Uzbekistan Expands Eligibility Rules for IT Visas

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The Ministry of Justice of Uzbekistan has approved updated rules for issuing recommendations to foreign investors and specialists in the information technology sector, as well as to founders and participants of resident companies of the IT Park.

Under the new provisions, the IT visa may now be granted to a broader range of foreign professionals and investors.

According to the updated regulations, eligibility for the visa extends to foreign investors and IT specialists. The document may also be issued to founders or participants of IT Park resident companies, as well as individuals serving as sole executive officers, chairpersons of collegial executive bodies, and their deputies.

In addition, founders and specialists involved in digital startup programs may also qualify for the IT visa.

The rules also allow foreign professors and lecturers at higher education institutions holding academic degrees such as Candidate of Sciences, PhD, or Doctor of Sciences (DSc) in information technology to apply for the document.

Alongside the expanded eligibility, additional requirements have been introduced. In particular, a foreign investor must finance a legal entity operating in Uzbekistan’s IT sector with at least US$30,000 or hold an equivalent share in the company’s authorized capital.

Similarly, a founder of an IT Park resident must be an individual participant in a company that has obtained resident status in the technopark, with a share in the charter capital of at least US$30,000.