Uzbekistan and India are preparing to ease travel requirements between the two countries.
During Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to Uzbekistan on August 29 and 30, 2026, the two countries signed several agreements aimed at strengthening their partnership, including in the tourism sector.
Among them is a tourism cooperation program for 2026-2028, whose signing has been confirmed by both Uzbek authorities and the Indian government.
A 30-day visa-free regime announced
In its readout of talks between President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Narendra Modi, the Uzbek presidency said that a 30-day visa-free regime, together with the 14 weekly flights connecting the two countries, is expected to help boost tourism.
The Tourism Committee of Uzbekistan was even more explicit, announcing “introduction of a 30-day visa-free regime for citizens of the two countries” as one of the measures expected to increase tourist flows between Uzbekistan and India.
Tashkent is therefore presenting the arrangement as reciprocal: Indian citizens would be allowed to stay in Uzbekistan visa-free for up to 30 days, while Uzbek citizens would receive an equivalent exemption for travel to India.
No effective date yet
For now, however, travelers should not assume that the visa exemption is already in effect.
As of August 31, 2026, the Uzbek Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not yet added India to the list of countries whose citizens are generally eligible for 30-day visa-free stays.
Indian ordinary passport holders officially remain eligible for an Uzbekistan e-Visa, as well as visa-free transit for up to five days under certain conditions. Indian diplomatic passport holders already benefit from a 60-day visa exemption.
The situation is similar on the Indian side. Narendra Modi’s government confirms, in the official list of agreements signed during the visit, the adoption of the 2026-2028 tourism cooperation program, but does not mention a visa exemption among the announced outcomes.
The joint statement issued by India likewise makes no reference to a visa-free regime.
For now, Uzbek citizens remain among the nationalities eligible to apply for an Indian e-Visa, while India’s official visa portal states that foreign nationals require a visa unless they are exempt under a bilateral agreement.
The two governments have therefore yet to clarify the effective date, the passport categories covered and any conditions that may apply to the 30-day visa-free stay.
VisasNews Take
The 30-day visa exemption between Uzbekistan and India has now been officially announced by Uzbek authorities, which are presenting it as a reciprocal arrangement for citizens of both countries. However, it should not yet be considered in effect: no effective date has been announced, and neither country has updated its official visa rules to reflect the new arrangement.
