000 Uzbek Soum.
Uzbekistan Travel &
Tourism Guide
 Why
Visit Uzbekistan?
Practical
tips for Traveling to Uzbekistan
Top Tourist Attractions of Uzbekistan
10 things to do in Uzbekistan
General Information of
Uzbekistan
History of
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan and the Great Silk Road
Art Galleries, Craft Centers and Museums
of Uzbekistan
Festivals of Uzbekistan
Uzbek Food Festival of Taste
People of
Uzbekistan
Culture of
Uzbekistan
Weather & Climate of
Uzbekistan
Traditional Uzbek Souvenirs
Uzbekistan Visa Requirements
Uzbekistan Visa Information
Uzbekistan Satellite View & Map
Uzbekistan Tour Packages
7
Days Three Star Hotel
7
Days Four Star Hotel
7
Days Five Star Hotel
10
Days Uzbekistan
Packages
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