Uzbekistan Tightens Rules for Foreign Citizen Registration

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — The Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan has conceptually approved in the first reading a draft law introducing amendments to several legislative acts to improve migration legislation.

The document is aimed at increasing the effectiveness of foreign citizen registration procedures and bringing existing regulations into line with previously adopted legislation.

During the discussion, lawmakers noted that measures being implemented in the country to simplify entry and stay procedures for foreigners are contributing to tourism development and attracting investment.

Currently, citizens of more than 80 countries can enter Uzbekistan under a visa-free regime, while an electronic visa system is also in place. According to data presented at the meeting, the number of foreign tourists increased by 27% in the first five months of this year, reaching 5.5 million people.

Under current requirements, hotels, motels, tourist bases, holiday resorts, sanatoriums, state and private medical institutions, as well as other host organizations, are required to register foreign citizens and stateless persons immediately after their arrival.

At the same time, lawmakers noted that cases of non-compliance with these requirements continue to occur in practice. In this regard, the draft law provides for increased responsibility for organizations that fail to register foreign citizens in accordance with established procedures, including failure to enter information about arriving persons into the E-mehmon information system.

The document also aims to align existing legislation with the law “On Registration of Citizens of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Foreign Citizens and Stateless Persons at Their Place of Residence and Place of Stay,” adopted on 10 July 2025.

In particular, the draft law proposes standardizing terminology used in legislation and replacing the concepts of “permanent place of residence” and “temporary place of residence” with “place of residence” and “place of stay.”

During the discussion, deputies put forward proposals to further clarify certain provisions of the draft law based on law enforcement practice.

Following consideration, the document was conceptually approved in the first reading.