Rules on Residence for Foreign Citizens and Stateless Persons in the Republic of Uzbekistan

I. General provisions.

1.   In accordance with the laws of the Republic of Uzbekistan foreign citizens and stateless persons (hereafter "foreign citizens ") can reside permanently or sojourn in the Republic of Uzbekistan.

2.   The present rules regulate:

a)            Registration of foreign citizens, arriving in the Republic of Uzbekistan for sojourn.

b)            Issuance of permanent residence permits to foreign citizens in the Republic of Uzbekistan.

c)            Movement of foreign citizens on the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan;

d)            Restriction of the period of residence and exclusion of foreign citizens from the Republic of Uzbekistan for violation of the laws and present Rules.

3.   Foreign citizens, arriving in the Republic of Uzbekistan for sojourn, stay in hotels or other accommodation units of their choice with notification of the receiving organizations (ministries, agencies, enterprises and organizations irrespective of the form of ownership and type of activity, diplomatic corps and permanent foreign missions) (hereafter "organizations"), as well as persons who invited them to the Republic of Uzbekistan for private purposes.

4.   Foreign citizens staying in the Republic of Uzbekistan shall have passports or substituting documents (hereafter "foreign passports"), registered in accordance with the present Rules, and shall present them at the requirement of representatives of relevant bodies.

Foreign citizens shall immediately inform the receiving organization and bodies of internal affairs of the loss of foreign passport.

5.   Receiving organizations shall take steps to timely explain to foreign citizens their rights and duties as per laws of the Republic of Uzbekistan and present rules. They shall secure precise implementation of existing legal norms in dealing with foreign citizens, shall keep relevant records related to foreign citizens, they shall also bear responsibility for their timely registration in relevant departments of internal affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan , for their movements on the territory of the Republic and for departure from the Republic of Uzbekistan upon expiration of their period of stay.

6.   In cases when a foreign citizen arrived at the invitation of one organization, another organization has a right to receive him in the Republic of Uzbekistan for its own purpose, exercising in regard of this citizen commitments and bearing responsibility provided by paragraph 5 of the present Rules.

7.   Persons, who invited foreign citizens to the Republic of Uzbekistan for private purposes and provided them with accommodation, shall take steps for their timely registration in relevant departments of the board of internal affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan and shall render them assistance in leaving the Republic of Uzbekistan upon expiration of their period of stay.

8.   Provision by these persons of foreign citizens with accommodation and transportation or other services is not allowed under circumstances which can lead to violation of the existing laws of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the present Rules.

9.   Foreign citizens staying in the Republic of Uzbekistan shall respect its laws and the present Rules.

10. Control over observance of the provisions of the present Rules by foreign citizens as well as by officials and other citizens of the Republic of Uzbekistan is executed within their competence by the bodies of internal affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in cooperation with other law enforcement bodies of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

11. The procedure of registration and issuance of permission for permanent residence and movement on the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan for foreign citizens is subject to changes by bilateral and multilateral agreements between Uzbekistan and other countries, as well as on parity basis by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Internal Affairs in agreement with the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

II. Registration of foreign citizens arriving in the Republic of Uzbekistan for sojourn.

12. Foreign citizens arriving in the Republic of Uzbekistan for sojourn stay on the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan with foreign passport, registered in accordance with the procedure set up by the present Rules. Foreign passport shall be submitted for registration upon arrival at the point of destination within three days, excluding holidays and days off.

13. The following persons are exempt from registration:

a)   heads of states and governments of foreign countries, members of parliamentary and government delegation, who came to the Republic at the invitation of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Jokargi Kenes of the Republic of Karakalpakistan, Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan , Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Karakalpakistan, as well as technical staff of these delegations and members of the families of the mentioned persons;

b)            Persons who arrived in the Republic of Uzbekistan with foreign passports issued by the United Nations;

c)            Foreign citizens under the age of 18;

d)            Foreign citizens, arriving in the Republic of Uzbekistan for holidays and days off or for a period of up to 15 days on week days and leaving the republic within those days;

e)            Foreign tourists, making tours, if the period of their stay in each concrete residential place of the Republic does not exceed 3 calendar days;

f)            Members of military airplanes' (ships of war) crews, arriving in the Republic of Uzbekistan in the established order;

Members of military airplanes' (ships of war) crews are allowed to come ashore and move on the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan by senior (military) official, in accordance with the plan of receiving military airplanes (ships of war);

g)            persons, members of foreign vehicle teams, transporting cargo and passengers on international lines, while they are in cities and towns on the route including points of destination.

h)            Persons, crew members of non-military ships, while they are in garrisons and frontier towns as well as in other towns of the Republic of Uzbekistan when they are on organized excursions.

This category of foreign citizens can leave their objects with the permission of representatives of frontier forces in accordance with rules and instructions working in those ports.

i)            Persons, members of civil airplanes' crews on international airlines, members of teams of international railway transportation, while they are at the airports and railway stations indicated in the schedule.

14. Foreign citizens shall be registered in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in bodies of internal affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan and hotels for the period of visa validity.

15. The following categories of foreign citizens are registered in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan :

a)   Heads of foreign diplomatic missions and consular institutions, personnel of diplomatic missions, officials of consular institutions, administrative-support staff and auxiliaries of diplomatic missions and consular institutions, as well as members of their families.

b)            Representatives of mass media, accredited in the Republic of Uzbekistan and members of their families.

c)            Officials of international organizations on mission in the Republic of Uzbekistan, staff of offices of those organizations in the Republic of Uzbekistan, staff of state missions under international organizations with head quarters in the Republic of Uzbekistan, which in accordance with their charters or relevant agreements have diplomatic privileges and immunities, as well as members of their families.

d)            Persons, invited by foreign citizens, listed in subparagraphs "a", "b", "c" of the present paragraph.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan and its agencies issue the above mentioned persons diplomatic, service or consular ID cards or stamp registration directly in their foreign passports.

16. Foreign citizens not listed in paragraphs 12, 14 and 16 of the present Rules are registered in the bodies of internal affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan on the basis of written requests from receiving organizations. Requests should be lodged with the bodies of internal affairs not later than 3 calendar days, excluding holidays and days off, from the moment, when foreign citizens presented their foreign passport for registration to the receiving organization.

Foreign citizens, arriving in the Republic of Uzbekistan for private purpose, at the invitation of individuals, shall personally contact bodies of internal affairs for registration, except as otherwise provided by agreements with of the Republic of Uzbekistan with relevant country.

17. Hotels register:

a)            Foreign citizens, arriving in the Republic of Uzbekistan on business, trade or public missions, for treatment or recreation, as tourists and in exceptional cases foreign citizens, who came at the invitation of individuals, with the permission of the bodies of internal affairs. Foreign citizens listed in paragraphs 12 and 14 of the present Rules cannot be registered in hotels.

In cases when foreign citizens came for treatment and recreation to hospitals, sanatoriums and recreation houses, they are registered in the bodies of internal affairs.

b)            holders of national (diplomatic or service) passports, staff of foreign affairs agencies of foreign countries, and members of their families;

18. The registration of foreign citizens, listed in paragraph 16 of present Rules, is executed by hotel administration in the order established by the law after these citizens personally contact the administration or upon written requests of receiving organizations for the period indicated in the requests, applications or for the period of visa validity.

19. It is prohibited to register documents and to accommodate in hotels foreign citizens, if they after entering the Republic of Uzbekistan, i.e. from the date indicated by immigration office, have been on the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan during 3 days without registration. Holidays and days off are not taken into account.

This provision does not refer to foreign citizens, listed in subparagraph "d" and "e" of paragraph 12 of the present Rules.

20. Hotel administrations shall immediately inform territorially relevant bodies of internal affairs about all foreign citizens having no entry visa to the Republic of Uzbekistan as well as about those who admit other violations.

21.      Registration of documents and extension of stay of foreign citizens in hotels is made for a period indicated in written requests of receiving organizations (for tourist- for the period of the tour), but within visa validity.

22.      Registration of foreign citizens is made for the whole period of stay in the Republic of Uzbekistan in the place of initial stay in hotels after passing immigration examination.

23.      Registration of documents giving the right to stay in the Republic of Uzbekistan shall be made within 48 hours as of the time of arrival of foreign citizens at the hotel.

24. Foreign citizens permanently residing in the Republic of Uzbekistan can check in hotels with residence permits of the Republic of Uzbekistan on general basis.

25.      Diplomatic passports of foreign citizens not registered in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan, in the departments of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan shall be registered in hotels in accordance with the present Rules.

Members of corps diplomatic in the Republic of Uzbekistan, checked in hotels with passports, registered in the established order with diplomatic, service and consular ID cards, shall be entered in hotel registers without making any entry in passports and diplomatic, service and consular ID cards.

26. Bodies of internal affairs implement control over observance of the requirements for registration of foreign citizens' passports.

27. Extension of registration validity of foreign citizens' passports, listed in paragraphs 14, 15 and 16 of the present Rules is executed accordingly in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan, bodies of internal affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan and hotels for the period of visa validity, after they have been extended in due order.

28. Personal and service vehicles of foreign citizens, arriving in the Republic of Uzbekistan for a period less than 6 months, shall be registered with the customs bodies of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Vehicles, brought in the Republic of Uzbekistan for a period more than 6 months, shall be registered in the bodies of State Automobile Inspection with the change of national identification plates.

International driving licenses are valid for driving vehicles on the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan. National driving licenses meeting the requirements of the Convention on Traffic are valid on the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan with attached notarized translation. Foreign citizens can obtain a driving license or can exchange their national driving license, not meeting the requirements of the mentioned Convention, in the order set up for the citizens of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

State technical control of vehicles of foreign citizens is also executed in the order set up for the citizens of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

Foreign citizens can be provided with vehicles belonging to the citizens of the Republic of Uzbekistan or foreign citizens residing on the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan with notarial attestation and notification of the bodies of internal affairs with the purpose of changing state identification plate of a vehicle for an appropriate category. Vehicles, brought in by foreign citizens with obligation of taking them away when they return, shall be taken away upon expiration of the established period and cannot be alienated on the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

III. Issuance of permanent residence permits to foreign citizens in the Republic of Uzbekistan.

29. Foreign citizens can permanently reside in the Republic of Uzbekistan if they have residence permit. Resident permit in the Republic of Uzbekistan is issued in accordance with the Regulation on Residence Permit in the Republic of Uzbekistan for Foreigners, Stateless Persons and Certificate of Stateless Person.

30. Permit for permanent residence in the Republic of Uzbekistan is issued to foreign citizens by bodies of internal affairs in places of residence in accordance with the procedure established by the law. Persons residing abroad can obtain such permits from the diplomatic missions and consular institutions of the Republic of Uzbekistan abroad.

31. Foreign citizens, who within one year after expiration of the validity of their foreign passport, do not present extended or new foreign passport shall be issued resident permits for stateless persons in the Republic of Uzbekistan by bodies of internal affairs.

32. Foreign citizens permanently residing in the Republic of Uzbekistan shall be registered by bodies of internal affairs in place of their permanent or temporary residence in accordance with the Regulation on Passport System in the Republic of Uzbekistan.

IV. Movement of foreign citizens on the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan

33. Foreign citizens can move on the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan open for visits by foreign citizens.

Upon arrival at the point of destination foreign citizens shall register their temporary stay in hotels or bodies of internal affairs in accordance with the procedure set up by present Rules.

34. Entrance into frontier zones and territories closed for visits by foreign citizens and their movements can take place only with the permission of bodies of internal affairs:

Those who arrived at the invitation of receiving organization can get permission at written request of these organizations;

Those who arrived for private purposes shall personally write requests.

At the request of receiving organizations foreign citizens can be given permits for multiple entry and movement.

35. The order of movement on the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan of foreign citizens, accredited at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is determined by bilateral agreements and on parity basis except as otherwise provided by international agreements to which Uzbekistan is a party.

36. Transit movement of foreign citizens on the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan is implemented in accordance with Rules of Transit Movement of Foreign Citizens and Stateless Persons through the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan. (see Supplement No 3)

37. Foreign citizens, having changed their place of stay in the Republic of Uzbekistan in violation of the present Rules, shall at the request of bodies of internal affairs return to the previous place of stay or shall proceed in accordance with the selected points of destination.

V. Restriction of the period of stay and expulsion from the Republic of Uzbekistan.

38. Foreign citizens shall be prosecuted for violation of the present Rules in accordance with the acting laws of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

Violation of the present Rules by persons obliged to follow the requirements (including persons which invited foreign citizens to the Republic for private purposes or which provide them with some services), entail liability in accordance with the laws of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

39. Period of stay in the Republic of Uzbekistan of a foreign citizen violating the laws of the Republic of Uzbekistan or present Rules shall be restricted.

Period of stay in the Republic of Uzbekistan of a foreign citizen can also be restricted in cases when there is no reason or means for his further stay.

40.      Restriction of the period of stay in the Republic of Uzbekistan and expulsion of a foreign citizen from the Republic is executed in the order established by law.

41. In cases, provided by law, foreign citizens and stateless persons can be expelled from the Republic of Uzbekistan.

42. Decisions on the restriction of the period of stay and expulsion of a foreign citizen from the Republic of Uzbekistan are taken by competent bodies of the Republic of Uzbekistan. A foreign citizen shall leave the Republic of Uzbekistan on the date indicated in this decision. Persons avoiding to follow such decisions are subject to forcible expulsion.

If a foreign citizen is expelled from the Republic of Uzbekistan, his visa is annulled.

43. Receiving organizations and individuals, at whose invitation foreign citizens are staying in the Republic of Uzbekistan, can request bodies of internal affairs about restriction of the period of stay and expulsion of foreign citizens from the Republic of Uzbekistan.

44. The expenses for expulsion from the Republic of Uzbekistan of foreign citizens, who arrived for business, private, commercial or public affairs, for study, qualification upgrading, work or as tourists, shall be borne by the receiving organizations and individuals, at the invitation of which foreign citizens being expelled were staying in the Republic of Uzbekistan.

The expenses for expulsion of other foreign citizens, including those permanently residing in the Republic of Uzbekistan, shall be borne by bodies of internal affairs.

45. A foreign citizen has a right to lodge an appeal against the decision about his/her expulsion from the Republic of Uzbekistan  as well as restriction of his/her stay in the Republic of Uzbekistan in accordance with the procedure stipulated by the laws of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

46.      Provisions of paragraphs 37-43 of the present Rules do not refer to persons enjoying privileges and immunities in accordance with the laws and international agreements of the Republic of Uzbekistan, as well as norms of international law.