Uzbekistan cancels exit visa system from January 1, 2019 

 From January 1, 2019, Uzbekistan stopped issuing exit visa (OVIR) for traveling abroad for citizens of the republic, instead, introduced international passports. 
 
Inside the country, the new passport will be issued in the prescribed manner within ten working days from the date of acceptance of documents and abroad - in accordance with the schedule for sending diplomatic mails. 
 
It should be noted that international passports will be issued for travelling abroad to persons over 16 years of age for a period of 10 years and children under 16 – for 5 years. 
 
Current biometric passports of the 2011 sample will be valid until 2021. Uzbek citizens will be able to travel with these documents to countries where a visa-free regime is established, including to Russia. 
 
One can also go to other countries with the same biometric passport with the valid sticker. 
 
According to the Ministry of Interior, at the end of 2018, the Ministry of Internal Affairs also began testing national ID-cards. They should later replace internal biometric passports. In accordance with the decree, the ID-card will contain a single identification number of the country’s each citizen – his personal data for identifying upon receiving public services. The deadline for introducing ID cards throughout the country has not yet been determined. 
 
The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Uzbekistan declared that now more than 21 million citizens of the country (about 95% of all people with passports) have received biometric passports.