Visa rules changed for UK citizens travelling to Uzbekistan

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It seems that the visa requirements for British citizens travelling to Uzbekistan have been made tighter for some reason. I got a tourist visa last year from the Uzbekistan embassy in London with no invitation letter required.

I checked the Uzbek embassy Web site today and it is no longer possible for UK citizens to obtain a tourist visa without an invitation.

Does anyone know why this has happened?

The Web site for the Uzbekistan Embassy in London is: http://www.uzbekembassy.org/index.cfm/act/consul/get/tourist_visas

Citizens of the following countries can still obtain a tourist visa with no invitation letter: US, Austria, Belgium, Germany, Italy, France, Japan, Spain and Switzerland.

The UK is no longer in that list (as it was last year). Has there been some diplomatic tensions between the UK and Uzbekistan in the last few months?

[Amiri Turkiston]

it is a political game / preccure

totally BS

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So how can I get an invitation letter to get a visa?

[Crazy Diamond]

It seems that the visa requirements for British citizens travelling to Uzbekistan have been made tighter for some reason. I got a tourist visa last year from the Uzbekistan embassy in London with no invitation letter required.

I checked the Uzbek embassy Web site today and it is no longer possible for UK citizens to obtain a tourist visa without an invitation.

Does anyone know why this has happened?

The Web site for the Uzbekistan Embassy in London is: http://www.uzbekembassy.org/index.cfm/act/consul/get/tourist_visas

Citizens of the following countries can still obtain a tourist visa with no invitation letter: US, Austria, Belgium, Germany, Italy, France, Japan, Spain and Switzerland.

The UK is no longer in that list (as it was last year). Has there been some diplomatic tensions between the UK and Uzbekistan in the last few months?


Could be a return courtesy for this:


Temporary suspension of the visa service in Tashkent, Uzbekistan (24/11/05)


For operational reasons, the visa service at the British Embassy in Tashkent has been temporarily suspended.

You can apply for a visit visa at any UK diplomatic mission offering a full visa issuing service. With immediate effect, and on a temporary basis, all other visa applications from residents in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan should be submitted to the British Embassy in Almaty, Kazakhstan. This is a temporary measure and may change at short notice. Use the link below to find out more information about applying for a visa in Almaty.

Source: http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1006977150106&a=KArticle&aid=1132595455439

As for the invitation: You can try getting an Uzbek visa either via Travel Agencies or ask people you know in Uzbekistan to send you one.

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I have a friend in Tashkent (Uzbek citizen). What would she need to do in order to provide an invitation for me?

[referee]

I have a friend in Tashkent (Uzbek citizen). What would she need to do in order to provide an invitation for me?

She will need to go to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tashkent, where there's a red-tape procedure that she'll need to file so that the Ministry allows her to invite you. Basically she'll be a guarantor for you during your stay in the UK, and she'll bear responsibility for your actions...

If your stay is not long, then you can explore a transit visa option - I think Russian or Kazakh visas work for a short period of time in Uzbekistan. But I'm not sure on details...

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Would it be easier to get a visa through a Tashkent-based tourist company? If so, is there a list of those available on the Internet somewhere?