How To Get Residency In Uzbekistan | A Complete Guide
Capital: Tashkent
Population: 37,535,605 (2024, 36th)
Ethic Group: 84.5% Uzbeks, 4.8% Tajiks, 2.4% Kazakhs, 2.2% Karakalpaks, 2.1% Russians
Area: 448,978 km2 (56th)
Offical Language: Uzbek
Currency: Uzbek sum (As of May 28, 2025, 1 UZS = 0.000077 USD)
GDP per Captial: $11,572 (2024, 122nd)
Human Development Index: 0.740 (140th)
Country Profile:
Uzbekistan is a landlocked nation in Central Asia and a former republic of the Soviet Union. In antiquity, it served as a vital hub along the Silk Road and the heartland of the Timurid Empire. The renowned ancient cities of Samarkand and Bukhara still boast a wealth of historical landmarks.
Today, Uzbekistan’s economy thrives on its abundant natural resources. It ranks as the world’s sixth-largest cotton producer, second-largest cotton exporter, and seventh-largest gold producer, alongside possessing significant oil and natural gas reserves.
How To Get Residency In Uzbekistan In 2025:
Uzbekistan provides various visa options for foreign nationals, encompassing diplomatic, investment, business visit, student, private invitation, medical, and Islamic faith visas. The most sought-after among these is the government’s newly introduced Golden Visa program.
Uzbekistan Golden Visa Program:
What is Uzbekistan golden visa program?
Effective June 1, 2025, the Uzbek government introduced its inaugural Golden Visa program, offering foreigners an expedited path to residency through investment.
This program currently presents three investment avenues:
1. Donation: A one-time donation of $250,000 grants a five-year residency permit.
For each additional dependent relative (spouse, parents, children) included in the application, the primary applicant’s donation requirement increases by $150,000.
2. Business Investment: Applicants can invest $250,000 in a registered Uzbek company for a three-year residency permit or invest $3 million directly for a ten-year residency permit.
3. Real Estate: The required investment varies based on the property’s location:
Republic of Karakalpakstan (remote areas): Minimum investment of $100,000.
Tashkent region (capital): Minimum investment of $300,000.
Other regions: Minimum investment of $200,000.
How to apply for Uzbekistan golden visa?
The application process for Uzbekistan’s Golden Visa consists of three main steps:
1. Obtain an Investment Permit: Foreign investors must first secure a local investment permit to legally operate in Uzbekistan. The required regulatory authority varies depending on the investment sector. Detailed information on relevant agencies is available on the official website.
2. Complete your Investment: Once the investment permit is obtained, applicants must finalize their investment either personally or through an authorized representative in Uzbekistan. Only after completing the investment can applicants proceed to apply for the golden visa.
2. Submit Application Online: All visas, including investment visa, can be applied for through Uzbekistan’s electronic visa platform. Applicants need to create an account, complete an application form, upload all required documents, pay visa fee, and submit application online.
Required documents include:
Identity documents of the applicant and dependents: valid passports, two passport-sized photos, birth certificates, marriage certificates, and other proof of relationship.
Completed application forms (two copies): downloadable from the electronic visa platform.
Investment permit.
Proof of completed investment, such as bank statements and other relevant evidence.
The Uzbek government guarantees that the processing time for golden visa will not exceed 10 working days.
Dependents:
For the Uzbekistan golden visa, the main applicant’s spouse, parents, and financially dependent children can obtain family visas as dependents.
Citizenship By Investment Program:
In November 2022, the Uzbekistan government introduced a draft proposal, aiming to provide foreign investors who invest more than $1 million locally, as well as globally renowned scientists, athletes, and figures from the arts and cultural sectors, with a direct pathway to citizenship.
However, this program has not yet been officially launched and appears unlikely to be introduced.
Taxation:
Uzbekistan’s main taxes include corporate income tax (with a basic rate of 15%, and special rates of up to 20% or as low as 7.5% for certain sectors), personal income tax (a unified rate of 12%), value-added tax (reduced from 15% to 12% in 2023), excise tax, property tax, and land tax. The government implements a simplified tax regime for micro and small enterprises, allowing them to pay a unified tax based on gross income, replacing multiple taxes and fees. Additionally, special economic zones and free economic zones enjoy tax incentives to attract investment and promote economic growth.
In recent years, Uzbekistan has been working to improve its investment climate and encourage foreign investment and the development of small and medium-sized enterprises by adjusting tax rates and optimizing tax policies.
Citizenship:
According to local guidelines, foreigners who have legally lived in Uzbekistan for 5 years, and have gainful employment are eligible to apply for citizenship. However, in practice, obtaining an Uzbek passport is not always guaranteed for applicants.
Passport Power:
Uzbekistan does not recognize dual citizenship. Its passport is ranked jointly 79th in the world. Uzbek citizens can travel freely (either visa-free or with visa on arrival) to 61 countries and regions globally, including Russia, India, and Australia.
Useful Links:
Investment Promotion Agency of Uzbekistan：https://invest.gov.uz/en
Uzbekistan E-visa Platform：https://visa.mfa.uz/site/index?language=en