Starting from 1 June 2025, foreign citizens and stateless persons will be able to buy a ‘golden visa’ to Uzbekistan, which will give them a residence permit for five years. The visa is one of the measures to “stimulate production, export and entrepreneurial activity” mentioned in a new presidential decree.
On 18 April 2025, the president of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed a decree which should stimulate entrepreneurship and exports, industrial policy, and trade overall. One of the measures to make this possible is the introduction of a ‘golden visa’ from 1 June 2025 onwards – a document that will cost $ 250,000 for the first member of a family and $ 150,000 for his or her relatives (spouse, children, and parents). Once issued, the visa will be valid for five years.
Before the program starts on 1 June 2025, the Cabinet of Ministers and the Ministry of Internal Affairs still need to provide extra details about how foreigners will be able to obtain the golden visa, specifying which documents and personal info should be disclosed upon demand. For example, anti-money laundering documents will undoubtedly be required and more details should be released about any renewal rules after the first five-year period.
According to a post on LinkedIn by Former Foreign Minister of Uzbekistan Vladimir Norov, the new decree also mentions a simplified process to obtain a permanent residence permit.
Other ways to obtain Uzbek residence permit
While the golden visa is new, Uzbekistan has been authorising citizens from 109 countries to obtain a residence permit upon purchase of real estate since 2019. Initially, the required investment started at $ 100,000 for purchases in rural areas, while an investment of $ 400,000 was needed in Tashkent and the Tashkent region. From 2022 onwards, that amount was reduced to $ 300,000. Those foreigners who didn’t have a residence permit for Uzbekistan were allowed to buy real estate of a maximum worth of $ 70,000 in rural areas and $ 150,000 in the capital.
A third way in which to obtain an Uzbek visa is by investing in the country’s economy. A three-year renewable residence permit asks for a $ 250,000 investment into a local company, while a 10-year residence permit asks for a $ 3 million investment in businesses involved in producing goods and services. In those cases, family members obtain a residence permit at no extra cost.
