More than 2.5 million Uzbeks have activated a self-imposed loan ban. How to apply for and remove this protection

More than 2.5 million Uzbek citizens have used the self-prohibition feature to obtain loans. We'll explain how to activate and deactivate this protection.

A stolen passport isn't the only way to obtain a loan in someone else's name; sometimes, a personal data leak or the dishonesty of a bank employee is sufficient. Since June 2025, residents of Uzbekistan have been able to prevent such situations in advance by voluntarily prohibiting themselves from taking out loans and microloans.

This mechanism was introduced by Law No. ZRU-1043 of the Republic of Uzbekistan dated March 4, 2025, with amendments entering into force on June 6, 2025. According to the Credit Information Analytical Center, the service is rapidly gaining popularity: by July 1, 2025, approximately 33,100 people had used it; by October 1, 2025, approximately 149,500; by January 1, 2026, 438,300; and by July 1, 2026, the number of users exceeded 2.57 million (1,497,389 men and 1,076,637 women), representing a more than 77-fold increase in one year.

Let's look at how the self-prohibition works, how it can be issued and removed, what types of loans it blocks, and who should consider this protection now.

This mechanism was introduced by Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan No. ZRU-1043 dated March 4, 2025, which amended the Law "On the Exchange of Credit Information" with a new Article 16-1. This article provides for the inclusion of information about individuals in a register of persons prohibited from entering into credit agreements. The amendments came into force on June 6, 2025.

From the moment the self-prohibition is activated, any loan request from a financial institution connected to the credit information exchange system will automatically be marked as prohibited. If a bank or microfinance organization (MFI) nevertheless issues a loan without registering, liability falls on the lender, not the person whose name was used.

**How to register a self-prohibition?**

**my.gov.uz Portal**

This is a universal option, accessible from anywhere in the world. The portal offers a service called "Setting or Removing a Ban on Entering into a Credit Agreement," which can be used to both activate and remove the ban. Authorization is performed through the OneID system.

There is also a credit bureau service provided by the Credit Information and Analytical Center (KIAC), known as "KATM." It's available as a mobile app and on the infokredit.uz website. This service only allows you to activate the ban; it can't be lifted.

An offline option is also available: visit the Public Services Center (PSC) or the KATM credit bureau office in person with your passport, where both options are available. The service is free in all cases.

Step-by-step instructions for my.gov.uz:

1. Open my.gov.uz in your browser or through the mobile app (available on Google Play and the App Store).

2. Log in through the OneID system. If you don't already have an account, you can create one at id.egov.uz using your passport series and number.

3. In the portal's search bar, enter "Institute or lift a ban on entering into a credit agreement" and open the service card.

4. Click "Get service," then select "Activate." The system will automatically process your application and enter the data into the registry. Additional identity verification via a QES or an in-person visit is not required. An electronic document confirming the service's results can be downloaded immediately after activation.

**Important details:**

The self-prohibition does not cancel existing obligations: payments on existing loans, credit cards, and installment plans must continue to be made as usual. The ban applies only to new applications. The restriction applies to virtually all official credit market participants, as connection to the credit information exchange system is mandatory for banks and microfinance organizations.

Loans issued through non-official financial institutions (for example, from friends or private individuals) are not subject to the self-prohibition, as such transactions are not processed through credit bureaus.

**How do I remove the self-prohibition?**

To remove the ban through my.gov.uz, open the same service "Implementing or removing a ban on concluding a loan agreement" and select "Deactivate." According to Article 16-1 of the Law "On the Exchange of Credit Information," applications to lift a ban, like applications to impose one, are entered into the registry by the credit bureau immediately upon receipt. Previously published information about the processing time of up to two business days for ban lifting differs from the express wording of the law regarding the immediate entry of information, so it is recommended to refer to the text of the law.

The law defines the imposition and removal of a ban as voluntary and free actions, but does not set a limit on the number of such requests; that is, repeated activations and deactivations are not prohibited by law.

**Creditor Liability**

According to Article 16-1 of the Law "On the Exchange of Credit Information," banks, non-bank credit institutions, and payment organizations operating as microfinance organizations are prohibited from entering into a credit transaction without obtaining information from the registry regarding the presence or absence of a ban for a specific individual. If a creditor violates this requirement and executes a transaction without the participation or knowledge of an individual on the registry, the law places liability for the legal consequences of such a transaction on the creditor. The law also provides for a fine of up to 5,000 basic calculation units (approximately 1.875 billion soums), but this sanction is applied by the Central Bank to the credit bureaus themselves for violations in their operations (for example, for failure to maintain a register or for violating the rights of consumers of the bureau's services), rather than directly to the bank or MFI for a specific instance of issuing a loan in violation of the self-prohibition. For banks and MFIs, the law uses a more general formulation—"liability for legal consequences"—without specifying a fixed fine for this specific violation.

**Who should consider this protection?**

You can apply from anywhere in the world through my.gov.uz; you only need access to the OneID system. This is convenient for those who are away working or on an extended business trip and cannot personally oversee financial transactions in Uzbekistan. The same logic applies to the loss or theft of a passport: while a new document is being issued, the self-prohibition prevents the possibility of applying for a loan in someone else's name. A separate category includes people who want to protect older relatives from scammers operating under the guise of "account security checks," as well as those who are paying off an existing loan and consciously want to avoid the temptation to take out a new loan before the old one is fully repaid.