Iran Tourist Visa Information

General Information :

All visitors must obtain Iran Tourist Visa , valid max 30 days, from one of the Iranian embassies or consulates, unless they are from Iran visa free countries or countries eligible to obtain Iran visa on arrival (Iran airport visa). Fortunately, due to recent changes in Iran visa policy (to welcome more tourists to Iran), today most nationalities can apply and get an Iranian visa on arrival. There are only 10 countries which need to get their Iran visa pre-arrival from Iran embassies or consulates: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Canada, Colombia, Iraq, Jordan, Pakistan, Somalia, United Kingdom, and United States.

Please note that British, Canadian and American citizens are permitted to travel to Iran only through the official government approved escorted tours. It means they can’t travel individually inside Iran. This is an exception to Iranian visa policy.

·        Israel citizens are totally banned from entry to Iran.

How To Get Iran Tourist  Visa :

It is very  easy to get Iran visa in below 2 steps. In fact, Iran visa policy and regulations are not complicated at all and due to new changes in Iranian visa policy, most nationalities (expect 10 countries) are eligible to apply for an Iran visa on arrival (Iran airport visa) at Iran international airports.

Step 01: Get Iran visa grant notice (Iran visa authorisation code) through an authorised Iranian travel agency.

Required documents for visa grant code:

·       Fill visa application form

·       Digital photo or scan of the passport (JPG file in color at least 500 kb)

·       Digital passport photo (color, JPG, minimum 250 kb)
Note: British, American and Canadian nationalities need to provide their flight information and C.V for getting visa grant notice.

How long It takes to  get Iran Visa Grant Notice:

Getting Iran visa grant notice takes about 7 working days. For British, Canadian and American citizens, it takes about 30-40 working days to get the Visa grant code.

Validity of  Iran Visa Grant Notice :

·       Tourists  are  going to collect their visa at airport, validity of Visa Grant Notice is 90 days. This means you should collect your visa at the period to stay MAX 30 days in Iran as a tourist.

 

·       Tourists are going to collect their visa at Iranian embassy, Validity of Visa Grant Notice is 30 days. This means you should refer to embassy at the period to have your visa to stay MAX 30 days in Iran as a tourist .

Step 02:  After getting Iran visa grant notice (Iran visa authorisation code), You can refer to one of the Iranian embassies or consulate or have it upon arrival at International airports of Iran.

Required documents for getting Iran visa :

1. Passport (valid for at least 6 months)
2. A photo
3. A print of the visa grant
4. Cash for payment visa fee
5. Printed travel insurance valid for Iran (or have Iranian travel insurance on arrival at the airport)
6. A confirmed return ticket within a 30-day timeframe (for visa on arrival)

Update: No Iranian stamp will be put in your passport anymore if you have a printed visa grantran Visa.

Visa On Arrival:

Holders of normal passports traveling as tourist can obtain a visa on arrival for a maximum stay of 30 days (extendable for another 15 days), at the following airports:

·       Isfahan International Airport (Isfahan)

·       Kish International Airport (Kish Island)

·       Mashhad International Airport (Mashhad)

·       Dayrestan Airport (Qeshm Island)

·       Shiraz International Airport (Shiraz)

·       Tabriz International Airport (Tabriz)

·       Imam Khomeini International Airport

Countries whose Nationals CANNOT Apply for Iran Visa on Arrival:

Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Colombia, Iraq, Jordan, Nepal, Somalia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka.

American, British and Canadian passport holders also cannot get a visa on arrival. Citizens of these countries also can’t ‘just go’ to Iran and are only allowed in when on an organised tour with a guide.

Visa Exemption:

Based on recent Iran visa policy, citizens of the following countries don’t need Iran visa to enter Iran:

·       Armenia – 90 days within 180 days

·       Azerbaijan – 30 days

·       Bolivia – 30 days

·       China -23 days

·       Georgia – 45 days

·       Malaysia – 15 days

·       Syria – 90 days

·       Turkey – 90 days