A visa-free regime will be introduced in the free trade zone "Termiz International Trade Center". Also, citizens of Afghanistan and Pakistan were allowed to buy shops and buildings within the territory. It is allowed to accept dollars, rubles, euros and yuan in trade along with soums.

Shavkat Mirziyoev approved new measures for the development of the free trade zone "Termiz International Trade Center". The decree was published on Lex.uz.

According to the decree, business entities registered in Uzbekistan operating in the territory of the center are allowed to hire Afghan citizens, foreign citizens and stateless persons on the basis of labor contracts without obtaining a certificate for the right to work.

Citizens of Afghanistan and Pakistan are granted the right to rent, as well as, exceptionally, the right to purchase buildings and structures intended for trade, service and production. In this case, the right to a plot of land is transferred to the state register on the basis of the lease right in accordance with the procedure established by law.

At the same time, as a means of payment in wholesale and retail trade, as an exception, it is allowed to accept U.S. dollars, Russian rubles, euros, and yuan currencies at the same time as Uzbek soums . Cash foreign currency received in this case is transferred to the accounts of legal entities operating in the Center through branches of commercial banks established in the Center;

A modern medical clinic established in the territory of the center will provide medical services to Afghan citizens, and patients suffering from serious diseases that cannot be treated in this clinic will be given a referral to obtain medical entry visas for treatment in state and non-state medical institutions located in the territory of the republic.

Citizens of Uzbekistan, foreign citizens, as well as stateless persons are allowed to enter the territory of the center after being checked in the prescribed manner at checkpoints on the basis of an identity document, and they are given the opportunity to use all services organized in the territory of the center.

A procedure is introduced for foreign citizens and stateless persons to enter (exit) the Republic of Uzbekistan through a special corridor without obtaining an entry visa, pass border and customs control, and stay in the territory of the center for up to fifteen days.

Acquired buildings and structures intended for trade stores, service and production, as well as planned to stay in the visiting country for more than fifteen days in order to work on the basis of a contract, study in educational institutions, work in bank branches, trade and other activities foreign citizens and stateless persons are required to enter Uzbekistan with an entry visa.

According to the new regulation, in the center area:

·         Tax free rules for purchased goods are not applicable; Purchased goods are imported into the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan after payment of customs duties. In this case, duty-free import norms are not applied;

·         management, operation, rental and sale of the located objects is carried out by "Termez International Trade Center" LLC;

·         maintenance of public order, investigation and investigation of committed offenses shall be carried out in accordance with the procedure established by legislation.

The following proposals of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, Surkhandarya Regional Government, Ministry of Investments, Industry and Trade, Recovery and Development Fund and "Surkhan Industrial Supply" LLC are approved:

·         Sale of buildings and structures in the territory of the center as a property complex to "Termez International Trade Center" LLC;

·         Termination of the state unitary enterprise of the Free Trade Zone Directorate "Termiz International Trade Center" in the prescribed manner.

To transfer to Termez International Trade Center LLC the obligation to return the loan amount of 20 million US dollars allocated for the construction of the facilities of the Termiz International Trade Center at the expense of the funds of the Recovery and Development Fund to the Surkhondarya Region Hokimity of the Surkhandarya Regional Government and Termez International Trade Center LLC, and the loan repayment period will be extended until December 31, 2028.

It is planned to establish a business school in the territory of the center. An express bus service will be launched from Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan, to the central region (95 km).