The documentary backbone of a grave search in Uzbekistan rests on three sources: ZAGS (civil registry), the cemetery's own register book, and community/genealogical databases. This article is the practical walkthrough.
ZAGS Uzbekistan. The civil registry where the death was recorded keeps the death certificate, which typically lists the burial cemetery. From abroad, request a copy via the Uzbek consulate in your country or through a local lawyer in Tashkent. Turnaround: 2–3 weeks to 2–3 months.
Cemetery archive. Each major Uzbek cemetery — Botkin, Domabad, Textile, Chigatay — keeps its own registration book. Records before the 2000s are typically handwritten in Russian or Uzbek and occasionally damaged.
Genealogical databases worth checking: OBD «Memorial» (Soviet military burials, free), JewishGen Online Worldwide Burial Registry (free), IAJGS Cemetery Project (detailed Bukharian Jewish data, free).
Best practice: ZAGS certificate → cemetery archive → on-site photo. Our Premium package handles all three.
Frequently asked questions
There's no direct online portal at the Uzbek ZAGS — you need to go through the consulate or a local agent. Electronic copies are sometimes available if a relative in Uzbekistan already holds the original.
A few possible reasons: lost record, not maintained, or wrong cemetery guess. Try the alternative cemetery in the same city, verify the name spelling, cross-check with ZAGS.