If you are traveling to CAIHE 2026 under Uzbekistan’s 30-day visa-free regime, your most important date is not the fair’s opening day—it is the last day allowed by the entry stamp in your passport. Overstaying that date, even by one day or through a miscounted calendar, can lead to fines, departure delays, and a record that makes future Central Asia sourcing trips harder. The fix is easier than most buyers expect: confirm the date at the border, keep two reminders, and leave before the clock runs out.
Uzbekistan allows visa-free entry for citizens of more than 60 countries for stays of up to 30 days [1]. CAIHE—the Central Asia International Hardware Expo—runs from 24 to 26 November 2026 at Uzexpocentre in Tashkent. A typical buyer who arrives a few days early and leaves a few days after the fair will use only a small part of that allowance. Problems arise when travel plans stretch, when border-counting assumptions are wrong, or when registration and visa-free stay rules are treated as the same thing.
What counts as an overstay — and what the penalties can include
An overstay begins when a visitor remains in Uzbekistan beyond the permitted period set by the border officer or by the visa-free regime. The key number is calendar days, not nights. A visitor who thinks only in “nights” can accidentally stay one day too long because arrival and departure days both count.
At the border, the entry stamp records when you arrived. Ask the officer to confirm the last permitted day if it is not printed clearly, and write that date into your calendar immediately. If you use a travel agent or local partner, make sure they see the same date you do. Do not rely on the fair badge, hotel booking, or a supplier’s assurance as proof of your stay limit.
Uzbekistan treats overstay as an administrative violation under the national administrative rules [2]. In practice, consequences can include:
- a fine set by migration officials under the applicable code
- processing delay at the airport or border while the case is reviewed
- payment of the fine before departure
- deportation and re-entry restrictions in longer or repeated cases
We avoid quoting one fixed penalty amount because fines and enforcement details change and can vary with the length of overstay and the visitor’s history. What is stable is this: the cost is usually higher than the cost of rebooking an earlier flight, and the process takes time you may not have before a connection. Serious or repeated overstays can create an entry ban that disrupts future CAIHE visits.
The three most common overstay mistakes
We see the same errors repeated by first-time visitors to the region.
Counting 30 nights instead of 30 days. Arrive on 10 November and depart on 10 December? That is more than 30 calendar days, even if the visitor counts “30 nights.” Work from the entry date, not from hotel nights.
Confusing registration with permission to stay. Hotel registration or private-address registration is a separate obligation. It does not extend a visa-free stay. A visitor can be properly registered and still be overstaying. In Uzbekistan, hotels often complete registration for their guests, while private hosts may need to arrange it with local authorities [3]. Missing registration can surface at the same checkpoint as an overstay question, so keep registration evidence until you leave the country.
Bad flight timing. If your flight leaves at 01:30 on the thirty-first day, you may already be outside your permitted stay. Pass through exit passport control before your last permitted day ends, or book a departure that leaves before the deadline. A short buffer is worth more than an argument with immigration at midnight.
Five steps to avoid an overstay
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Check your country list before booking. Use the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the official e-visa portal to confirm that your passport qualifies for 30-day visa-free entry, and whether your planned activities fit that regime [1]. Do not rely on a three-year-old memory of the list.
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Get the last day confirmed at the border. Look for the entry stamp and ask the passport officer to confirm the permitted departure date. Write it into your phone with a note “leave Uzbekistan by” rather than “last hotel night.”
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Set two calendar reminders. The first around day 20, when you can still make changes cheaply, and the second around day 26, after which your only reliable plan is to leave—not to find an extension.
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Book exit transport before day 30. Train, flight, or road crossing: plan it so your passport is stamped out before the permitted stay ends, not just scheduled to depart.
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Keep registration evidence with your passport. The registration slip, hotel confirmation, or host’s written record helps if any question comes up at exit.
What to do if you have already overstayed
If you notice while still in Uzbekistan, go to the nearest migration office or, if already at the airport, speak with migration staff before attempting to pass through departure control. Bring your passport, entry stamp, registration documents, and travel bookings. Ask for the official resolution process and written confirmation of any fine or restriction.
Do not try to ignore the problem at the border, and do not offer or accept any informal payment as a shortcut. That approach can turn a simple administrative case into a more serious matter under Uzbek law [2]. If you are detained or need help, contact your embassy or consulate.
If your CAIHE schedule is starting to look tight against your entry date, write to [email protected] before you travel. We can help you confirm fair dates, local contact points, and practical next steps while you still have room to adjust your flights.
What this means for your CAIHE trip
For most international buyers, the overstay rules will never become an issue. CAIHE 2026 is a three-day event at Uzexpocentre, Tashkent. The fair runs 24–26 November 2026, with Pavilions 3 and 4 as the main exhibition spaces. A buyer arriving on 22 November and leaving on 28 November uses about one week of the 30-day allowance.
The risk appears with longer trips. Buyers who visit suppliers in Tashkent before the fair, then travel to Kazakhstan or Kyrgyzstan, or who return to Uzbekistan after a regional tour, need to track every entry and exit against the relevant rules. If your itinerary includes multiple entries, treat each arrival as a fresh date to check.
If you need more than 30 days, do not wait until the last week to solve a longer stay. Visitors who do not qualify for visa-free entry, or who need to stay beyond the visa-free period, should apply for an e-visa or another appropriate visa through official channels before travel [1][3]. If you are already in Uzbekistan and must stay longer, visit a migration service office well before the permitted period expires to ask what is available. Do not assume that a visa-free stay can be extended from inside the country, and do not use a short exit as a casual way to reset the clock without official confirmation.
Plan your CAIHE dates with the exit date in front of you
If you are joining us in Tashkent this November, put the exit deadline in the same calendar entry as your CAIHE appointments. Pre-register for CAIHE 2026, and send any entry, registration, or overstay question to [email protected]. The CAIHE team can point you to official sources and local partners, but the final entry and exit decision always belongs to Uzbekistan’s border and migration authorities.
FAQ
Does the day I arrive count toward my 30 days?
Yes—in practice the stay is counted in calendar days from entry. Unless the border officer tells you a different last permitted date, count your arrival day as day one and leave no later than day 30.
Can I fix an overstay at the airport before departure?
That is possible in some cases, but it is not guaranteed. You may face a wait, a fine, and extra checks. Arrive early and ask for migration staff before reaching departure control. It is safer to resolve the issue at a migration office before your travel day.
What if my hotel forgets to register me?
Ask the hotel for written proof of registration before checkout. If no registration was made, go to the nearest migration office and ask how to correct it before you leave. Missing registration is separate from overstay, but both can delay your exit.
Can I leave Uzbekistan and re-enter to get another 30 days?
Whether a new visa-free period applies depends on your passport, the entry rules in force, and the officer’s decision. Do not assume a border run resets the clock or clears an existing overstay. Confirm the rules for your nationality before relying on that plan.
How does a past overstay affect future CAIHE visits?
A simple one-day overstay may be resolved with a fine and no long-term consequence, but longer or repeated violations can lead to a re-entry restriction or entry ban. That would make future trade-fair visits and supplier trips much more difficult, so the better strategy is to avoid the violation entirely.
References
[1] Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan, “Visa-Free Entry to Uzbekistan,” mfa.uz, accessed 2026.
[2] LexUz National Legislation Database, “Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Administrative Responsibility,” lex.uz, accessed 2026.
[3] Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan, “E-Visa Portal and Registration Requirements,” evisa.mfa.uz, accessed 2026.
