International airports in Karshi, Navoi, Nukus, and Termez are connected to the Tax-Free system. They now have counters of the Tax Committee under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan, where foreign tourists can apply for a refund of part of the value-added tax (VAT) for goods of specific categories they purchased.

The list of goods subject to the Tax-Free program was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan in November 2022. It includes nuts, fruits and dried fruits, textiles, leather goods, fur products, souvenirs, and more.

Upon arrival in Uzbekistan, tourists must install the Soliq mobile application and register in it to receive cashback. Receipts must be scanned during the stay in the country. Upon departure, the tourist must check-in for the flight and contact the tax department employees at the Tax-Free counter, presenting them with their boarding pass and purchased goods.

The total purchases participating in the cashback program must be at least 1 million UZS. Products must be in original packaging and remain intact.

After checking the condition of the goods, tax officials will issue cashback to the tourist’s card. Depending on the product category, the payment amount will be up to 90 percent. The money will be credited to the foreigner’s account after the 25th day of the month following the month in which the return was registered. You can receive a VAT refund within three months after purchasing the product.

Roman Bondarchuk, UzA