Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
In this case, the system ends up mandating that the tourist be included
in the organized tourism category (including accommodation at a licensed
facility) or risk problems with Uzbek authorities. In the past, registrations
were a good source of business for hotels and their employees. It was those
not at all unusual for tourists living in private apartments to be formally
registered with hotels for a lesser fee. The Uzbek government has tried to
bring some semblance of order to the system and Uzbek authorities have
substantially strengthened controls on registration and tried to ensure that
guests are actually staying in licensed facilities. But the result has been to
increase complications for the individual tourist. Unofficial registrations
have for the most part ceased to be issued, now limited only to a few small
facilities, which tolerate similar practices.
17
In addition, a number of facili-
ties have lost their attractiveness for tourists lacking complete registration
for the entire period of their stay in Uzbekistan recently (particularly in
Tashkent).
18
The ambiguity and often contradictory nature of Uzbekistan's laws
on tourist registration have led to a range of possible interpretations and,
understandably, opened the door for corruption. Actions taken by the au-
thorities to regulate the lowest levels of the tourism trade (hotels, etc.)
may seem to have reduced corruption, but in reality, as with Tashkent, they
have reinforced ties of corruption between selected local institutions and
even selected individuals.
In Kazakhstan, citizens of most developed countries may obtain reg-
istration upon entry to the country at the international airport by getting
stamps on their migration card (it must contain two stamps).
19
If for any
reason a stamp is not obtained (particularly at overland border crossings),
individual registration is necessary at a local visa and registration office
within five days at the latest. This registration is then valid for the entirety
17
In Tashkent in 2010, for example, there was one small hotel which accepted tourists without regis-
tration and was also willing to register tourists for a payment who did not actually intend to stay in
the hotel. According to unofficial information, this hotel was in touch with OVIR, the local registra-
tion authority, whose head had good ties with the Ministry of Interior. If this otherwise unconfirmed
information is indeed true (which is possible), the real face of the Uzbek system is showing through.
18
Author's personal experience, 2010 and a number of discussions on tourist forums at Thorn Tree
Lonely Planet (e. g. http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa?threadID=2029294).
19
Rules of entry into Kazakhstan, stay and exit from Kazakhstan.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ka-
zakhstan, http://portal.mfa.kz/portal/page/portal/mfa/ru/content/consular_info/foreigners. It is re-
markable that the website of Kazakhstan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs does not include most countries
of Central and Eastern Europe on its list. The websites of the Czech, Polish and Bulgarian Ministries
of Foreign Affairs indicate the rule applies even to these countries (something confirmed by practice).
Search WWH ::
Custom Search