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Modern Uzbekistan: reforms, visa-free travel, and reinvention

Since 2016, Uzbekistan has opened its borders, floated its currency, liberalised visas for 90+ nationalities, and become the third-fastest-growing tourism destination in Asia. A tour of the reform era.

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6 min read5 sourcesModern Uzbekistan

The Uzbekistan of 2026 is a very different country from the Uzbekistan of 2015. The reform programme that began after President Karimov's death in September 2016 has opened borders, floated the currency, liberalised the visa regime, ended systematic forced-labour cotton picking, and reoriented the economy toward services and tourism. This article catalogues the key changes.

The 2016 transition and the reform decree

President Islam Karimov — Uzbekistan's founding president since 1991 — died on 2 September 2016. His prime minister, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, succeeded him and immediately signalled a reform direction. Within months, thousands of political prisoners were released, exit visas were abolished, the media loosened, and a five-year Action Strategy was published[1]. The most consequential single measure was Presidential Decree UP-5326 in February 2018, which introduced visa-free entry for 90+ nationalities[2].

Visa-free entry: 90+ nationalities

Under Decree UP-5326 (updated several times since 2018), citizens of 90+ countries — including EU member states, UK, US, Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea, and most of Latin America — receive 30-day visa-free entry on arrival[2]. Everyone else can use the e-Visa system (about $20, issued in 2 business days). The old cumbersome consular-visa regime is largely gone.

Currency float: September 2017

Until 2017 the Uzbek so'm operated under strict currency controls with a large gap between the official and black-market exchange rates. In September 2017, President Mirziyoyev floated the so'm — devaluing it 50% overnight to match the black-market rate. This eliminated the parallel market and made legitimate foreign investment possible for the first time in a decade[3]. The rate has since drifted from 8,000 UZS/USD in 2017 to around 12,700 in 2024.

Tourism boom: 2.7 M → 10.7 M in six years

Foreign visitor arrivals grew from 2.7 million in 2018 to a projected 10.7 million in 2024[4] — the third-fastest tourism growth in Asia (WTTC data). The government has targeted 15 million visitors by 2030. New hotels, airport upgrades in Samarkand and Bukhara, and the Afrosiyob high-speed train's fleet expansion have all followed.

Cotton labour reform: forced picking abolished

Uzbek cotton was, from the 1970s until 2016, notorious for the annual mobilisation of students, teachers, and public-sector workers to pick the harvest — a form of state-organised forced labour condemned by international monitors. Since 2017 the practice has been systematically dismantled; in 2022 the ILO and Cotton Campaign formally certified Uzbek cotton as free of systematic forced labour[5]. Uzbekistan's textile-export sector has grown sharply since certification.

The IT Park and technology sector

Uzbekistan established a tax-preferential IT Park in Tashkent in 2019. As of 2024, over 1,500 companies are registered, with more than 30,000 employees; IT exports exceeded $500 million. The government is targeting $5 billion in annual IT exports by 2030 — an ambitious target driven by young demographics and government wage subsidies for repatriating tech workers.

The 2022 SCO summit and Silk Road Samarkand complex

In September 2022, Samarkand hosted the annual Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit — the country's most significant international event since independence. The $500 million Silk Road Samarkand complex, built for the summit, is now open to the public as a hotel-and-restaurant compound and 'Eternal City' theme-park reconstruction. It has become one of Samarkand's headline visitor destinations.

Tips and tricks

  1. Check visa status before arrival

    The visa-free list has expanded several times since 2018. Check the current list on the Uzbekistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs website; e-Visa fallback is quick and cheap.

  2. Cash and cards both work

    Since the 2017 float, ATMs work reliably in cities. Visa and Mastercard are accepted at hotels and better restaurants. Bring some USD cash for smaller towns.

  3. Book in advance in high season

    The tourism boom means Samarkand and Bukhara hotels sell out in September–October. Book 4–6 weeks ahead in peak months.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a visa for Uzbekistan?

Probably not. Since 2018, 90+ nationalities — EU, UK, US, Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea — receive 30-day visa-free entry. Others can use e-Visa (~$20, 2 business days).

How safe is Uzbekistan for tourists?

Very safe. Violent crime is rare, police presence is heavy, and the mahalla system provides strong informal safety. Petty theft in bazaars and Tashkent metro pickpocketing are the main risks.

How has the country changed since 2016?

Substantially: currency floated, borders opened, exit visas abolished, media loosened, forced-labour cotton picking ended, and tourism liberalised. It remains a centralised state but with dramatically more openness than pre-2016.

References

Every article on this site cites primary and secondary sources. Inline superscripts [n] link to the numbered entries below. All external links open in a new window.

  1. Action Strategy 2017–2021— President of Uzbekistan (2017)
  2. Presidential Decree UP-5326 (visa-free entry)— President of Uzbekistan (2018)
  3. Uzbekistan floats currency— Reuters (2017)
  4. Uzbekistan tourism statistics 2024— UZ State Committee for Tourism Development
  5. Uzbek cotton free of systematic forced labour (ILO)— International Labour Organization (2022)
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