Uzbekistan’s passport improves its global ranking

The Henley Passport Index has released its updated ranking of the world’s most powerful passports, listing Uzbekistan in 74th place.

Uzbekistan and Central Asia

According to the publication, holders of an Uzbek passport can now travel visa-free to 62 countries. Daryo notes that the index does not yet reflect the recent visa-free agreement with Oman for Uzbek citizens.

Uzbekistan ranked 80th in 2024. Among Central Asian nations, Kazakhstan holds the strongest passport, allowing its citizens visa-free entry to 79 countries.

The rankings of Central Asian countries are as follows:

• Kazakhstan – 63rd place (visa-free access to 79 countries)
• Kyrgyzstan – 73rd place (63 countries)
• Uzbekistan – 74th place (62 countries)
• Tajikistan – 80th place (56 countries)
• Turkmenistan – 85th place (49 countries)

Uzbek passport holders currently enjoy visa-free access to the following countries:

• Antigua and Barbuda
• Armenia
• Azerbaijan
• Barbados
• Belarus
• China
• Dominica
• Gambia
• Grenada
• Georgia
• Haiti
• Iran
• Kazakhstan
• Kenya*
• Kyrgyzstan
• Madagascar
• Malaysia
• Micronesia
• Moldova
• Mongolia
• Niue
• Oman
• Ruanda
• Russia*
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
• Seychelles*
• Sri Lanka*
• Suriname
• Tajikistan
• Thailand
• The Philippines
• The Cook Islands
• Turkey
• UAE
• Ukraine

*These countries require an electronically confirmed entry permit prior to travel.

Citizens of Uzbekistan can obtain a visa on arrival in the following countries:

• Bolivia
• Burundi
• Djibouti
• Guinea-Bissau
• Indonesia
• Jordan
• Cambodia
• Cape Verde
• Comoros
• Laos
• Libya
• Macao
• The Maldives
• Mauritius
• Mozambique
• Namibia
• Nepal
• Nicaragua
• Palau
• Qatar
• Samoa
• Saudi Arabia
• Somalia
• East Timor
• Syria
• Tuvalu
• Jamaica
• Zimbabwe

In 2024, the United Arab Emirates, Thailand, and Oman lifted visa requirements for Uzbek citizens. As of June 1, 2025, Uzbekistan was also introduced visa-free access to China.

Starting from June 30, 2025, Uzbek travelers heading to Russia must register in advance through the “Gosuslugi RuID” mobile application.

Some countries – including Kenya, the Seychelles, Sri Lanka, and Russia – require electronic travel authorization prior to entry.

Global leaders in passport strength

Singapore tops the index for the second consecutive year, granting its citizens visa-free access to 193 destinations. Japan and South Korea are in second place, with access to 190 countries. European countries dominate the following ranks.

Seven EU countries – Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, and Spain – are jointly ranked third, offering their citizens visa-free entry to 189 destinations. Fourth place goes to Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, and Sweden (188 destinations). Greece, Switzerland, and New Zealand round out the top five.

In total, 28 European countries made it into the top 10, largely thanks to the Schengen visa system and strong diplomatic relations.