Personal experience: How I established a company in Uzbekistan in three days and even visited Samarkand

My name is Aleksandr Antipin, and I lead Metabula Games, a development studio specializing in mobile games and IT solutions for business. Recently, I became acquainted with the ecosystem of IT Park Uzbekistan and would like to share my experience. Within just a few days in Tashkent, I successfully registered a company, opened a bank account, obtained a digital signature, and even managed to visit Samarkand — a city with over 2,500 years of history. 

This experience demonstrates that Uzbekistan today is not only a country with a rich cultural heritage, but also a rapidly growing hub for IT business.

Photo: personal archive 

Why Uzbekistan?

In a context where cooperation with international clients from Russia has become increasingly complicated, Uzbekistan provides transparent and convenient mechanisms for international transactions. IT Park Uzbekistan enables companies to operate legally and directly with clients from the United States, Europe, and Asia, without intermediaries.

For the government, this serves as an instrument for stimulating IT service exports; for businesses, it represents an opportunity to receive payments from foreign clients safely and efficiently. By 2030, Uzbekistan has set an ambitious goal of increasing IT service exports to $5 billion annually — with IT Park playing a central role in this strategy.

Photo: personal archive 

Simplicity and support

Registering a company with IT Park is simpler than assembling furniture from IKEA. The process is conducted online via my.it-park.uz: an application is submitted, accompanied by a business plan, and within 15 working days the company is granted member status. Since my company was prepared in advance, in Tashkent I only needed to open a bank account and obtain a digital signature.

On my first day, I opened the account and signed all necessary documents. The process, including receiving a bank card, took approximately two hours. The digital signature was issued the following day. This signature, provided by the tax authority on a flash drive, is indispensable — serving as a universal key for conducting business.

It is also advisable to arrange a PINFL (personal identification number) in advance, particularly if you plan to open a bank card. I obtained mine remotely by proxy, so it was already available upon arrival.

IT Park also offers members the option of using a virtual office address, which is especially convenient for companies not immediately planning to rent physical premises.

The support provided by IT Park staff is particularly noteworthy: they offer consultations, assist with documentation, and make the process as clear as possible. This creates the impression that new members are genuinely welcomed. Staff members provide genuine support: they guide you on where to sign and what to complete, and even follow up to ensure that everything proceeds smoothly.

Recommendation: bring all essential documents with you — passport, tax identification number, and articles of association.

Photo: personal archive 

Tax incentives and advantages

IT Park membership provides access to a wide range of tax and administrative benefits:

• Corporate income tax: exempt if profits remain within the company. The exemption applies until 2028, and for companies with over 50% export share — until 2040.

• Personal income tax: reduced to 7.5% (instead of 12%), with an additional annual contribution of 1% to IT Park.

• Customs benefits: for the import of equipment and software.

• Employment of foreign specialists: without complicated permit procedures. IT visas are available for up to three years. Salaries may be paid in foreign currency to international bank cards. This service is particularly advantageous, as it allows me to hire developers or designers residing abroad, without encountering issues with direct and official payments to their cards.

• Export support: including consulting services for client acquisition, assistance with participation in international exhibitions. IT Park also provides marketing support, client search, and even reimbursement of travel expenses for overseas negotiations. For my company, which is focused on contracts with international legal entities, IT Park is essentially designed for this very purpose.

Consequently, the government is fostering a favorable environment in which IT companies can grow while maintaining a strong focus on the global market.

Photo: personal archive 

Life in Uzbekistan

To my surprise, I was met not by scorching sun, but by rain and a pleasant 15°C instead of the usual +30°C,, which made my stay particularly comfortable. The city itself felt welcoming: wide avenues, abundant greenery, and an overall enjoyable atmosphere.   

Tashkent impressed me as a modern and livable city. Affordable transportation, high-quality service in restaurants and cafés, and well-developed infrastructure — from ride-hailing apps to major retailers — create familiar conditions for expatriates. 

I dedicated my final day to cultural exploration. Visiting Samarkand was like traveling back in time: 2,500 years of history, grand mosques, mausoleums, and the enchanting atmosphere of an Aladdin-like story. I walked through Registan, enjoyed traditional plov at a teahouse, and took countless photographs. If you visit Uzbekistan, set aside a day for Samarkand — you will not regret it.

I traveled to Samarkand on the high-speed Afrosiyob train and, in just two hours, arrived in the capital of Amir Temur.

Photos: personal archive 

Lessons and recommendations

While the overall process is straightforward, certain nuances must be considered:

• Obtaining a digital signature requires additional time — plan your trip for at least two days.
• For payments and cash withdrawals, it is best to use UnionPay or local cards (opening a local card requires a PINFL).
• Entrusting accounting to professionals is advisable to avoid errors in local tax compliance — I outsourced mine immediately.

Photo: personal archive 

Uzbekistan as a new IT hub

IT Park Uzbekistan represents far more than tax benefits and simplified registration procedures. It is a platform that provides IT companies with access to international markets, facilitates client acquisition, and contributes to the development of the national digital economy.

For me, this experience reaffirmed that Uzbekistan is truly emerging as a new IT hub of Central Asia, with IT Park serving as the key entry point for companies seeking to expand their business on a global scale.

Photo: personal archive