Having information about Iran visa policy and its process brings you peace of mind and saves your time and energy. Here is an ultimate guide to collecting an Iran visa.
General tips about Iran visa
If you have dual nationality you should announce it according to your travel documents and passport that you want to carry. Because If the nationality printed on the visa is incompatible with the nationality printed on the passport, the visa will be null.
Some visa applicants may need to attend a visa interview, though some applicants may not. You should wait until your application passes all required process within 10 business days. If the embassy or consulate informs you that you must have a visa interview, you should attend the interview to complete your visa application process.
To apply for all kinds of Iran visa, your passport should have at least six months of validity, beyond your travel date. Otherwise, you cannot submit your visa application.
According to Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, if you visited Israel more than six months prior to your application for an Iran visa, you can get an Iran visa. Otherwise, your visa would be rejected.
Iran isn’t stamping passports anymore except for nine countries that are eligible for Iran VOA. Hence, for other countries, they give you a separate piece of paper. To extend the visa, you will get a full page stamp.
Israeli citizens cannot enter Iran. If your previous nationality is Israeli, you cannot collect an Iran visa as well.
Which countries do not need to apply for Iran visa?
Based on mutual agreement, citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Bolivia, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Georgia, Armenia, Venezuela, Egypt, Malaysia, and China are exempt from applying for a visa to enter Iran.
So if you don’t hold a passport from any of the above countries, you must apply for your visa.
Who is eligible for an Iran visa on arrival (VOA)?
All citizens can get Iran VOA except citizens of Canada, the UK, the US, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Colombia, Jordan, Pakistan, and Somalia.
Besides, the Iranian nationals holding other nationality’s passport are not allowed to get Iran visa on arrival.
Remember that an Iran visa on arrival is issued for tourist purposes only. So diplomatic passport and official passports cannot apply for this type of Iran visa.
All nationalities who are eligible for a VOA can get a 14-day free Iran tourist visa if they remain in Kish Island, Persian Gulf.
What is the process of an Iran visa on arrival or an E visa Iran?
When you arrive in Iran, at the international airports of the country, you have to fill up an application form and then you should pay your visa fee receipt at the cashier in dollars or euros in cash.
Then, you have to deliver your passport, application form, and receipt to the visa officer and wait for your turn. They will call your name and give your passport back to you with your visa in it or ask you some additional questions before handing your passport over. The whole process may take 20 Minutes to some hours.
Remember to check your visa carefully and let the officer know if there’s anything that is not true about the date or your identification.
Which documents do I need for Iran VOA?
1. A valid passport with at least 6 months validity
2. Two passport photos to be attached to the Iran visa application form:
Although visa officers take the needed picture with a digital camera but having photos make the procedure faster and easier (for female travelers the picture should be with Hijab)
3.Visa fee in cash, to be paid to the airport’s Iran Visa & Passport Office
Iran VOA fee depends on your nationality. At the moment it’s somewhere between 75-150 euros. However, it may be slightly different. Here you can find the Iran visa fee for your nationality:
Iran VOA fee for different countries
4. A confirmed return ticket/hotel voucher
It is not necessary but if you have a rigid plan, your return ticket is a good document. However, a lot of travelers do not have a definite plan and any return ticket and is fine.
Sometimes, the officer may ask about the hotel reservation. It is a good idea to bring the hotel reservation or voucher you booked for the first days of your sojourn with you.
5. Travel/medical insurance
It is needed for any kind of Iran visa. The terms “Middle East” or “Asia” are not acceptable. Your insurance company should announce that the visa is valid for Iran. Although you can buy insurance at the airport from 14 to 34 euros or buy it in advance through a travel agency.
How long is Iran visa valid for?
On the Iran visa sticker, you can find the visa validity. Most of the time it is valid for 30 days. However, if you do not travel to Iran in that period, you should re-apply for a new visa.
When you should get an Iran visa in advance from an embassy?
If you want to enter Iran from the land border, it is wise to get your Iran visa in advance. Since at Iran border with Afghanistan, Iraq, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Armenia, and Turkey there is no office to issue Iran VOA.
If you are a citizen of the country who is exempt from Iran VOA, you should apply for a visa at Iran’s embassy or consulate in your country.
Besides, if you get your visa in advance, you don’t have to wait for VOA at the airport anymore and you can enter the country immediately. Also, if you don’t have a return flight, you are not concerned anymore about the issuing of your visa.
The document you need to collect for Iran visa at an embassy:
1.Passport with a minimum of 6-months’ validity
2. A copy of passport
3. two photo size pictures (female travelers the picture should be with Hijab)
4. Visa application form (to be filled at the embassy)
5. Visa application reference number, which you get from the E-visa website of the Iran Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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.
Britons and American citizens should have a confirmed itinerary, which should be requested from a valid tour company. We, at Exotigo, provides you with different kinds of tour packages. You can find your favorite tour and book it on Exotigo.
Apply online for your Iran visa!
We, at Exotigo, are happy to assist you to get an Iran visa in no time. All things you should do is to fill in the online visa application form in five minutes. It usually takes no more than 3-5 working days, and we provide you with an authentication code by which, the visa is at your hand, and you can collect your visa at an Iranian embassy or an airport in no time.
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