Citizens of Azerbaijan enter Uzbekistan without a visa, but foreigners must be registered at their place of stay soon after arrival, and a local bank card needs that registration plus a PINFL number; a phone used on an Uzbek SIM must be declared at customs and registered too. Tashkent itself is easy: a cheap metro you can tap a bank card on, Yandex Go for taxis, and Telegram for everything else; outside the big hotels and chains, cash in som still matters.
Money
Uzbek som (UZS, so‘m)
Language
Uzbek (Latin script, Cyrillic still seen); Russian widely spoken in Tashkent
Time
UTC+5, no daylight saving
Plugs
Type C and F; 220 V
Tipping
Not expected; check the bill, as many restaurants add a service charge
112 was introduced in 2024 and the old numbers still work. The Safe Tourism call centre, 1173, answers around the clock, with operators who speak English as well as Uzbek and Russian.
Set these up before you fly
The essentials that take days to arrange or have to work the moment you land.
Places, programmes and the minimum cGPA are from ADA’s list. Confirm them with the Office of Global Outreach and Partners before you apply: exchange@ada.edu.az
Payments & banking5
Uzcard and Humo run local payments and the apps built on them; a foreign Visa or Mastercard works in Tashkent’s bigger shops and the metro, but carry som for bazaars.
CI
Cash in somEssential
Bazaars, small cafés and anywhere outside the big chains
On arrival
Why you need it: The som is hard to get before you arrive, and bazaars, markets and small shops often take only cash or a local card.
Bring a reserve of clean, unmarked US dollars issued in 2013 or later
Change them at a bank or an official exchange booth, never on the street
Withdraw som from bank ATMs in Tashkent with your home card
Before you rely on itChanging money on the black market is illegal and heavily penalised. Outside Tashkent and the main cities few ATMs take foreign cards, so withdraw before weekend trips.
Source: gov.uk · the provider or a government body · Checked
VO
Visa or Mastercard from homeEssential
Paying in hotels, big shops and on the Tashkent metro
Before departure
Why you need it: Until you have a local card, a contactless Visa or Mastercard from Azerbaijan pays for the metro, buses and larger shops in Tashkent and withdraws som.
Tell your bank in Baku you will be in Uzbekistan for a semester
Check foreign-currency and ATM fees, and carry a second card from another bank
Tap it at metro gates and bus validators marked for contactless payment
Before you rely on itForeign cards are not widely accepted outside Tashkent and the main cities, and local apps such as Click and Payme are built around Uzcard and Humo cards rather than foreign ones.
Source: gov.uk · the provider or a government body · Checked
TU
TBC UZ
Local bank card for non-residents, opened in an app
Optional
Why you need it: A local card lets you use Click and Payme, pay rent by transfer and avoid foreign-card fees for five months; TBC UZ is one of the banks that opens accounts for foreigners.
Get your temporary registration (valid at least 15 more days), a PINFL and an Uzbek SIM
Install the TBC UZ app and verify yourself with your PINFL
Fill in the application and give an address in Tashkent
Sign the agreement with the courier, showing your original passport and registration
Before you rely on itTBC UZ has taken down its page for non-residents and now sends that address to its Salom card page, which no longer explains how foreigners sign up, so confirm in the app or on 1150 that it still opens accounts for non-residents. The registration and the PINFL must be issued on the same passport you use in the app. Other Uzbek banks also issue Humo or Uzcard cards to non-residents, usually asking for the same documents in a branch.
Source: tbcbank.uz · the provider or a government body · Not yet confirmed at the source; check before relying on it
Cl
Click
Pay bills, shops and transfers from a local card by phone
Optional
Why you need it: Classmates and landlords settle up by Click or Payme transfer, and many shops and services show a Click QR code at the till.
Install Yandex Go before you fly and sign in with your current number
Order from the airport arrivals area and check the plate before getting in
Pay the driver in cash until you have a card the app accepts
Before you rely on itYandex Go is a booking service; the cars are independent carriers. Many taxis have no rear seatbelts; you can ask for one that does.
Source: go.yandex · the provider or a government body · Checked
YM
Yandex Maps
Maps, walking and public transport routes in Tashkent
Before departure
Why you need it: Its Tashkent coverage of buses, metro and building addresses is detailed, and it reads addresses typed in Uzbek or Russian.
Install it and download the Tashkent map for offline use
Save your residence, campus and nearest metro station
Before you rely on itAddresses are often given by landmark (mo‘ljal) rather than street number; ask for the nearest metro station or a landmark too.
Source: yandex.uz · the provider or a government body · Checked
2G
2GIS
Directory map: entrances, opening hours and businesses
Optional
Why you need it: Finding the right entrance to a residence block, a bank branch or a migration office is easier in 2GIS, which maps buildings in detail.
Before you rely on itThe site blocks automated checks; the app is the main product. Listings and hours are user-maintained, so call before a long trip to an office.
Source: 2gis.uz · the provider or a government body · Not yet confirmed at the source; check before relying on it
UT
Uzum Tezkor
Food and grocery delivery in Tashkent
Optional
Why you need it: Late lectures and a residence kitchen you share with many people make delivery part of student life; it covers all districts of Tashkent.
Before you rely on itPart of the Uzum group, which also runs the Uzum Market shop and Uzum Bank. Yandex Eats, inside Yandex Go, is the main alternative.
Source: play.google.com · the provider or a government body · Checked
Transport3
Tashkent has a fast, cheap metro and a large bus network on one fare system, paid by ATTO card, bank card or QR; trains link the big cities.
TM
Tashkent Metro
Metro lines across Tashkent, paid by tap or QR
On arrival
Why you need it: It is the fastest way across the city to campus, and you can tap a contactless bank card at the gates from your first day.
Paid · 2,500 som a ride by card from 1 October 2026; about 3,000 som for a QR ticket or cashVaries by city
Tap a contactless Visa, Mastercard, Uzcard or Humo card at the gate
Or buy a QR ticket at the ticket office
For daily trips, switch to an ATTO card
Before you rely on itA ride paid by card starts a one-hour transfer chain: the next ride costs 1,500 som and later bus rides in the hour are free (from October 2026). The metro’s own site still showed the older 1,700 som fare at the time of checking.
Source: atto.uz · the provider or a government body · Checked
AC
ATTO card and app
Tashkent’s transport card for metro and buses
On arrival
Why you need it: The cheapest way to ride daily, and the card monthly plans load on to.
Paid · Card 20,000 som; bus and metro month 345,000 som (from October 2026)Varies by cityVaries by residence status
Top it up in the app, or with Click or Payme once you have a local card
Before you rely on itStudents get 50% off monthly plans, but whether that includes foreign exchange students was not confirmed; ask your international office for the document the operator accepts.
Buy with your passport details, as tickets are personal
Bring the same passport to the station
Before you rely on itBook early for Navruz (21 March) and other holidays. The online shop sometimes moves address; start from railway.uz rather than a search result.
Source: railway.uz · the provider or a government body · Not yet confirmed at the source; check before relying on it
SIM, eSIM & internet3
SIMs are cheap and sold on a passport, but a phone used on a local SIM must be declared at customs on arrival and have its IMEI registered within 30 days, or it is blocked.
Uc
UcellEssential
Mobile SIM or eSIM, registered on your passport
On arrival
Why you need it: You need an Uzbek number for Click, Payme, the bank, Yandex Go receipts and your university, and a monthly plan suits a five-month stay.
Paid · Welcome plan: 50,000 som a month for 22 GB and unlimited local calls (2026)
Or use Ucell’s self-registration SIM for foreign citizens, set up in the Ucell app
Pick a monthly plan and top it up with cash or a card
Before you rely on itRegister the phone’s IMEI within 30 days or it stops working on the SIM (see IMEI registration). Beeline, Mobiuz and Uzmobile are the other main operators.
Source: ucell.uz · the provider or a government body · Checked
IR
IMEI registration (UzIMEI)Essential
Registering a foreign phone so local SIMs keep working
On arrival
Why you need it: A phone brought from Baku and used with an Uzbek SIM is blocked from the network if its IMEI is not registered within 30 days, and registration relies on the customs declaration you make when you land.
Cost varies · Ucell says up to two declared devices worth up to $2,000 register free; above that, customs charges duty (2026)
At the airport, list your phone and its IMEI on the passenger customs declaration, even if it is under the duty-free limit
Get your Uzbek SIM registered on the same passport
Register the phone on uzimei.uz or at an operator or UzIMEI office, with your passport
Wait a few days for confirmation
Before you rely on itWithout the customs declaration, registration means paying duty on the phone. Duty-free limits and fees have changed several times since 2024 and accounts differ, so check uzimei.uz or ask at the SIM shop. A roaming or travel eSIM from a foreign provider does not need this.
Source: ucell.uz · the provider or a government body · Not yet confirmed at the source; check before relying on it
UT
Uzmobile Travel plans
Tourist plans from the state operator, Uztelecom
Optional
Why you need it: Sold at Uzmobile offices to foreign tourists, but they are designed for short trips, which matters for a semester.
Paid · Travel 5: 55,000 som a month for 6 GB (2026)
Before you rely on itThe Travel plan number is blocked two months after activation, so it will not last a semester; choose a regular monthly plan instead.
Source: uztelecom.uz · the provider or a government body · Checked
Visa, registration & legal4
No visa for citizens of Azerbaijan, but registration at your address is the law (within three days for most foreigners), and a PINFL number unlocks banks and e-government.
VF
Visa-free entryEssential
Entering Uzbekistan without a visa as a citizen of Azerbaijan
Before departure
Why you need it: You do not need a visa to study for a semester, but border guards and the registration office check your passport, so it must be valid well beyond your return.
Check your passport is valid at least three months beyond your planned departure
Keep your boarding pass and the entry stamp or e-record: the registration clock starts on arrival
Carry your host university’s acceptance letter in your hand luggage
Before you rely on itFor citizens of Azerbaijan: Uzbekistan’s Foreign Ministry lists Azerbaijan among countries with visa-free entry of unlimited duration, but Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry gives 90 days, and a February–June semester is longer than that. Ask your host university in writing whether you need anything beyond registration for the whole stay. Other nationalities may need a visa: Uzbekistan issues a student (STD) visa of up to a year to foreign students on exchanges, usually with the host university’s support.
Source: gov.uz · the provider or a government body · Checked
TR
Temporary registration (propiska)Essential
Registration at your address, due within days of arrival
On arrival
Why you need it: Every foreigner staying beyond a short visit must be registered where they stay; without it you are fined, and the bank and the migration office ask to see it.
Cost varies · Late registration is fined from 5 basic calculation amounts (2026); a state fee may apply to longer registrations, depending on the lengthVaries by nationalityVaries by university
Before you fly, ask your host international office who will register you for the whole semester
In a hotel, the hotel registers you automatically on check-in
In a residence or a private flat, give your passport to the university or landlord so they file it through my.gov.uz, E-mehmon or the migration office
Ask for proof of the registration and keep a copy on your phone
Before you rely on itThe Interior Ministry gives the deadline as three days from entry, and the e-government portal as three working days, so file on day one or two. Each move to a new address needs a new registration. For citizens of Azerbaijan: Uzbekistan’s Interior Ministry reported that, from 15 January 2024, Azerbaijani citizens may stay up to 15 days without registration; for a semester you need it anyway, and banks ask for it.
Source: gov.uz · the provider or a government body · Checked
PJ
PINFL (JShShIR) personal numberEssential
The 14-digit ID number banks, phones and e-government ask for
On arrival
Why you need it: A local bank card and many my.gov.uz services need a PINFL, so get it in your first week.
Take your passport to a Public Services Centre, the fastest route
Or apply at a migration office, which also asks for your temporary registration
Collect the number in 2–4 working days
Use the same passport for the PINFL, the registration and the bank, or the bank refuses
Before you rely on itIt can also be requested at an Uzbek embassy before you travel. The portal does not state a fee, so ask at the centre. The number is assigned for life, so a second exchange or a later visit uses the same one.
Source: my.gov.uz · the provider or a government body · Checked
HI
Health insurance
Medical cover for a semester, bought before you fly
Before departure
Why you need it: Medical bills are yours unless you are insured, and private clinics in Tashkent usually expect payment up front.
Ask your host university whether it requires a specific policy or minimum cover
Buy a policy that covers the whole semester, hospital care and repatriation
Carry the policy number and the insurer’s emergency line
Before you rely on itNo official page confirmed that insurance is required for entry or registration for citizens of Azerbaijan; rules differ by university, so check with yours. Bring prescriptions for any medicine you carry: some common medicines, including codeine, are restricted.
Source: gov.uk · the provider or a government body · Not yet confirmed at the source; check before relying on it
Housing & daily life3
Both partner universities run residences, though a place for an exchange student is not guaranteed; a private flat only works if the landlord will register you.
NU
New Uzbekistan University dormitories
NewUU student residences in Tashkent
Before departure
Why you need it: A residence bed costs far less than most private flats and includes utilities; ask whether the university files your registration there.
Paid · Dormitory 1: 640,000 som a month including utilities (2026)Varies by university
Ask the International Office for a place as soon as you are nominated
Once enrolled, confirm with your course tutor, who handles dormitory applications
Before you rely on itDormitory 1 is in the University of World Economy and Diplomacy residence and Dormitory 2 at the Avloniy institute, not on the NewUU campus; check the commute. The page does not say whether exchange students are guaranteed a place.
Source: newuu.uz · the provider or a government body · Checked
WH
WIUT halls of residence
Westminster International University halls in Tashkent
Before departure
Why you need it: WIUT runs two halls at a flat monthly fee, which is the simplest housing for a one-semester stay if you get a place.
Paid · 800,000 som a month, paid in advance for 4 months (3,200,000 som) (2025/26)Varies by university
Ask the International Office whether exchange students can apply
Submit the online housing application as early as possible
Pay the four-month advance once a place is offered
Before you rely on itPlaces are competitive and the page reserves them for enrolled students from outside Tashkent; confirm exchange eligibility before relying on it.
Source: wiut.uz · the provider or a government body · Checked
PR
Private rental with registration
Renting a flat or room in Tashkent legally
Before departure
Why you need it: If you rent privately, the landlord must register you at the address, and some will not; without it you cannot stay legally or open a bank card.
Ask before agreeing: “Will you register me for the whole stay?”
See the flat in person, or by live video, before paying anything
Get a written agreement with the rent, deposit and dates
Make sure the registration is filed within three days of moving in
Before you rely on itAgree in writing what the rent covers (utilities, internet, deposit). Listings on classifieds and Telegram channels vary widely in quality.
Source: my.gov.uz · the provider or a government body · Not yet confirmed at the source; check before relying on it
Student life2
The international office is where to ask who registers you, whether a bed is held and when the semester starts, which at NewUU is January, not February.
NI
NewUU International OfficeEssential
Incoming exchange support at New Uzbekistan University
Before departure
Why you need it: It handles your nomination, course registration and arrival, and the NewUU spring semester starts in mid-January, weeks before most ADA students expect.
Email the International Office once ADA nominates you and ask for the Spring 2027 dates
Register for courses in the HERO LMS before the January deadline
Ask who files your registration and whether a dormitory place is held for you
Before you rely on itNewUU’s 2025/26 fact sheet gave spring nominations as 1 September–1 October and applications as 1–15 October, so do not wait. That year the spring semester ran 19 January–8 May, course registration closed on 16 January, and there was no orientation in January; check the Spring 2027 dates. Teaching is in English, and B2 English is required.
Source: tu-chemnitz.de · the provider or a government body · Checked
WI
WIUT International OfficeEssential
Visa, registration, arrival and housing help at WIUT
Before departure
Why you need it: The office helps international students with visas and arrival, tells you the registration rules, and runs a one-time airport pick-up for incoming full-time students.
Email international.office@wiut.uz with your nomination and flight dates
Ask whether the airport pick-up is offered to exchange students
Confirm who registers you within three working days of arrival
Before you rely on itThe airport pick-up is described for full-time international students and staff, so do not assume it covers exchange students. Phone +998 71 238 74 78.
Source: wiut.uz · the provider or a government body · Checked
Communication & language2
Uzbek is the state language and shares many words with Azerbaijani; Russian still gets you through Tashkent, and Telegram is where everyone talks.
Te
TelegramEssential
The messaging app everyone in Uzbekistan uses
Before departure
Why you need it: Classmates, landlords, university groups, shops and even government bodies use Telegram channels and chats; WhatsApp is far less common.
Install Telegram and set a username so people can find you without your number
Ask your buddy or international office for the exchange student group
Before you rely on itKeep the account on your Azerbaijani number, or change it to the Uzbek one in settings, so you do not lose chats. Be careful with rental and currency offers in open channels.
Source: telegram.org · the provider or a government body · Checked
GT
Google Translate
Camera and conversation translation for Uzbek and Russian
Before departure
Why you need it: Signs, forms and menus mix Uzbek in Latin and Cyrillic with Russian; the camera mode reads all of them.
Download Russian and, if offered, Uzbek for offline use
Try the camera mode on a printed page before you need it
Before you rely on itFine for reading, not for signing: have the international office check any lease or form first. Yandex Translate is a common alternative for Russian.
Save +998 71 207 80 10 and the consular section, +998 71 207 80 18
Save tashkent@mission.mfa.gov.az
Keep a scan of your passport and registration in your email
Before you rely on itNot from Azerbaijan? Your own embassy’s page is the one to save. The embassy is at 25 Sharq Tongi Street, Tashkent, and accepts documents Monday to Friday, 10:00–16:00.
Emergency numbers and an English-speaking help line
Before departure
Why you need it: If you cannot explain a problem in Uzbek or Russian, 1173 answers in English around the clock and can direct you to the police or a hospital.
Before you rely on itWritten for British travellers, so visa sections do not apply to you; the safety, law and money sections apply to everyone.
Source: gov.uk · the provider or a government body · Checked
Culture & practical tips
Hospitality, bread, tea and bargaining have their own rules; learning them in week one makes daily life smoother.
01Carry your passport at all times
Carrying your passport is a legal requirement, and police often carry out checks. Keep a copy of your registration with it.
02Uzbek sounds familiar
Uzbek is a Turkic language, so an Azerbaijani speaker recognises many words (kitob for kitab, suv for su, yaxshi for yaxşı). Russian is still the easier shared language in many Tashkent offices.
03Bread is treated with respect
Non (round flatbread) is broken by hand, never cut with a knife at the table, and never put upside down or thrown away carelessly.
04Bargain at the bazaar, not in shops
Prices at Chorsu and other bazaars are a starting point and are paid in cash. Supermarkets, chain cafés and pharmacies have fixed prices.
05Only change money officially
Street money-changers are illegal and penalties are harsh. Banks and official booths give a fair rate, and US dollars are the easiest currency to change.
06Declare large sums on entry
Carrying more than $10,000 in cash means filling in a customs declaration in two copies; keep the stamped copy, as you need it when you leave.
07Dress modestly at mosques
Cover shoulders and knees at mosques and madrasas, and women carry a scarf. During Ramadan, eat and drink discreetly in public in daytime.
08Ask before photographing officials
Photographs of government buildings, airports, police and military sites can upset the authorities; ask before you take a picture.
09Same-sex relationships are illegal
Same-sex relations are criminalised and public affection between same-sex couples is socially frowned upon. Be discreet in public.
Your checklist.
Tick things off as you go. Your ticks stay in this browser; nothing is sent anywhere.
0 of 20 done
Where this guide comes from
28 of 29 entries were read from the provider itself or a government or university body. Each links its source and the date it was checked.
Know a resource we’re missing? A person checks every suggestion before it’s listed.
The guides point to official sources and are not legal or immigration advice. How entries are chosen and what each check does and does not cover are set out in the Terms. What Telebem collects is in the Privacy policy.
