(TASHKENT, UZBEKISTAN) — Hong Kong and Uzbekistan exchanged diplomatic notes in Tashkent to establish a mutual 30-day visa-free travel arrangement, moving both governments closer to opening longer visa-free entry to each other’s travelers.

The exchange took place on June 3, 2026, during a visit by Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu, and both sides said they would now work on the final steps needed to bring the arrangement into force.

Lee said on June 4, 2026: “The two governments will promptly advance the specific implementation measures to bring the arrangement into effect as soon as possible. I believe the implementation of visa-free arrangement will enhance exchanges between the two places, stimulate tourism, study and commercial cooperation. and assist Hong Kong in expanding into emerging markets in Central Asia.”

The planned change would replace a narrower set of entry rules that currently governs travel between the two places. Holders of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passports now receive 10 days visa-free entry to Uzbekistan, a policy in place since March 2021.

Uzbek citizens with ordinary passports still need a visa to enter Hong Kong. Uzbek diplomatic and service passport holders currently receive 14 days visa-free entry to Hong Kong.

Under the new arrangement, each of those categories would shift to the same standard: 30 days visa-free. That would create a broader form of visa-free travel than the patchwork now in place, and would give ordinary Uzbek passport holders access that they do not currently have.

Uzbekistan Minister of Foreign Affairs Bakhtiyor Saidov said on June 4, 2026 that the exchange of diplomatic notes reflects a shared goal to conclude a formal intergovernmental agreement. He said Hong Kong’s role as a global financial hub is vital for Uzbekistan’s “economic modernization efforts.”

Officials on both sides have not said the arrangement has already taken effect. They said they are finalizing “detailed arrangements” and “implementation measures” before the new entry rules begin.

That leaves the policy in a transitional stage. The diplomatic notes confirm political agreement, but travelers must wait for the formal launch before they can rely on the new 30-day visa-free window.

Direct flights between Hong Kong and Tashkent are also planned to launch later in 2026, according to the same official announcements. The proposed air link would support the expected rise in passenger traffic once the visa-free travel arrangement starts.

The longer entry period addresses a practical limit in the current system. A 10-day stay can accommodate a short visit, but officials said the new framework is intended to support university exchange programs and extended business tours, both of which fit more naturally into a 30-day visa-free period.

Hong Kong has cast the agreement as part of a wider push into Central Asia. Lee linked the planned visa-free travel deal to commercial cooperation and to Hong Kong’s effort to expand into emerging markets in the region.

Uzbekistan has also widened access for other foreign visitors in recent months. A similar 30-day mutual visa exemption between Uzbekistan and Mainland China took effect on June 1, 2025.

The agreement with Hong Kong comes during a broader shift in Uzbekistan’s travel policy that also touched its ties with the United States. As of January 1, 2026, U.S. citizens may travel to Uzbekistan visa-free for up to 30 days for business and tourism, according to the U.S. Department of State.

That U.S.-Uzbekistan change followed trade and diplomatic negotiations elevated in late 2025. Separate U.S. policy changes also began on January 1, 2026, when DHS and the Department of State started enforcing Presidential Proclamation 10998, which limits entry for certain foreign nationals.

Uzbekistan is currently listed by the State Department as Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions). Uzbek citizens remain eligible for U.S. visas subject to standard vetting.

No U.S. immigration agency has issued a statement about the Hong Kong-Uzbekistan arrangement itself. The agreement is bilateral, centered on the terms each government grants the other’s travelers.

Its practical effect, once implemented, would be clear on both sides. Hong Kong passport holders would be able to stay in Uzbekistan three times longer than they can now, while Uzbek citizens with ordinary passports would move from needing a visa for Hong Kong to entering without one for stays of up to 30 days.

That change is especially notable because it extends beyond officials and diplomats. Under the current rules, Uzbek diplomatic and service passport holders already receive limited visa-free access to Hong Kong, but ordinary passport holders do not.

A single 30-day visa-free standard would erase that split. It would also place educational, tourism and business travel under the same broad timetable, rather than requiring short trips or separate visa processing.

Hong Kong has increasingly used mobility agreements to deepen external economic ties, and Uzbekistan has increasingly used visa policy to draw business and tourism. Their planned arrangement sits at the intersection of those strategies, pairing easier movement with planned direct air service.

Lee’s visit gave the negotiations a formal political stage in Tashkent. The exchange of notes, though not yet the final operational step, signaled that both governments had moved past general discussion and into implementation.

Saidov’s remarks also framed the agreement in economic terms rather than only consular ones. By linking Hong Kong to Uzbekistan’s “economic modernization efforts,” he tied the entry arrangement to investment, finance and cross-border commerce as much as tourism.

That framing helps explain why the governments paired visa policy with aviation planning. Easier entry rules can widen demand on paper, but direct flights are usually what turn a diplomatic opening into regular traffic.

Hong Kong and Uzbekistan have not announced the exact start date for the new rules. Until that date is confirmed, the current system remains in place: 10 days visa-free for HKSAR passport holders entering Uzbekistan, visas for Uzbek ordinary passport holders entering Hong Kong, and 14 days visa-free entry for Uzbek diplomatic and service passport holders.

Once the arrangement takes effect, both sides would move to the same threshold of 30 days visa-free, a step that officials said would support tourism, study and business links. In Tashkent, Lee cast that goal in broad terms, saying the arrangement would “assist Hong Kong in expanding into emerging markets in Central Asia.”