The key facts

  • Uzbekistan and Thailand have agreed to sign an agreement on visa-free travel; the text is being reviewed by the Thai side — Uzbekistan Foreign Ministry
  • Thailand abolished the 60-day visa-free regime for 93 countries from 15 September; visas must be obtained in advance, with the $40 fee paid through the embassy in Moscow
  • According to Aviasales Uzbekistan, in September flight searches fell by 81% and bookings by 84%

Agreement on a treaty

Uzbekistan and Thailand have agreed to sign an agreement on visa-free travel between the two countries. The Uzbekistan Foreign Ministry announced this on 28 October: the agreement was reached during direct talks between the two countries' foreign ministries, and the text of the document is currently being reviewed by the Thai side. Foreign Ministry spokesman Omonulla Fayziyev noted that since May the ministry had taken 'enhanced diplomatic measures' to create favourable conditions for travel to Thailand.

What has changed since September

The practical significance of the agreement is clear against the backdrop of what happened in the autumn. At the end of August, Thailand abolished the 60-day visa-free regime that had applied to Uzbekistan and 92 other states, and approved a new list of 60 countries that did not include Uzbekistan. From 15 September, Uzbek citizens are required to obtain a visa in advance via Thai E-Visa, with the $40 fee payable only through the Thai embassy in Moscow. An application requires a passport, air tickets, hotel bookings and a bank statement — a minimum of 20,000 baht (over $600) per person or 40,000 baht (over $1,200) per family.

Consequences and related problems

The abolition of the visa-free regime noticeably hit demand: according to Aviasales Uzbekistan, in September the frequency of searches for flights to Thailand fell by 81%, and the number of bookings by 84%. Visa processing was also difficult: applications are formally reviewed within 10 days, but the average processing time is 15 days, and some applicants, by their own account, waited up to 20 days; there were also Thai E-Visa glitches with receiving email confirmations and displaying application status. The day before, the Thai newspaper The Nation reported that Thailand's Ministry of Tourism and Sports is advocating the return of a visa-free regime of up to 15 days for tourists from Uzbekistan, Colombia and Mexico, acknowledging the cumbersomeness of visa procedures. The Uzbekistan Foreign Ministry, for its part, said it continues to work on e-visa issues: the consulate general in Bangkok holds regular meetings with the Thai Foreign Ministry and Ministry of Tourism and Sports, while the Uzbekistan embassy in Moscow liaises with the Thai diplomatic mission through which visas are issued.