Uzbekistan plans to simplify visa procedures for a number of foreign countries from January 1, 2018, a correspondent reports with reference to the corresponding decree of the head of state.
To implement this task, a permanent working group is being created. responsible for preparing measures to gradually simplify visa and registration procedures for citizens of foreign countries, based on the dynamics of the development of bilateral relations with these countries and the situation on the global tourism market.
In particular, this group must prepare by the end of September a list of countries for whose citizens a simplified visa regime is proposed from January 1, 2018, as well as countries for whose citizens special pilgrimage tourism programs (“ziyorat”) will be offered.
A number of relevant ministries and departments should also step up their efforts to attract tourists from Malaysia, Indonesia and other countries to pilgrimage tourism to holy places in Uzbekistan by conducting the necessary advertising campaigns and resolving logistical issues, including organizing charter flights.
Let us recall that the Uzbek authorities have long been planning to significantly simplify visa procedures for citizens of foreign countries. However, for now this process is like a seesaw.
For example, at the end of last year, the head of state approved a new procedure, within the framework of which, from April 1, 2017, the visa regime was completely abolished for tourists from 15 countries for a period of no more than 30 days. In addition, the visa-free regime was to be available to citizens of 12 countries who had reached the age of 55.
However, a month later, everything turned upside down. According to Mirziyoyev's new decree, the abolition of visas for the 27 countries listed above was postponed until 2021. And now a new time frame has appeared - January 1, 2018, although so far only with a simplification of the visa regime, and not its complete abolition.
Source: tourprom.ru
