Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan Visa for Indians: 2026 Guide

Published 2026-10-27 · 8 min read · By the Travlys visa team

Kazakhstan lets Indians in visa-free for 14 days. Uzbekistan is visa-free for 30 days only if you hold a valid multiple-entry US, UK, Schengen or similar visa; otherwise it is a USD 20 e-visa. Kyrgyzstan needs an e-visa.

Of the three Central Asian countries Indians are booking this winter, only Kazakhstan is visa-free for every Indian passport holder, for up to 14 days per visit. Uzbekistan needs a USD 20 e-visa unless you hold a valid multiple-entry US, UK, Schengen or similar visa, which since 1 September 2026 gets you 30 days visa-free. Kyrgyzstan needs an e-visa from evisa.e-gov.kg, with a 7-day visa-free option only for some US, UK and Schengen visa holders.

At a glance: Kazakhstan: Visa-free, 14 days per entry, 42 days in any 180. Kazakhstan, new: Free QazETA authorisation phased in from 1 November 2026, mandatory from 1 July 2027. Uzbekistan, visa-free route: 30 days with a valid multiple-entry visa from the US, UK, Schengen, Canada, Australia, Japan, New Zealand or South Korea, plus an onward air ticket. Uzbekistan, e-visa: USD 20, single entry, 30 days, at e-visa.gov.uz. Uzbekistan registration: Within 3 days (hotels do it). Kyrgyzstan: Tourist e-visa up to 30 days, official review 5 working days; 7 days visa-free only with a long-term US, UK or Schengen visa, by air into Bishkek. Direct flights: Delhi to Almaty and Delhi to Tashkent.

Kazakhstan: visa-free for 14 days

Kazakhstan's Government Decree 464 of 7 July 2022 gives Indian citizens a continuous visa-free stay of up to 14 days, with a maximum of 42 days in every 180 days. The Indian Embassy in Astana publishes the same rule. When Kazakhstan approved its new entry authorisation in October 2026, it kept India's limit at 14 days per visit, as Kun.uz reported.

• Entry route: Passport stamp on arrival. No visa and no fee.
• Stay: 14 days per entry, 42 days in any 180-day period. Tourism, private and business visits are allowed. Work is not.
• Longer trips: You need a Kazakh visa. Check the Kazakh Embassy in New Delhi's page on gov.kz before planning more than 14 days.
• Official sources: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on gov.kz and the Indian Embassy in Astana.

QazETA: the new rule to watch

Government Decree No. 890 of 10 October 2026 introduces QazETA, a free electronic travel authorisation for visa-free visitors. VisasNews, which tracks visa rules, reports that Indian citizens are covered. Checks begin on 1 November 2026 at Aktau airport and four land crossings, reach Almaty and Astana airports on 1 January 2027, and cover all other crossings from 1 March 2027. Until 30 June 2027 nobody is refused entry only for not having one. From 1 July 2027 it becomes mandatory. Apply at least 72 hours before arrival, only through the official QazETA site or app. Children under 16 and travellers aged 65 or over are exempt.

Registration and delays

Kazakhstan's registration rules from 1 July 2026 give foreigners who must register 30 calendar days from crossing the border, according to a law-firm summary of the rules. A 14-day visa-free trip ends well before that. Hotels record your passport at check-in. If a cancelled flight keeps you past day 14, the Indian Embassy in Astana advises going to the nearest immigration office with a written application. Force majeure extensions can be granted without penalty if you show supporting documents.

Uzbekistan: e-visa, or visa-free with a US, UK or Schengen visa

Is Uzbekistan visa-free for all Indians? No

On 30 August 2026, during the Prime Minister's visit to Tashkent, several outlets, including Khaleej Times carrying an ANI report, said Uzbekistan had introduced 30 days visa-free for Indian citizens, with no conditions mentioned. The legal text is narrower. Presidential Decree PF-180 of 29 August 2026, in force from 1 September 2026 according to Uzbekistan's Ministry of Justice as reported by Gazeta.uz and Kursiv, covers only Indians who hold a valid multiple-entry business or tourist visa from Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, the UK, the US or a Schengen state, and who show an air ticket to India or a third country. Gulf News reported the Indian Embassy in Tashkent describing the same conditions. Everyone else still needs a visa.

Watch out: Do not fly to Tashkent on an Indian passport alone because a headline said visa-free. A single-entry Schengen visa, or one that has expired, does not qualify. If you are not covered, get the e-visa before you book non-refundable hotels.

The visa-free route

• Who: Indian citizens with a valid multiple-entry business or tourist visa from one of the eight issuers listed above.
• Stay: Up to 30 days from entry, while that visa is still valid.
• Condition: An air ticket out to India or a third country.
• Cost: Nil.

The e-visa route

• Portal: e-visa.gov.uz, run by Uzbekistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The visa is emailed to you and is not stuck in your passport.
• Fee: USD 20 consular fee, paid online by card. Not refunded if refused.
• Stay and validity: Single entry, one stay of up to 30 days, valid 90 days from issue.
• Processing: Two working days under the original decree, which says to apply at least three working days before travel. Give yourself a week.
• Double and multiple entry: Travel sites quote USD 35 and USD 50. We could not confirm these on an official page, so check the amount shown on the portal.

Registration within 3 days

Uzbekistan's Interior Ministry says foreigners must register their temporary stay within three days of entry. Hotels and licensed guesthouses do this for you, through the E-mehmon system. If you stay with friends or in an unregistered rental, you must register at a migration office. Late registration is fined under Article 225 of the Administrative Code. Keep every booking confirmation until you leave.

Kyrgyzstan: e-visa from evisa.e-gov.kg

• Entry route: Tourist e-visa from evisa.e-gov.kg, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs portal. Every traveller, including children, needs a separate e-visa.
• Stay: The tourist (TS) category allows up to 30 days.
• Cost: The portal says the fee depends on category, type and period, and shows it during the application. It does not publish a flat figure. Third-party guides quote anywhere from about USD 30 to over USD 80, so trust only the portal. Fees are not refunded.
• Processing: The official review period is 5 working days. Apply two to three weeks ahead.
• Visa-free option: Since October 2023, Indians with a long-term multiple-entry US, UK or Schengen visa that has at least 3 years of validity can stay up to 7 days without a Kyrgyz visa. You must fly into Manas International Airport in Bishkek, and you can return only after 21 days. This is from the Indian Embassy in Bishkek.
• Registration: The portal says foreigners must register their place of stay within 5 working days of entry unless their country is on an exemption list. Ask your hotel whether it registers you.

Flights from India

Delhi to Almaty has nonstop flights by Air Astana and IndiGo, roughly three and a half hours. Delhi to Tashkent is flown nonstop by Uzbekistan Airways, which also serves Mumbai. Delhi to Bishkek is thinner: Kyrgyz carrier TezJet started a weekly Sunday service in December 2025, but schedules have shifted since, so many travellers connect through Almaty or Tashkent. Check the airline's own timetable before you book. These schedules come from airline announcements and flight-tracking sites, not an official timetable.

Winter highlights

• Almaty: Shymbulak ski resort sits above the city, with the Medeu high-altitude ice rink on the way. The ski season usually runs from December into spring, but check the resort's opening dates.
• Samarkand and Bukhara: The Registan, Shah-i-Zinda and Bukhara's old town are quieter in winter, with fewer tour groups. Days can be near freezing, so pack layers.
• Issyk-Kul: Kyrgyzstan's huge mountain lake does not freeze over, and the Karakol ski base is nearby. The drive from Bishkek to Karakol takes most of a day, so plan at least three nights.

Which one to pick

• Pick Kazakhstan if you want no paperwork, a 5 to 7 day trip, skiing and a city break. It does not suit trips longer than 14 days.
• Pick Uzbekistan for Silk Road history and architecture. It is the easiest if you already hold a qualifying multiple-entry visa. Otherwise, a USD 20 e-visa is cheap and fast.
• Pick Kyrgyzstan for mountains, lakes and yurts. It needs the most planning: an e-visa, a 5-working-day review and registration.
• Combining: Almaty and Bishkek pair well. Each country's rules apply separately, and every Kazakh visit counts towards the 42-day limit.

Common mistakes

• Assuming Uzbekistan is visa-free for every Indian.
• Paying lookalike e-visa sites that charge several times the official fee.
• Staying past day 14 in Kazakhstan.
• Staying with friends in Uzbekistan without registering.
• Relying on a US, UK or Schengen visa that is single entry, expired or, for Kyrgyzstan, valid for less than 3 years.

How Travlys helps

Travlys files US, UK and Schengen visas for Indian passport holders. Service fees start at ₹19,940 for the US, ₹12,950 for the UK and ₹2,950 for Schengen (via the Netherlands), with government fees extra. A valid multiple-entry visa from these countries is what makes Uzbekistan visa-free for 30 days, though whether you get multiple entry is the issuing embassy's decision. Travlys has filed 5,000+ visas with a 98% approval rate. WhatsApp +91 82009 18967 to plan your applications.

Last checked: Rules in this guide were checked on 27 October 2026 against the sources listed below. Central Asian entry rules are changing quickly, especially Kazakhstan's QazETA and Uzbekistan's visa-free regime, so check the official portal before you apply or fly.