A volcano erupted on White Island, New Zealand on 9 December 2019. Follow the instructions of local authorities. Updates are available from the New Zealand Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management.
In Tashkent, call 101.
In all other regions, call 01.
In Tashkent, call 103.
In all other regions, call 03.
In Tashkent, call 102.
In all other regions, call 02.
Always get a police report when you report a crime.
Your insurer should have a 24-hour emergency number.
In Tashkent, call 1050.
In all other regions, call 050.
Exercise a high degree of caution in Uzbekistan overall.
Exercise a high degree of caution in Uzbekistan overall due to the threat of terrorist attacks, violent demonstrations and crime. See Safety
Reconsider your need to travel to Andijan, the eastern region of the Ferghana Valley and regions bordering Tajikistan, the Kyrgyz Republic and Afghanistan.
Reconsider your need to travel to:
Andijan
eastern region of the Ferghana Valley
other regions bordering Tajikistan, the Kyrgyz Republic and Afghanistan
The security situation is volatile due to regional political tension and conflict, and there's a risk of violent protests and unmarked landmines.
See Safety
Terrorist attacks have happened in Uzbekistan. Future terrorist attacks could target places popular with foreigners. Be alert to possible threats, especially in public places.
Security threats are more severe in Uzbekistan's border regions. Landmines are also a risk. If you decide to travel to border regions despite our advice, pay close attention to your personal security. Monitor the media for new risks.
Demonstrations can turn violent. Violent protests are more common in Andijan and the eastern region of the Ferghana Valley. Avoid large gatherings and protests. Follow the advice of local authorities.
Pickpocketing and robbery can occur. Thieves target travellers. The risk is higher on trains and in unofficial taxis. More crimes happen at night. Carry only what you need and don't walk alone.
Some criminals pose as police officers to rob people. There have been reports of harassment, mistreatment and extortion by police and other local officials.
Full travel advice: Safety
Uzbekistan has strict controls on importing certain medicines, including psychotropic medication. Sleeping tablets or medicines containing codeine may also be restricted. Declare all medication and other restricted items on arrival.
HIV/AIDS is prevalent. Take steps to reduce your risk of exposure to the virus.
Malaria and other insect-borne diseases occur. Use insect repellent. Make sure your accommodation is insect-proof. Consider taking anti-malarial medication.
Ticks are active in country areas from spring to autumn. They can spread disease. Regularly check your body for ticks during and after visits to forest areas. Remove ticks from your body as soon as possible.
Other infectious diseases include tuberculosis, typhoid, brucellosis, hepatitis and rabies. Drink only boiled or bottled water. Avoid raw or undercooked food. If an animal bites or scratches you, get immediate medical help.
Medical facilities are limited and medicines and equipment are often in short supply. You may need to pay cash up-front before receiving treatment.
Full travel advice: Health
Penalties for drug offences are severe and include long jail terms.
Always carry your passport and visa. Police often ask for proof of identity.
It's illegal to have sex outside of marriage or to have same-sex relations.
It's illegal to take photos of government or military buildings and public transport sites.
Uzbekistan doesn't recognise dual citizenship. This may limit the consular help we can provide. Dual nationals need a permit to depart Uzbekistan. They may also need to do national service. Always travel on your Australian passport.
Standards of behaviour and dress are conservative. Take care not to offend. If in doubt, ask locals for advice.
Full travel advice: Local laws
You can enter Uzbekistan once and stay up to 30 days without a visa. You'll need a visa if you're staying longer than 30 days or if you need multiple entries. Check your visa details when you get it. The length of stay on your visa might differ from the length you applied for.
If you'll stay 3 or more days, you'll need to register with local authorities. Register in each city you stay in. Check if your hotel has done this for you.
Borders with neighbouring countries can close without notice. Some border crossings may only be open to local residents. Ask local authorities about border conditions before you travel.
Full travel advice: Travel
The Consular Services Charter details what the Australian Government can and can't do to help you overseas.
Australia does not have an embassy in Uzbekistan. Contact the Australian Embassy in Russia for consular help.
Full travel advice: Local contacts
Pay close attention to your personal security. Monitor the media about new risks.
Terrorist attacks have happened in Uzbekistan.
Targets could include places popular with foreigners.
To protect yourself from terrorism:
be alert to possible threats, especially in public places
take care near possible targets
report suspicious activity or items to police
monitor the media for new threats
take official warnings seriously
follow the advice of local authorities
If there's an attack, leave the area as soon as it's safe.
Terrorism is a threat worldwide.
More information:
Regional political tensions and conflict add to security threats. Threats are more severe in Uzbekistan's border regions.
Ongoing conflict makes Afghanistan very dangerous.
There have been reports of terrorists raiding into Uzbekistan.
Security in the regions bordering Tajikistan and the Kyrgyz Republic is volatile.
Now and then there's armed conflict in rural areas in the east of Uzbekistan. The conflict is between extremist or criminal groups and government forces.
There have been clashes between Uzbek and Kyrgyz security forces. The clashes are due to tension over recognition of the border between the two countries.
In 2016, Uzbek border guards blocked a section of the border with the Kyrgyz Republic for a short time. This happened in the Ala-Buka district.
There are unmarked landmines in parts of Uzbekistan bordering Afghanistan, Tajikistan and the Kyrgyz Republic.
If you travel to these areas despite our advice, be alert to possible hazards, especially at night.
Demonstrations occur throughout the country and can turn violent.
Violent protests particularly happen in Andijan and the eastern region of the Ferghana Valley.
If you travel to these regions despite the risks, monitor developments. Security may worsen without warning. Have other plans ready.
To stay safe during civil unrest:
avoid large gatherings and protests
monitor the media for possible unrest
follow the advice of local authorities
Public protests and events that draw large groups of people can turn violent.
More information:
You could encounter crime in Uzbekistan.
Thieves target foreigners, often with pickpocketing and other petty crimes.
Robberies happen, especially on trains and in unofficial taxis.
Some criminals pose as police officers then rob victims.
Crime levels are higher at night, including on trains.
There have been reports of harassment, mistreatment and extortion by police and other local officials.
To stay safe, be very careful in all parts of Uzbekistan and:
don't walk alone
monitor the media for new safety or security risks
Uzbekistan is in an active earthquake zone.
If a natural disaster or severe weather happens:
secure your passport in a safe, waterproof place
monitor local media
monitor other sources such as the Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System
follow the advice of local authorities
keep in contact with friends and family
Get comprehensive travel insurance before you leave. Your policy needs to cover all overseas medical costs, including medical evacuation. The Australian Government won't pay for these costs.
If you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford to travel. This applies to everyone, no matter how healthy and fit you are.
If you're not insured, you may have to pay many 1000s of dollars up-front for medical care.
Confirm:
what activities and care your policy covers
that your insurance covers you for the whole time you'll be away
Consider your physical and mental health before you travel, especially if you have an existing medical condition.
See your doctor or travel clinic to:
have a basic health check-up
ask if your travel plans may affect your health
plan any vaccinations you need
Do this at least 8 weeks before you leave.
More information:
Not all medication available over the counter or by prescription in Australia is available in other countries. Some may even be considered illegal or a controlled substance, even if prescribed by an Australian doctor.
Sleeping tablets or medicines containing codeine are controlled in Uzbekistan.
If you plan to take medication, check if it's legal in Uzbekistan. Take enough legal medicine for your trip.
Carry copies of your prescription and a letter from your doctor, translated into Russian or Uzbek. The letter must state:
your diagnosis
the name of the prescription
the dosage
the length of time you need to take it
Declare all medications on arrival. You could face fines or criminal charges if either:
you don't declare a medication, or
the quantity exceeds legal limits
Officials may charge you for undeclared or excessive medicine quantities even if you have a doctor's prescription and letter.
Contact the nearest embassy or consulate of Uzbekistan for advice.
More information:
HIV/AIDS is prevalent. Take steps to reduce your risk of exposure to the virus.
Malaria occurs in Uzunskiy, Sariassiskiy and Shurchinskiy districts in Surkhandarya and Kashkadarya provinces.
Travel in forested areas may expose you to tick bites. Ticks can carry diseases. Ticks are very common in country areas and are most active from spring to autumn.
To reduce your risk of tick-borne disease:
regularly check your body for ticks during and after visits to forest areas
remove ticks from your body as soon as possible
To protect yourself from illness:
ensure your accommodation is insect-proof
use insect repellent
wear long, loose, light-coloured clothing
consider taking medicine to prevent malaria
Seek medical advice if you have a fever, muscle pain, rash or severe headache.
Waterborne, foodborne, parasitic and other infectious diseases are prevalent. These include:
More serious outbreaks occur from time to time.
To protect yourself from illness:
in rural areas, drink boiled water or bottled water with sealed lids
avoid ice cubes in rural areas
avoid raw and undercooked food, such as salads
Seek medical advice if you have a fever or diarrhoea.
More information:
Medical facilities are limited in Uzbekistan. Medicines and equipment are often in short supply.
You often need to pay in cash up-front before doctors or hospitals will treat you. This includes for emergency care.
If you become seriously ill or injured, you may need to be moved to a place with better facilities. Medical evacuation can be very expensive.
You're subject to all local laws and penalties, including those that may appear harsh by Australian standards. Research local laws before travelling.
If you're arrested or jailed, the Australian Government will do what it can to help you under our Consular Services Charter. But we can't get you out of trouble or out of jail.
Penalties for drug offences are severe. They include long prison sentences served in local jails.
More information:
Police often ask to check your identity. Always carry your passport and visa.
Things that are illegal in Uzbekistan include:
sex outside of marriage
same-sex relationships
not declaring medications you're carrying on entry, see Travel
It's also illegal to take photos of:
government or military buildings
public transport infrastructure, including metro stations
More information:
Some Australian criminal laws still apply when you're overseas. If you break these laws, you may face prosecution in Australia.
More information:
Uzbekistan doesn't recognise dual nationality.
If you're a dual citizen, this limits the consular services we can give if you're arrested or detained.
Always travel on your Australian passport.
Under Uzbek law, an Uzbek citizen loses their Uzbek citizenship when they become a citizen of another country.
If you're an Uzbek citizen and you become an Australian citizen, you must notify Uzbek authorities. Within 30 days, notify either:
the Uzbek Ministry of Interior
the nearest Uzbek embassy or consulate
More information:
Uzbekistan has national service obligations.
If you keep your Uzbek citizenship and visit Uzbekistan, you may need to do national service.
There are penalties for citizens of Uzbekistan who serve in the military or security forces of another country.
You'll need a 'permit to depart Uzbekistan' if you're a dual national using your Uzbek passport. You need the permit when you travel in Russia and in neighbouring Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries.
If you don't have the permit or if it has expired, you may face difficulties at border control stations.
Our ability to help you may be very limited in these cases.
Contact the nearest embassy or consulate of Uzbekistan to find out how to get or renew this permit. Do this before you enter any of the CIS countries or Russia on an Uzbek passport.
More information:
Standards of dress and behaviour are conservative.
Take care not to offend. If in doubt, dress conservatively and seek local advice.
The Islamic holiday month of Ramadan will be from late April to late May in 2020. Respect religious and cultural customs and laws at this time.
Every country or territory decides who can enter or exit through its borders.
Make sure you meet all entry and exit conditions. If you don't, the Australian Government can't help you.
From 1 February 2019, Australians can enter Uzbekistan under a new visa-free arrangement. It covers single-entry stays of up to 30 days.
You'll still need a visa if you're staying for more than 30 days or need multiple entries.
More information:
Entry and exit conditions can change at short notice. Contact the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Singapore (accredited to Australia) for details about visas and other travel requirements.
Uzbek visas specify validity, number of entries, and length of stay. Check your visa details when you get it.
The length of stay on your visa may differ from the length you asked for in your application.
Authorities may fine, detain or deport you if you:
arrive in the country before the visa validity period
overstay your visa
Declare all medications and other restricted items on arrival. See Health
If your stay is for 3 or more days, weekend days included, you'll need to register with local authorities.
Register in each city in which you intend to stay. Most hotels do this for their guests, but you're legally responsible.
Confirm with check-in staff that they have registered you.
If you stay in private accommodation or your hotel doesn't offer this service, register either:
at the local Department of Foreign Travel and Exit Registration Office (OVIR), or
through the online registration system
Uzbekistan's borders with neighbouring countries can close without notice.
Some border crossings may only be open to local residents.
Check with local authorities which border crossings are open and if they're available for you to pass through. Do this before you travel.
Some countries won't let you enter unless your passport is valid for 6 months after you plan to leave that country. This can apply even if you're just transiting or stopping over.
Some foreign governments and airlines apply the rule inconsistently. Travellers can receive conflicting advice from different sources.
You can end up stranded if your passport is not valid for more than 6 months.
The Australian Government does not set these rules. Check your passport's expiry date before you travel. If you're not sure it'll be valid for long enough, consider getting a new passport.
Your passport is a valuable document. It's attractive to people who may try to use your identity to commit crimes.
Some people may try to trick you into giving them your passport. Always keep it in a safe place.
If your passport is lost or stolen, tell the Australian Government as soon as possible:
In Australia, contact the Australian Passport Information Service.
If you're overseas, contact the nearest Australian embassy or consulate.
If you get a new passport, make sure you get your Uzbek visa transferred into your new passport. If your visa is in a cancelled or expired passport, you may not be able to exit or enter the country.
More information:
Embassy or consulate of Uzbekistan, if you're outside Uzbekistan
Your local Uzbek Visa and Registration Office, if you're in Uzbekistan
The currency of Uzbekistan is the Uzbek Som (UZS).
Rules apply to the import and export of foreign currency.
Complete 2 customs declaration forms on arrival. Customs authorities will keep 1 form. Keep the other form because you'll need to show it when you leave.
More information:
Banks, hotel exchange offices and the currency exchange office at the new terminal of the Tashkent airport exchange UZS for US dollars.
Uzbekistan is mostly a cash economy. However, some places accept:
credit cards
debit cards, mainly Visa
traveller's cheques
Traveller's cheques in Australian dollars are not accepted.
Ask your bank if your ATM card will work in Uzbekistan. ATMs are often broken or out of cash.
Unmarked landmines are a threat in regions bordering Afghanistan, Tajikistan and the Kyrgyz Republic. See Safety
You can drive in Uzbekistan if you have both:
an Australian driver's licence
an International Driving Permit (IDP)
You must get your IDP before departing Australia.
You're 2 times as likely to be killed in a car accident in Uzbekistan as in Australia.
Hazards include:
poor roads
poor driving standards
lack of street lighting
livestock and animal drawn carts on roads
pedestrians crossing roads without warning
Rural roads are particularly treacherous, including in the Tian Shan and Fan Mountains.
Drivers must pay a fee to bring cars into Uzbekistan. The size of the fee depends on how long you'll stay. Pay at border crossings.
You need an official permit for any travel to:
Termez on the Afghan border
areas of Surkhandarya in the south-east
Security checkpoints are common.
There aren't many service stations in rural areas.
Check you have the right insurance before driving.
If you plan to drive:
learn local traffic laws and practices
get local advice on road conditions in rural areas
avoid travel at night
be alert to hazards especially at night
don't drink and drive
obey police signals to stop, including at checkpoints
Driving to border regions is risky. If you do, check in advance if the borders are open.
More information:
Check your insurance policy covers you using a motorbike, quad bike or similar vehicle.
Always wear a helmet.
Use only registered taxis and limousines. Arrange them through your hotel if you can.
If you plan to take the bus or train, check your itinerary carefully. Some domestic routes transit through bordering countries.
If this is the case, make sure you hold:
an Uzbek multiple-entry visa
visas for the transit countries
Rail travel can be unreliable and dangerous due to crime.
More information:
DFAT doesn't provide information on the safety of individual commercial airlines or flight paths.
Check Uzbekistan's air safety profile with the Aviation Safety Network.
More information:
Depending on what you need, contact your:
family and friends
travel agent
insurance provider
employer
airline
In Tashkent, call 101.
In all other regions, call 01.
In Tashkent, call 103.
In all other regions, call 03.
In Tashkent, call 102.
In all other regions, call 02.
Always get a police report when you report a crime.
Your insurer should have a 24-hour emergency number.
In Tashkent, call 1050.
In all other regions, call 050.
Contact your provider with any complaints about tourist services or products.
Read the Consular Services Charter for what the Australian Government can and can’t do to help you overseas.
Australia doesn't have an embassy in Uzbekistan. You can get consular help from the Australian Embassy in Russia.
Podkolokolny Pereulok 10a/2,
Moscow, Russia
Phone: +7 495 956 6070
Fax: +7 495 956 6170
Website: russia.embassy.gov.au
Twitter: @PosolAustralia
Check the Embassy website for details about opening hours and any temporary closures.
In a consular emergency, if you can't contact an embassy, call the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on:
+61 2 6261 3305 from overseas
1300 555 135 in Australia
Be the first to know official government advice when travelling.