Not everyone knows that paper documents no longer need to be brought to customs posts and that many procedures can now be completed remotely.
In the latest episode of the Qulay hayot (“Convenient Life”) project, Customs Committee staff discussed how digitalization has made the system more convenient for citizens.
— We are at the Customs Committee’s remote electronic declaration post. Declarations for foreign-trade cargo arrive here from every part of Uzbekistan, including export, import and cargo customs declarations. Our staff secure an average of around UZS 300 billion in customs payments for the state budget each day. Previously, clearance took place locally and, whether we liked it or not, human intervention and corruption risks existed. Today, the officer processing a cargo declaration does not know in advance which entrepreneur’s cargo they will handle, the specialist says.
— Is that no longer possible?
— No. When a declaration arrives, it is processed through a green, red or yellow channel. There is no need for direct contact between the customs officer and the entrepreneur.
— This is one of the most important aspects of digitalization.
— Exactly. The aim is to accelerate the process, reduce businesses’ time and costs and, above all, prevent corruption risks by eliminating human intervention.
— How much have digitalization and the complete removal of human intervention helped entrepreneurs?
— Let me explain simply. During the first six months of 2026, entrepreneurs engaged in foreign trade submitted 605,000 cargo customs declarations electronically. This reduced paperwork. Previously, declarations were completed on paper, with a typical set weighing approximately 300 grams.
Imagine receiving 605,000 such declarations. Besides the declaration itself, there are accompanying transport documents, permits, certificates and opinions from other agencies. The greater the variety of goods, the larger the attachments. First of all, we eliminated this paperwork.
The stages of digitalization are generally described as electronic, digital and intelligent customs. We are now at the intelligent-customs stage: the system assigns declarations to green, red or yellow channels according to risk. In these six months, 21% of the 605,000 declarations — stated as 120,000 — were processed without staff involvement; no one even pressed a button.
— Not even one button?
— Correct. A declaration enters the system, and logical checks and AI components enable it to be processed automatically, followed by a notification to the entrepreneur. We call this “clearance without human intervention.”
— What is the probability of an error in such clearance?
— There are no errors at all. The mechanism operates using defined algorithms. If an entrepreneur has a clean history, has not violated customs rules, has paid on time and has complete documentation, the system processes the declaration automatically.
— How much time did businesses previously spend completing these documents, and how long does the electronic process take now?
— For example, first-time exporters or importers often lacked the skills to complete declarations independently and incurred extra costs by using customs brokers. Now the system completes a simplified declaration itself. You enter the contract and accompanying transport documents, and the system generates the declaration automatically from the information.
Previously, even a single error in paper documents meant they were returned, wasting days. By the end of the six-month period, nearly 45,000 entrepreneurs engaged in exports and imports were reporting substantially shorter clearance times.
The targeting center and risk monitoring
Did you know that monitoring can begin before you board a flight to Uzbekistan from abroad? If illegal goods or substances are involved, checks take place upon arrival at the airport. How is this achieved? The Customs Committee’s targeting center provides the answer.
— The targeting center is part of the Risk Monitoring Department. Its main task is effective customs control of vehicles and people crossing the border using risk-management systems. It uses more than 60 automated systems, modern equipment and a nationwide camera network; the original report gives the camera count as “more than 3,000 thousand.”
— What are staff monitoring here?
— Staff are assigned to customs control, railways and international airports. For example, Aviapioneer lets us track flights heading to Uzbekistan in real time. If a flight from Istanbul to Tashkent has 127 passengers and six are identified as high-risk, monitoring begins before the aircraft lands.
Personal information generated after ticket purchase and risk profiles are used. Smart cameras and Face ID systems at airports identify these passengers and notify inspectors.
— Can we say that the chance of someone bringing illegal goods or substances into Uzbekistan without being caught is zero?
— Absolutely! We can answer confidently because coverage includes not only air passengers but also arrivals by rail, freight vehicles, cars and buses.
Nevertheless, some people try to conceal drugs inside their bodies. Body scanners, X-ray equipment and service dogs help in such cases. However sophisticated the system, the individual alertness and vigilance of customs officers also play a decisive role.
Remote electronic declarations and integration with partner agencies
— We are now at the remote electronic declaration post. What work is done here?
— An average of 150 staff work here. The risk-management system assigns declarations to green, yellow or red channels. Green-channel declarations are processed entirely by AI without an officer’s involvement. Officers conduct documentary checks in the yellow and red channels. The post processes an average of 3,000–4,000 cargo customs declarations daily and transfers UZS 300 billion to the state budget.
Previously, importing or exporting certain goods required opinions and certificates from other bodies, such as the Ministry of Health or the Standardization Agency. Businesses lost time collecting documents but directed their complaints at customs. Now all relevant ministries and agencies are integrated through customs’ Single Window information system. As soon as an entrepreneur receives another agency’s approval, it appears automatically in our system.
The unified portal, cybersecurity and future plans
— How many customs services can be accessed through my.gov.uz today?
— Around 20 interactive electronic customs services are available through the portal. We are also working to combine the passenger customs declaration application and electronic queue systems into a single application. Integration has reached a high level.
— How well protected is citizens’ personal information when they use customs services?
— The Customs Committee has a dedicated Cybersecurity Department. Data is securely stored on our own server equipment. Daily information attacks are promptly neutralized.
— What further improvements are planned for the coming years?
— Digitalization never stands still. Previously, after crossing the border, cargo had to travel to an inland post for clearance. To avoid this, terminals have been opened next to border customs posts. Cargo is now fully cleared at the border before being delivered to the business. We plan to double the coverage of clearance directly at border posts.
Authorized Economic Operator status has been introduced to support law-abiding, honest businesses. It allows them to defer customs payments and deliver goods directly to their own warehouses for clearance. Measures are being taken to increase their number from 100 to 200.
Call-center and chatbot services
Citizens with questions or problems concerning customs operations can contact the 24/7 call center. Since the beginning of the year, operators have received 152,842 inquiries, answering immediately or connecting callers to specialists.
The Customs Committee’s official website also has a dedicated AI chatbot. It has already answered thousands of citizens’ inquiries online.
Source: egov.uz
