Uz visa in London (UK Passport)

I went to the consulate today. I had filled in (in pen) two downloaded application forms, as the consulate website instructs. They took these and the photos (but not my passport), and told me I also had to register for a visa online: evisa.mfa.uz

They confirmed you don't need a LOI, and also said processing a visa would "normally" take a week (5 working days).

I did the online visa, which tells you to print out a copy of the application and take it to the embassy. Now the questions start.

1. Do I need to take the printed evisa application to the embassy? Logically it makes no sense, but...
2. At what point do I need to give them my passport? This is important because I'm trying to get a Taj visa as well in limited time.
3. Can anyone confirm that the visa REALLY IS given a week later?

Thanks for any help. It's the worst trip I've undertaken in terms of visa-madness!

Going my your post I'm assuming you are in London. I would only hand in your passport and do NOT post it. I had a nightmare getting the embassy to pick up my passport from the post office (next day delivery) even though they knew I was leaving in a few days...I only just got it at the very last post otherwise wouldn't have been able to do my trip...despite speaking to several people as well as the consul about the situation.
It took me over 3 weeks to get my passport back, and that was with an LOI.
Others have taken twice as long.
Likely to be different handing it in in person though - see my other post on this and somone elses. They really didn't give a crap about our situation.

I can concur with udgettravelnotes as to delays - took me five or six weeks from posting my application to receiving my visa.

I printed out the visa form, handed it in on Monday with two copies of the form, my passport, copy of my LOI and it was ready on wednesday.

very quick, but i had a LOI sent in advance by advantours.

Thanks for the info. My guess is the evisa system is new (the software is dated 2009) and they haven't updated their website. The LOI may not be compulsory but I suspect it speeds things up - perhaps it means they don't have to refer to Tashkent if you have it.

Anyone looking for a visa might note the evisa.mfa.uz address. It's basically asking the same information as the (now redundant?) downloadable forms.

At a tangent, I went to the Taj embassy today and the service was really friendly and personal.

I had a LOI and it made no difference. The big problem I had was that my passport arrived on a day the Embassy wasn't open (a Thursday at 12:42) and therefore got taken back to the Post Office sorting office, and no-one would go and pick it up from there for me.

I delivered my passport and application, and did get my visa within about a week. I cant remember for sure if it was within 5 working days but, if not, it would not have been much beyond that.

Couldn't agree more with #4's comments about the Taj embassy. I've also been there, and the service was excellent.