At a session of the Legislative Chamber, lawmakers reviewed, in its first reading, a Bill On Amendments and Additions to Certain Legislative Acts in Connection with the Improvement of Legislation in the Sphere of Migration.
It was noted that in recent years, procedures related to the entry and stay of foreign nationals in Uzbekistan have been simplified with the aim of developing tourism and attracting foreign investment.
Currently, visa-free entry to Uzbekistan is in effect for citizens of more than 80 countries, and an e-visa mechanism has also been put in place. As a result, the number of foreign tourists visiting the country grew by 27 percent in the first five months of 2026, reaching 5.5 million.
Under current legislation, when foreign citizens and stateless persons check into hotels, motels, tourist camps, guesthouses and recreation areas, sanatoriums, health resorts, public and private clinics, hospitals, or other medical institutions, the receiving organization is required to register them upon arrival.
However, it has been noted that in practice, some organizations and institutions fail to register foreign nationals at their place of stay as required.
In this regard, the bill has proposed toughening accountability for such organizations — in particular, increasing liability for failing to enter information about foreign citizens and stateless persons into the E-Mehmon information system.
The bill also envisions bringing current legislation into line with the Registration of Citizens of Uzbekistan, Foreign Citizens, and Stateless Persons by Place of Residence and Place of Stay Law, adopted on July 10, 2025.
Specifically, terminology, concepts, and legal mechanisms related to citizen registration will be standardized. The plan is to replace the terms "permanent place of residence" and "temporary place of residence," found across a number of existing codes and laws, with "place of residence" and "place of stay," respectively.
At the close of the discussion, MPs adopted the draft law in its first reading.
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