Iran tourist visa

Acquiring a tourist visa to Iran is becoming easier and easier. The Iranian government wants to boost tourism and therefore strives to make the visa policy simpler for foreign visitors.All nationalities except Israeli passport holders can apply for an Iranian tourist visa. The process is faster and easier for those who are eligible for a visa on arrival (VOA). Nevertheless, it is good to know the simplest way to get a visa for Iran and be aware of all the requirements.

Visa free countries (Countries that can visit Iran without a visa):

The length of a visa free stay is different for each country and may change over time. For example, a Turkish citizen can stay for up to 3 months but Malaysians 15 days only. Please contact your local Iranian embassy for updated information. 

Armenia 90 days within 180 days

Azerbaijan 30 days

Bolivia 30 days

China 21 days

Egypt 20 days

Georgia 45 days

Hong Kong 21 days

Lebanon 30 days

Macau 21 days

Malaysia 15 days

Oman 30 days

Syria 90 days

Turkey 3 months

Venezuela 15 days

Countries that cannot get a visa on arrival and will need to have a visa before arriving:

Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, Bangladesh, Jordan, Sri Lanka, Canada, Nepal, United Kingdom, Colombia, Pakistan, United States and Yemen.

Afghan and Bengali Citizens must complete applications IN PERSON at the Iranian embassy or consulate in their native country.

How to get your Tourist Visa:

There are two ways to get a tourist visa for Iran: 1) you can apply yourself or 2) use a visa/travel agency. Either way you can choose the place you want to collect your visa: at the airport upon arrival or at a particular embassy or consulate. Here both ways are explained:

A) Get your visa yourself

The following countries are eligible for a 14-to-30-day VOA with no pre-arrangements:

Most European countries, Asia, Persian Gulf, Central Asia, Australia, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and South American countries. (Please contact the Iranian embassy to confirm your eligibility as the rules may change at times). Simply fill out the form at the VOA counter of your arrival airport, submit your documents and get your visa.  

Entry points that issue visa on arrival:

Although VOA’s are available at most international Iranian airports, it’s best to fly into Imam Khomeini International Airport, Tehran (IKA) to avoid any issues.

The Documents you will need to obtain your visa:

 

Some travelers choose this way; however, it has some degree of the possibility of rejection (less than 5%). To be on the safe side I recommend you go with the pre-arrival application.

Visa on Arrival is officially only for airports, not for land borders. Therefore, travelers who arrive in Iran overland cannot get a VOA. They need to get their visa at an Iranian embassy/consulate before arrival.

Pre-arrival Application

To minimize the visa rejection risk and save time at the airport, you can directly apply on the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) website a few weeks before departure to get your e-visa. The process is pretty simple and straight forward. Here are the steps:

1)   Go to e-visa portalof the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA)

2)   Start a Visa Application. Fill out the form and upload the required documents. You need to select the airport or embassy where you want to pick up your visa. Please be careful to choose the right option as it will be a hassle to change the location once you submit the application. You may be asked to confirm your email address while putting in your information.

3)   You will get a submission notice with a tracking code.

4)   Normally in 5-7 working days you will receive a “Visa Grant Notice” which says your visa is ready to collect. There is a small chance (less than 3%) that your visa application is rejected. But do not lose hope! See option 2 (Get a travel agency to get a visa for you).

5)   You should go to the embassy/airport you specified in the application with your printed visa grant notice, passport and cash to pay for the visa fee and pick up your visa.

A sample of a Visa Grant Notice:
Iran tour guide

How long is the grant notice valid for? Please refer to the visa grant validity on your “visa grant notice”. It usually has 3 months validity which means you have to get your visa by that date. Please do not apply for the visa too early, especially if you want to pick it up at the airport. Usually, 4-5 weeks before arrival is a good time to apply.

Visa validity:

The visa is usually valid for 3 months from the day you receive it. This means you have to enter the country within 3 months of receiving it. So, you can enter the day before the visa expires, and then still enjoy Iran for as long as your visa duration states.

The Iranian visa is now a separate piece of paper as a proper e-visa has to be. Moreover, they don’t stamp passports anymore. This means that if you want to go to the USA, you’ll face no issues with your US visa application. However, if you decide to do an Iran visa extension, you will get a full-page stamp.

Your application gets stuck!

5 to 10 days after your application, it should be approved and you should be able go to the Embassy with your reference number. However, some people don’t get a reply within this time. Nothing is happening, your application is stuck. The worse problem here is that once you have applied through the e-visa system, it is difficult to cancel your application and try again through a tour operator.

To solve this problem, you may:

  1. Go to an embassy and ask them to cancel your application, so you can apply again through a tour operator. This has worked for some.
  2. Ask embassy staff to inquire about your application in Tehran and move it along quickly. This has also worked for some.
  3. Take a flight and get a visa on arrival which has a small chance of rejection.

B) Engage a travel agency to get a visa for you

The other way to get a visa is applying via a travel agency which charges an application fee. You might go with the second option for these reasons:

1) Your own application is rejected because it says you should “apply via a host or agency”.

2) Your application gets stuck.

3) You do not have the time or the patience. Generally, a valid travel agency is faster and has a better chance of getting visas for its clients because it is considered as a reliable sponsor by MFA.

4) Some nationalities have to use an agency because they cannot travel to Iran independently.

In this way you fill out a visa form and send your documents to a travel agency. It submits them to the MFA and after a while the agency sends you your “visa grant notice”, what they call “Authorization Number” or “Visa Code”. The duration of processing this code varies depending on your nationality. Generally, for most nationalities, it will take around 3-5 working days, and for special nationalities such as Americans, British nationals and Canadians, it will take 8-10 weeks. You can then go to the Iranian embassy/airport you specified and receive your visa.

Iran tourist visa

Visas for US, UK and Canadian passport holders: 

Contrary to what you hear and see in the media, Iran is one of the friendliest and culturally-rich countries you’ll ever visit. And no, the people do not hate Americans, Brits or Canadians. That’s fear-mongering and it is far from reality. However, there are more regulations for travelling to Iran for these citizens, which stem from unfriendly relations between Iran and these countries.

Travelers applying for visas with passports from the United States, Britain and Canada only qualify for a pre-arranged tourist visa. These nationalities cannot travel in Iran on their own; they need to join a group tour or arrange a private tour with a certified guide who should accompany them for the duration of the trip. They also have to provide detailed information regarding their travel, including but not exclusive to itinerary, accommodation, exact dates of arrival and departure and resume.

They need to contact an Iranian travel agency and have them apply for a travel authorization code from the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) on their behalf. The visa usually takes between 2 to 3 months to process, and to be honest, there is a certain degree of rejection risk.

What will increase my chance of rejection?

Anyone with an Israeli stamp in their passport (or exit stamps at the relevant Jordanian or Egyptian border crossings that imply you must have entered Israel) may not get a visa. The visa officials seem to be more lenient in recent years though. I had a client with an Israeli stamp who got a visa. If you have such a stamp, it is necessary to get your visa before arrival.

Submitting your application at the airport (for VOA) also has a small chance of rejection.

Not observing Islamic dress code (Long-sleeved shirts and pants for men and women. Women must wear a headscarf upon arrival). Please see tips to know before travelling to Iran.

There are certain occupations that are exposed to a higher risk of rejection. These include journalists, photographers, filmmakers or anything related to media, government workers, contractors, or anyone connected to a foreign government.

With the exception of ex-Israeli nationality, other previous nationalities won’t usually affect your application.

Visa Duration & Extensions

Your visa on arrival for Iran now lasts for 15 or 30 days, depending on the request. It can be extended for another 15 or 30 days at any immigration office around the country, but it is better to be done in Tehran, Isfahan, Shiraz, and Mashhad. The process usually takes one working day and around 1-4 hours. However, if the visa is not renewed at this time, the passport remains in the hands of the foreign police department until the visa is issued. It’s important to note that the extension starts on the day the extension is issued, not from the end of the original visa.

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Iran Visa

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Hello!
My name is Moein and I am an experienced licensed tour manager and guide. I am familiar with all places and events in Iran and committed to ensuring your time with me is a well-balanced mix of wonder, education and fun.