Iran - Andrew Burke [328]
At the time of writing it was actually harder to get a visa than it has been for several years. When we visited in 2003 and 2005 it was simply a matter of applying to the embassy, paying the money and waiting (admittedly, several weeks) for the visa – we were even granted 45 days in 2005. But by 2007 the embassy told us to not even bother submitting the forms unless we had a ‘sponsor’. This requirement for an Iranian sponsor has become almost universal in the past couple of years. Fortunately, it’s not as big an obstacle as it sounds. For most people, their ‘sponsor’ will be a visa agency or travel agency. The good news is that using an agency should (this is not guaranteed) make the process faster and simpler – for us, we had the visa in our passport nine days after contacting the agency. See below for all the details.
So before you shut the book and start planning a holiday to Turkey instead, take comfort in the knowledge that most people do eventually get a visa, usually for 30 days (which can then easily be extended – see the boxed text, opposite). And once they’ve been to Iran, almost everyone thinks the hassle was worth it.
For details on the back-door route through Kish Island, see Ministry of Foreign Affairs Kish office, Click here.
Applications for Visas
Turkish passport holders can get a three-month tourist visa on arrival. Everyone else will need to pay and apply well ahead of departure; to be safe that means at least a month but usually longer. Israelis (and anyone with an Israeli stamp in their passport) are not allowed in under any circumstances. Contrary to popular misconception, US citizens are welcome, but need to be on a tour (an organised group or private guide) or be prepared to badger the Iranian-interests section in Washington for many months.
PROCESS
All visa applicants must be ‘approved’ by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tehran. At the time of writing the official approval times were about five to seven working days, unless you’re using a British, Canadian or Danish passport (10 to 15 days) or a US passport (45 days!). If you’re approved, the MFA sends an approval number to the relevant embassy by telex, which can take a couple of days (why not by email? We don’t know either). When the relevant embassy or consulate has this number, take or send your passport in, with the fully completed paperwork, photos and fee, and (if you are using an agency – see Sponsors, opposite, for more details) a note with your approval number. The visa should then be issued in a day or two.
Don’t be put off if you’re refused a visa the first time you apply. Although it won’t help future applications, some travellers have been successful at a second attempt even at the same consulate, notably by using a different agency.
Note that all applications stall when the MFA in Tehran closes for holidays. That includes two full weeks between about 21 March and 3 April for No Ruz.
Once visas are issued you must enter Iran within 90 days. If you’re on a long trip this can be a hassle, so we recommend contacting an agency about two months before you want to enter Iran, nominate an embassy/consulate nearer to Iran (in Turkey, Azerbaijan or Pakistan, for example), and get your approval number sent to that embassy.
Getting the Paperwork Right
However you choose to apply, you’ll need to supply full personal details, copies/scans of your passport, an outline of your itinerary and photographs. For women, you’ll probably need to have your hair covered (any scarf will do) in the photo. Some embassies/consulates even require you to be covered when going to collect your visa.
While we don’t advocate lying on your application form, don’t complicate matters unnecessarily by claiming you’re something unloved like a journalist or, according to one woman we heard from,