How to get Iran Visa?
The valid agencies in Iran can apply for Iran Tourist Visa; all the nationalities except Israel can apply for Iran Entry Visa. For the special countries of America, Britain and Canada, the duration, the terms and conditions of Iran Visa collection is different In general, the maximum validity of traveler’s stay with tourist visa is 30 days and they are regarded as single entry. To stay longer than 30 days, visa should be extended in Iran.
You can apply for tourist visa through valid travel agencies in Iran and after sending the required documents including passport image, personal photo and visa form, the agency will send your request to Iran’s MFA and usually MFA will issue an 18-digit code after 7-10 working days. Having this code and referring to Iran’s embassy in your country, you can receive your visa stamp.
- Regarding your visa place of issue, you can choose Iran International Airports as well as Iran Embassy in your country.
- Tourist Visa consists of two costs: 1. The money that you give to the agency which is about 50 Euros. 2. Stamp fee which varies depending on your nationality and should be paid in Iran’s embassy in your country.
- We can apply for your visa as single entry. The procedures of double entry or multiple entry are different and travelers can go directly to the any embassy of Iran and apply themselves for double entry or multiple entry Iran visa.
- For receiving the visa in Iran’s embassy in your country you will need to have your original passport, Personal Photo, 18-digit authorization code and visa stamp fee.
- In some of Iran embassies and consulates, there is no need to go in person and you can follow this procedure of sending and receiving the visa stamp fee through post. You only need to call the up and check their preference.
- In general, Iran visa is valid for 3 months and at the end of these three months it is not possible to extend the visa.
- Extending the visa can be done in major and large capital cities of Iran.
Who requires Iran visa?
If you plan on traveling to Iran, you’ll need a visa to visit. You can apply for Iran visa in advance through an agency, on arrival or through MFA website. However, if you are from a country on their exempt country list, you can enter the country without one. Also, some countries are eligible for an Iran Visa on arrival, which means you can apply for a visa as soon as you land in Iran. Although a visa upon arrival is easier than having to go to the country’s embassy in your home, it is also risky since you might not be granted a visa and therefore can’t enter the country.
- All foreign visitors require a visa to enter Iran except citizens of the following countries: Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovenia and Turkey. Citizens of these countries can stay for up to 3 months without a visa.
- All nationalities are very welcome to visit Iran. The only exception is citizens of Israel. Due to the current political climate, Israeli citizens will be refused entry under all circumstances.
- At present the Iranian Foreign Ministry does not allow American passport holders to travel to Iran independently. Americans are required to travel on escorted tours; either as part of a tour group, or a tailor made individual tour. An exact itinerary, to which you must adhere, is compulsory.
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Visa Types of Iran
Airport or transit visa
Required documents:
- Visa application form, to be completed at Mehrabad Airport.
- The applicant's passport; which must be valid for at least 6 months, with a minimum of two blank pages.
- Copy of Passport (ID-page).
- One current photographs in passport format (3 x 4).
- Visa fee; paid by Banker's Draft made payable to the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
- Return envelope with address and adequate prepaid postage to cover cost of registered mail.
- Confirmed ticket to the third country for the applicants of 48 hours transit visa.
- Confirmed ticket to the third country for the applicants of 72 hours visa. And a written request by the Iranian sponsor must be sent to the passport and Visa department - Ministry of Foreign Affairs at Mehrabad Airport branch.
Diplomatic and service Iran visa
Required documents:
- Official note-verbal of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of New Zealand, respective foreign Mission, or international organization accredited to New Zealand certifying the assignment
- Applicant's original passport (valid for minimum next six months)
- Application visa form duly completed and signed by the applicant (one copy)
- One recent colored passport-size photograph
Entry Visa for Free Trade and Industrial Zone of Iran
Required documents:
- One completed visa application form.
- The applicant's passport; which must be valid for at least 6 months, with a minimum of two blank pages.
- Copy of Passport (ID-page).
- One current photographs in passport format (3 x 4).
- Visa fee; paid by Banker's Draft made payable to the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
- Return envelope with address and adequate prepaid postage to cover cost of registered mail.
Student Iran Visa
Required documents:
- One completed visa application form.
- The applicant's passport; which must be valid for at least 6 months, with a minimum of two blank pages.
- Copy of Passport (ID-page).
- Acceptance from accredited educational center.
- One current photographs in passport format (3 x 4).
- Visa fee; paid by Banker's Draft made payable to the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
- Return envelope with address and adequate prepaid postage to cover cost of registered mail.
Work Permit Iran Visa
Required documents:
- One completed visa application form.
- The applicant's passport; which must be valid for at least 6 months, with a minimum of two blank pages.
- Copy of Passport (ID-page).
- One current photographs in passport format (3 x 4).
- Visa fee; paid by Banker's Draft made payable to the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
- Return envelope with address and adequate prepaid postage to cover cost of registered mail.
Tourist and Pilgrimage Iran Visa
Required documents:
- Applicant's original passport (valid for minimum next six months)
- Application visa form duly completed and signed by the applicant (one copy)
- One recent colored passport-size photograph
- A pre-paid returning Courier envelope
- Applicable visa fee
Press Iran Visa
Required documents:
- Applicant's original passport (valid for minimum next six months)
- Application visa form duly completed and signed by the applicant (one copy)
- One recent colored passport-size photograph
- A pre-paid returning Courier envelope
- Applicable visa fee.
Required documents for Iran travel visa
These documents are needed to apply for your Iran visa at the embassy. When you have all your documents you can go to the embassy. You will have to make the deposit at the Iranian bank and come back with your payslip. The bank is very close to the embassy and they guy will give you the address. Once you show the payslip, you will have to leave your passport and come back on the next day (or the same afternoon) to collect your visa.
- passport with a minimum of 6 months validity
- passport copy
- 2 passport photos
- visa application form (to be collected and filled at the embassy)
- Personal photo with solid white background (ladies are not required to wear head coverings)
Iran Visa on Arrival (VOA)
The point worth mentioning is that although you can receive your visa upon arriving in Iran, but our suggestion is that it is safer to apply before your travel to Iran via the valid agencies to get the authorization code and the visa collection place can be International Airports of Iran which makes the time procedures easier, shorter and safer.
Visa for Americans, UK and Canadian citizens
As you may know, the MFA requires Americans, British and Canadian nationals to make a tour from arrival to departure; essentially this means you need a guide at all times you on a daily basis. Citizens of these countries need to have a confirmed itinerary, which should be requested from a valid tour company. For this, they should send a passport copy, as well as passport photos to the tour operator. Typically, getting the invitation letter takes around 30 working days. It is highly recommended that these nationalities book their international flight ticket after receiving the LOI, as there have been several refusals.
Iran Visa Extensions
Extending your visa is very easy and feasible. Typically, if you get a 1-month visa, you can extend it twice for 30 days. This means that you can travel in Iran for up to 90 days. You can extend your visa at any Immigration Visa Office in any provincial capital. Yazd or Esfahan are very popular places to extend your visa among travelers.
When you need to apply for an Iran tourist visa in advance
If you can get a visa on arrival, why should you get it in advance?
There are some exceptions:
1: You enter Iran overland
If are coming from Afghanistan, Iraq, Azerbaijan, Pakistan,Turkmenistan or Turkey, you must apply for your visa in advance.
Apparently, a VOA is available at the Armenian border but there are some reports of people who tried to cross there recently, who failed to get a visa, so don’t rely 100% on it.
2: You don’t want to wait at the airport for several hours
If you already have your visa, you can enter the country immediately. However, the VOA process takes around 2 or 3 hours.
3: To secure your visa
There are some reports from travelers who claimed that their VOA was not granted because they didn’t have a return flight ticket or because the authorities could not contact their host or any other excuse.
The percentage of people in this situation is very low but still, there might be some small risk.
4: You are an American, British or Canadian citizen
These three nationalities are not eligible for a VOA, so you will have to arrange your visa via a tour company.
How to apply for an Iran tourist visa in advance
In order to get your Iran visit visa in advance, you will have to first get a code which, basically, is a letter of invitation from a tour operator.
Once you have this code, you will be able to collect your visa at any embassy or at any airport.
Iran travel visa requirements VOA
Hotel reservation: You need to bring your hotel reservation printed out for your first night in Iran at least. If you are staying with a friend, make sure to have their contact details.
Your host contact: Have in hand your host contact details, whether it is a hotel or a friend. If they can’t contact them, you may have to wait at the airport for a very long time.
Cash, preferably in €: You must pay your visa in cash.
Travel Insuranc: All travelers must have valid travel insurance for Iran. If you do have it, you should bring any documents which prove it. If you don’t, they will make you buy it at the airport.
Which Nationalities are Visa free for travelling to Iran?
The following nationalities can enter Iran and stay in Iran for fifteen days without visa and to extend their stay they can pay a low amount of money at the affiliated to MFA offices in Iran: nationals from Bolivia, Venezuela, Serbia, Malaysia, Turkey, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Syria, Lebanon, and Egypt are eligible to enter Iran without visa. If you don’t hold a passport from any of the above countries, you must pay for your visa.
The List of Iran’s Visa Free Zones
There are a few free trade zones in Iran, which are a subgroup of special zones that have their own customs regulations, many of which having advantages for trade. These zones are positioned on Iran borders and are authentic locations with their own attractions. You can travel to the beautiful attractions of Kish Island, Qeshm Island, Chahbahar, Maku, Arvand, Anzali, and Aras without any Iran visa and stay there for fourteen days and to extend your stay, you can pay a low amount of money at the affiliated offices to MFA in Iran.
* Entry Visa for Free Trade and Industrial Zone of Iran is issued for two-week stay at the ports of entry to Free Trade and Industrial Zone of Iran (Kish Island), and may be extended up to six months at the request of authorities of these areas.
Which countries can go to Iran without a visa?
You can’t enter Iran on a free visa because only 8 countries are eligible for that. These lucky countries are Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia, Bolivia, Malaysia, Syria, Turkey, Venezuela
How long is an Iranian visa valid for?
Your passport must be valid for at least six months from your date of entry into Iran, and must have at least two blank pages. Normally, everybody traveling to Iran should be able to get a 30-day visa, regardless you enter via airport or overland.
* Airport Transit Visa is issued for 48 hours to the applicants who intend to transit through Iran.
* Airport Visa is issued at Mehrabad Airport for 72 hours for businessmen.
* The maximum duration of stay for a tourist visa is 30 days.
* Entry Visa for Free Trade and Industrial Zone of Iran is issued for two-week stay at the ports of entry to Free Trade and Industrial Zone of Iran (Kish Island), and may be extended up to six months at the request of authorities of these areas.
Which airports are eligible for an Iran tourist visa on arrival?
Tehran, Qeshm, Shiraz, Esfahan, Kish Island, Mashhad, and Tabriz
How long will it take to get an Iranian visa?
For tourist visa applications, the process will normally take around two weeks. For independent visa applications, the whole process will normally take a minimum of one month. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the sole decision making authority as to whether or not to issue your visa. If they have any concerns about your application, this could hold up the application process. It is advisable, therefore, to allow at least eight weeks before you intend to travel.
Iran Visa for the US-Iranian citizens
US-Iranian citizens who are traveling to Iran with their US passports are subject to the same visa and travel regulations as other US citizens. Therefore they must complete the same visa process.
How much does a visa to Iran cost?
For all nationalities eligible to apply for a visa on arrival in Iran, the cost is currently 75 Euros. It really depends on your nationality but, typically, prices would range from 40 to 150€.
Can Americans get Iran visa?
Americans can travel to Iran freely but they do need to know a few things about tours and visas before planning their trip.The Department of State warns U.S. citizens to carefully consider the risks of traveling to Iran but it is legal.
Is it safe to visit Iran?
Iran ;is generally a very safe place to travel, so much so that many travelers describe it as the 'safest country I've ever been to', or 'much safer than travelling in Europe'.
How is Iran for female travelers?
It is very safe for female travelers in Iran. However, in respect of Islamic culture, lone female visitors are required to be accompanied by an individual guide. Females should always wear a headscarf in their visa application photographs.
When can I collect my Visa on Arrival in Iran?
At the moment you can only apply for your Iran visa on arrival at the following international airports: Tehran Imam Khomeini Airport, Tehran Mehrabad Airport, Shiraz airport, Isfahan airport, Mashhad airport, Tabriz airport.You can not apply for a visa on arrival at the land borders, so if you are planning on overlanding into Iran you will need to get your visa before visiting.
EchoTechTeam 
