Trip checklist: Uzbekistan

For South African passport holders. Last checked 5 October 2026.

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Visa requirement

South Africans need to apply for a visa before travel to Uzbekistan.

Permitted stay

You can stay up to 30 days per visit, and you can apply to extend.

Before you go

• Purpose of visit

  Tourist, business, private (guest) and transit visas exist. Business and guest visas need an invitation from an organisation or person in Uzbekistan.

• Passport validity

  Passport must be valid at least 3 months longer than the visa. The same MFA page also mentions at least 6 months from the date the visa is issued, so allow 6 months to be safe.

• How to apply

  Get a visa confirmation first. In practice a licensed Uzbek tour operator or the inviting host applies to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. After approval, the visa is issued at the MFA visa desk at Tashkent International Airport, or at an Uzbek embassy abroad. Official tourist visa fee: USD 40 for 30 days, plus USD 10 for each extra entry. The e-visa (e-visa.gov.uz, USD 20 single entry) is not open to South Africans per the MFA list. Tour operators report about 5 working days for approval and a USD 65 airport fee; that figure is not official.

• Where South Africans apply

  No Uzbek embassy or consulate in South Africa. Use the airport visa route (Tashkent) after MFA approval, or apply at an Uzbek embassy in another country. A tour operator reports the Consulate General in Jeddah as a contact point; this is not official.

• Return or onward ticket

  Not published for tourist visas. Required for the 5-day visa-free transit.

• Accommodation or invitation

  An invitation (visa support) from an organisation or individual in Uzbekistan is the basis of the visa confirmation. All foreigners must register at their place of stay within 3 days of arrival (hotels normally do this).

• Vaccinations, including yellow fever on return to South Africa

  Uzbekistan publishes no yellow fever rule for South Africans. Uzbekistan is not a yellow fever risk country, so South Africa does not require a yellow fever certificate when you return directly. If you transit through a risk country on the way home, South Africa's rule for that country applies.

• Arrival forms

  Customs declaration needed if bringing in USD 10,000 or more. You cannot leave with more foreign currency than you declared on arrival. Carry prescriptions for medicines; codeine products can cause problems.

• Extending your stay and overstaying

  Register within 3 days of arrival (weekends count per UK FCDO). Extensions and overstay penalties are not published for South Africans.

• Transit

  South Africans may transit visa-free for up to 5 days through Uzbek international airports, with an onward ticket to a third country (the MFA page ties this to Uzbekistan Airways flights).

• Confirm with the embassy

  Rules change. Check the official source before you book.

Where to apply

• Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan https://gov.uz/en/mfa/activity_page/o-zbekiston-respublikasi-vizasi

Research sources

1. 1. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan (Official, gov.uz) https://gov.uz/en/mfa/activity_page/o-zbekiston-respublikasi-vizasi
2. 2. Embassy of Uzbekistan in the United States (Official, uzbekistan.org) https://uzbekistan.org/visa/
3. 3. UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (Other government, gov.uk) https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/uzbekistan/entry-requirements
4. 4. Wikipedia (Reference, en.wikipedia.org) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_requirements_for_South_African_citizens
5. 5. Advantour (tour operator) (News and guides, advantour.com) https://www.advantour.com/uzbekistan/visa/south-africa.htm

From doineedavisa.co.za/uzbekistan. Always confirm with the embassy before you travel.