Reports circulating on social media claiming there will be no visa-free regime between Uzbekistan and China have been clarified by Ahror Burkhonov, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He emphasized that these reports are false, and both nations are in the final stages of completing their internal processes, with an expected outcome soon.
Once these processes are completed, it is expected that a 30-day visa-free regime will be implemented. Currently, Chinese citizens can stay in Uzbekistan for up to 10 days without a visa, a policy that has been in place since March 2021.
In December 2024, Uzbek Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi signed an agreement that would enable citizens of both countries to travel between them visa-free for up to 30 days.
The possibility of a visa-free regime between Uzbekistan and China was first discussed in October 2023 during a briefing held by the Chinese Embassy in Uzbekistan. During the event, Chinese Ambassador to Uzbekistan Yu Jun emphasized China’s interest in introducing such a regime, stating that while the Chinese government was keen, the matter required careful consideration and expert discussions. Initially, the visa process was expected to be simplified, with other considerations to follow.
In November 2024, China implemented a visa-free regime with nine additional countries: Slovakia, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Andorra, Monaco, Liechtenstein, and South Korea.
Since the start of 2024, citizens from 11 European countries, as well as Malaysia, have already benefited from similar arrangements. Additionally, at the end of June 2024, Poland, Australia, and New Zealand were added to the list.
As part of China’s broader visa policies, citizens from 54 countries, including the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, can enter China through designated points and stay for up to 72 or 144 hours without a visa if they have a connecting flight to a third country.
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