# Uzbekistan

 Country code: UZ · Currency: UZS · Language: Russian

**Pros**
- Low flat income tax rates and simplified tax regimes for small businesses
- Ongoing privatization of state-owned enterprises and liberalization of the foreign exchange market
- Strategic location for regional trade and significant investment in transport infrastructure

**Cons**
- Persistent corruption and lack of judicial independence regarding property rights protection
- Heavy state presence in key sectors and bureaucratic hurdles for international trade
- Limited political freedom and restrictions on civil liberties under a centralized government

Long story short: In Tashkent, the taxman leaves you pretty much alone: personal income tax capped at 12%, corporate tax slashed, and nobody digs into your books as long as you don't make waves. Flip side: Soviet-style paperwork hasn't fully died out, banks stay locked down, international transfers feel like an obstacle course, and customs still love a little bakshish.

Other than that: the capital is safe even late at night, roads and the metro actually work, the food is generous, and the Silk Road landscapes are worth the trip on their own.

## Will your income be taxed?

Long story short: YES, BUT LIGHTLY.
Personal income gets a modest trim in **Uzbekistan**, peaking at **12%**. The state takes its cut, but the bill is readable and won't ruin your year.

Residency follows the standard playbook: day counts, economic ties, nothing sneaky.

**01.1 Income tax**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Personal income tax | 12% | flat rate |

**01.2 Tax residence test**

_A single active rule is enough to make you tax-resident._

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 183-day rule | exists here |  |
| Economic interest | does not exist here |  |
| Family centre | does not exist here |  |
| Habitual abode | does not exist here |  |
| Extended-stay test | exists here |  |

## Will your wealth be taxed?

Long story short: YES, BUT LIGHTLY.
**Uzbekistan** takes a light trim on capital gains (**12%** at the top), with no annual wealth levy and no inheritance regime.

Your portfolio compounds with barely any friction; the state only shows its face when you sell. And even then, politely.

**02.1 Investment income**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Capital gains | 12% | flat · +8% non-residents on sale of property located in Uzbekistan |
| Dividend tax | 5% | flat · +5% non-residents |
| Interest income | 5% | flat |

**02.2 Wealth & estate**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Wealth tax | NONE | no annual wealth tax · no real-estate wealth tax · no net-worth assessment |
| Inheritance system | NONE | no estate tax · no heir-based duties · no succession tax framework. Wealth transfers across heir-classes are not taxed in this jurisdiction. Only standard probate / registration fees may apply. |

**02.3 Crypto**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Crypto · tax regime | ZERO TAX | Rate: 0% · Under Presidential Decree No. PP-3832 and subsequent updates (including UP-229 for 2025), income derived by individuals from the turnover of crypto-assets is not subject to taxation. However, residents are strictly required to trade exclusively through licensed domestic Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs); using foreign exchanges is prohibited and subject to administrative or criminal penalties. |
| Crypto-to-crypto | NEUTRAL | a swap is not a taxable realisation event |
| FATF travel rule | NOT SIGNED | no information-sharing obligation on VASP transfers |

## Easy to run a company there?

Long story short: YES.
Corporate tax in **Uzbekistan** sits at a *low* **15%**, VAT included in the good mood. Setting up and running a company is cheap; whatever ends up killing your venture here, it won't be the tax bill.

**03.1 Rates**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Corporate tax | 15% | flat · +10% Net profits of a permanent establishment (PE) after CIT |
| VAT standard rate | 12% | single rate · no reduced tiers |

| VAT family | Category | Rate |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Food & drink | food | 12% |
| Food & drink | non-alcoholic | 12% |
| Food & drink | alcohol | 12% |
| Print media | books | 12% |
| Print media | ebooks | 12% |
| Print media | newspapers | 12% |
| Culture | cultural events | 12% |
| Culture | cinema | 12% |
| Culture | theatre | 12% |
| Culture | museums | 12% |
| Culture | sports | 12% |
| Transport | public transit | 12% |
| Transport | rail | 12% |
| Transport | air | 12% |
| Hospitality | hotels | 12% |
| Hospitality | restaurants | 12% |
| Hospitality | takeaway | 12% |
| Health | pharma | 12% |
| Health | medical dev. | 12% |
| Energy | electricity | 12% |
| Energy | natural gas | 12% |
| Energy | district heat. | 12% |
| Energy | domestic fuel | 12% |
| Utilities | water | 12% |
| Utilities | waste | 12% |
| Clothing | kids clothing | 12% |
| Digital & telecom | digital | 12% |
| Digital & telecom | telecom | 12% |
| Digital & telecom | broadcast | 12% |
| Construction | construction | 12% |
| Construction | social housing | 12% |
| Agriculture | farm inputs | 12% |
| Agriculture | animal feed | 12% |
| Personal services | funeral | 12% |
| Personal services | hairdressing | 12% |

**03.2 Regime & registry**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| IP Box · Patent Box | NONE | no IP regime · IP income taxed under standard corporate rules |
| Misuse of corporate assets | NO CRIMINAL | no criminal liability · In Uzbekistan, the criminal prosecution of a manager for embezzlement (Article 167 of the Criminal Code) or abuse of power (Article 192-11) requires 'theft' or 'significant harm' to the organization's interests. For a sole shareholder-manager of a solvent company, the owner's consent precludes the 'harm' or 'lack of authorization' necessary to satisfy the elements of these crimes. Such actions are primarily treated as tax violations (unreported income/dividends) under Article 184 of the Criminal Code if thresholds are met, or as a civil breach of fiduciary duties under the Law 'On Limited Liability Companies' (Articles 26 and 44 of the 2001 law, and the 2026 update LRU-1137). |
| Shareholders privacy | PUBLIC | Unified State Register of Business Entities |
| Directors privacy | PUBLIC | Unified State Register of Business Entities |

**03.3 Incorporation cost**

_In this country, the most standard company form is called Mas'uliyati Cheklangan Jamiyat (MCHJ) (Limited Liability Company (LLC)). The costs below are for incorporating a company in its simplest form, for reference only._

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| State Registration Fee (1 Base Calculating Amount) | USD 35 |  |
| Professional Incorporation & Legal Services | USD 840 |  |
| PINFL Registration and Electronic Digital Signature (EDS) | USD 42 |  |
| Company Seal and Notarized Documentation | USD 42 |  |
| Total | USD 959 |  |

## A good fit for a holding?

Long story short: NOT REALLY.
**Uzbekistan** has a *moderate* **30**-treaty network, but no participation exemption: dividends from subsidiaries land straight in the corporate schedule (**15%**).

Fine for operational subsidiaries; as a pure holding base, you're feeding the local taxman at every distribution.

**04.1 Substance & exemptions**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Territorial · individuals | WORLDWIDE | worldwide income taxation regardless of source |
| Territorial · corporates | WORLDWIDE | worldwide corporate taxation |
| Participation exemption | NONE | no dividend participation exemption regime |
| CFC rules | APPLY | Uzbekistan tax residents, including individuals and legal entities, are subject to CFC regulations if they own or control foreign entities or structures. |

**04.2 Withholding tax · non-resident**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| WHT · dividends | 10% | non-resident outbound |
| WHT · interest | 10% | non-resident outbound |
| WHT · royalties | 20% | non-resident outbound |
| Tax-haven WHT | NONE | no punitive rate on record |

**04.3 Treaty network**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Treaties signed | 29 | active |
| Treaties pending | 1 | in negotiation |

## Easy to come and go?

Long story short: SOME.
**Uzbekistan** taxes your worldwide income while you're resident, but at least the exit is free: *no exit tax* on the way out.

Leaving costs you paperwork, not money; your unrealised gains walk out the door with you, untouched.

**05.1 Exit & dual nationality**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Exit tax | NONE | no triggers active · residence change tax-free · no deemed-disposal mechanism |
| Dual citizenship | FORBIDDEN | naturalisation requires renouncing existing citizenship |

**05.2 Citizenship paths**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Residence | 5 years | available path to naturalisation |
| Marriage | — | not available |
| Birth | — | not available |
| Descent | — | not available |
| Investment | — | not available |

## Is your money watched?

Long story short: NO.
Foreign tax offices see next to nothing of what you do in **Uzbekistan**: it has signed *few exchange frameworks*.

But the *corporate registries are public*: your shareholdings and directorships are one search away for anyone curious. Invisible from abroad, on display at home.

**Multilateral reporting frameworks — 1/9 active · 2 pending**

| Item | Status | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| CRS | None | — |
| CARF | None | — |
| FATCA | In force | 2014 |
| MLI | None | — |
| BEPS | Signed | — |
| MAAC | None | — |
| GLOBAL FORUM | Signed | — |
| EOIR | None | — |
| CRYPTO TRAVEL RULE | None | — |

## Is it blacklisted?

Long story short: NO.
**Uzbekistan** sits on no major blacklist, though it's *outside* the FATF club.

Some counterparties will run a bit of extra due diligence out of habit, but there's no formal stigma: you won't get hassled for dealing with it.

**Blacklist exposure — Clear everywhere**

| Item | Status | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| EMBARGO | Clear | un / us / eu sanctions |
| FATF | Clear | grey / black list |
| EU | Clear | non-cooperative list |
| FRANCE | Clear | ETNC list |
| SPAIN | Clear | tax-haven list |
| PORTUGAL | Clear | favourable regimes |
| BRAZIL | Clear | low-tax list |

## Do you feel free there?

Long story short: NO.
Press freedom in **Uzbekistan** is *locked down* (RSF rank **\#148**). Independent media and civic space operate under pressure (when they operate at all), and that kind of grip usually spills over into economic life too.

Small mercy: crypto isn't formally banned.

**08.1 Press freedom**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Press freedom · RSF index | 148/180 | score 35 · · 0 rank year-on-year |

Central bank digital currency

NONE

no announced CBDC program · no pilot · no retail or wholesale prototype on record

## Connected to the world?

Long story short: POORLY CONNECTED.
The two rails that matter are both dead in **Uzbekistan**. *Stripe* won't onboard you, so card payments mean a foreign structure or a local processor with its own rules. *Amazon* doesn't deliver either.

Some secondary services run (**3/11**), but for an online business this is swimming against the current.

**Accept payments — 1/6 available**

| Item | Status | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Stripe | Not available | card payments |
| PayPal | Not available | wallet payments |
| Adyen | Not available | enterprise psp |
| Mollie | Not available | eu payments |
| GoCardless | Not available | direct debit |
| Paddle | Available | merchant of record |

**Bank and move money — 1/3 available**

| Item | Status | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Wise | Available | multi-currency |
| Revolut | Not available | personal banking |
| Revolut Business | Not available | business banking |

**Buy and sell on Amazon — 1/2 available**

| Item | Status | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Amazon | Not available | consumer delivery |
| Amazon Seller | Available | marketplace selling |

  SEE ALSO## Other jurisdictions worth comparing

Picked by similarity of strategic profile to Uzbekistan. No editorial ranking — neighbours in the same scoring space.

  PROFILE-ADJACENT Same shape, comparable overall friction.

 [   Central African Republic CF  → ](https://stateless.sx/en/country/cf) [   Belarus BY  → ](https://stateless.sx/en/country/by) [   Timor-Leste TL  → ](https://stateless.sx/en/country/tl)

  NOTABLY MORE FAVORABLE Same family of strategies, higher total score.

 [   El Salvador SV  → ](https://stateless.sx/en/country/sv) [   Switzerland CH  → ](https://stateless.sx/en/country/ch) [   Guatemala GT  → ](https://stateless.sx/en/country/gt)

  NOTABLY LESS FAVORABLE Same family of strategies, lower total score.

 [   Central African Republic CF  → ](https://stateless.sx/en/country/cf) [   Belarus BY  → ](https://stateless.sx/en/country/by) [   Madagascar MG  → ](https://stateless.sx/en/country/mg)