Quick Question on UZB/TAJ vehicle entry
 

I read that there is a 14 day vehicle restriction for Tajikistan (without paying huge fees).

However does the same thing exist for Uzbekistan? I don't want to get there too early to find I have to leave in 2 weeks and not have anywhere to go afterwards due to visa dates!

Anything else I need to know for Uzb? We are leaving Tbilisi tomorrow in our Land Rover to pass through Russia and into Kaz. Within 10 days we should be in Uzb jeiger

G

Electronics declaration
 

Hi Griff,

I'm not far behind you (Istanbul procuring Uzbek and Tajik visas). I've not travelled in CA before but I've read somewhere about the need to declare ALL of your electronics (inc phone(S)) when entering Uzbekistan. Perhaps someone who has been through the process would care to elaborate?
I'm also of the understanding that a better exchange rate is available on the black market? Again, anybody who's been care to elaborate?

I'll keep my eyes open for a (presumably British registered?) Landrover once I arrive in CA.

Adam

Ok, well that shouldn't be too much of an issue. I presume UZB will be more hassle than the others!

Thanks for the heads up. Yes we are RHD on GB plates. photos of it with trailer are all over our website.

G

-Entry time is same as visa time for UZB
-UZB want everything declared and will go through iPads, Cameras etc for illegal media on the way in an out.
-Black market is best, when were there last year it was 2700-2900 SOM to the dollar, but not sure what it is currently. Keep in mind the largest bank note is 1000 SOM so don't change to much at once. We were flat out spending $200 in the country over 5 days.

Thanks Craig. We have 2 laptops so looks like we will be there for sometime :thumbdown:

Do you know if they get funny about GPS or Sat phones?

G

GPS was no issue - Sat phone I don't know, they were okay with our cell phones.

What happens if/when the find said "Illegal media"?

We didn't have any so I don't know. I believe the main things they are looking for is porn and anti government videos on the way in. Any unauthorised video on the way out, protests, footage from dissents, defence facilities etc.

I never heard of that being an issue. And its never been an issue for me.

But I would strongly advise you to list everything electronic or valuable (or cash) on the way in, cause if you leave the country and its not on the form you had stamped when you entered, then you cant take it out.

Its just UZ thats this anal ... KZ, KG, TJ are not like that.

never heard of a 14 day restriction on your vehicle in Tajikistan but check with sambor

Cheers Walter, I will proceed with caution! We made it into Russia, even with our Trailer. Currently in Stavropol. The Georgia - Russia border is alive and well :) but it took 4 hours due to pushy Armenian's. Lots of Snow on the Military Highway made for some sketchy driving.

I read it somewhere on here. Something about it being a reasonable cost for 14 days then if you want to extend it it rises to something like $50/day (which I don't want to pay!).

I just wanted to make sure I don't get a conflict in Visa timings, but it seems like it is not a problem.

G

Uzbekistan was a pain in the a$$ in and out. We did have to list electronics but they didnt examine them. Cash they are more interested in. We had gotten some USD (legit receipts in hand) from Tashkent and when we tried to leave with it, it got a bit complicated. I had no form either, so make sure every person has a declaration form coming in or they will be pissed off going out. And definitely don't leave with more money than you declared coming in. (My lack of form actually have us an out for this.) Make sure you have provisions, we spent all night at the border between Kazakhstan & Uzbekistan. Good luck!

My beef was with prescription drugs at the borders, tried to declare them all on the form along with my gadgets and cash,

british govt advise 'Foreign nationals have been detained on arrival for possession of medicines that would not normally be problematic in other countries. See Travelling with medicines' after two arrests on the border.

Kept quizzing me for ages about each prescription despite me having doctors letter, and pharmacy slips. I was told to tick the 'drugs' box on my form, then another official asked why I had done so, this was just to declare illegal drugs??!?

Anyways, I couldn't see anything on the forms about vehicle stay duration i'm afraid....

Tajikistan allows 15 days, you pay a $20 or something road tax, which is a joke as the decent roads are quite expensive toll roads, and the others are mostly utterly awful.

If you overstay this 15 days, the fines are enormous, but to extend it in Dushanbe is either very cheap, or free. Someone on here did it.

As said, In Uzbekistan, your vehicle is allowed for the same duration as your visa, though you may need to ask the guys at the border to make sure they do this. Sometimes they give you a day or two less in order to cover any exit delays.

The reason they are hot on electrical equipment is not a media issue. They are worried you will sell these things for hard currency in the country. Make sure you declare everything, money wise, or they can take it from you legitimately upon exit.

Illegal prescription medicine includes anything opiate derived, such as tranxene or codeine I believe. People have spent weeks in jail over this, so be careful.

Daniel

We do have some codeine with paracetamol or ibuprofen so I guess we better ditch that. I will go through our med supply and see. We have nothing prescription only over the counter stuff.

Are there any other opiate derived meds we would need to watch for? I assume paracetamol and Ibuprofen is fine?

Thanks for your help all :)