IRAN: Visas For Iran

Obtaining A Visa For Iran

30-day tourist visas are currently the norm for visitors to Iran, though Turkish passport holders and Macedonian passport holders are issued a 3-month visa on arrival.

Passport holders from Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait, Oman, and Saudi Arabia presently do not need a visa to enter Iran.

Visitors from Israel are not issued visas, nor people with Israeli stamps in their passports.

If your Iranian visa is refused for any reason, you may not have the application fee returned to you in some cases.

Most visa applicants now need a "sponsor" to gain a visa, which is most cases will be a visa or travel agency.

You will require a passport with more than six months validity, four passport-sized photos, the visa fee and a reference number issued by the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Iran Visas for US Nationals
Allow yourself plenty of time before departure to secure your visa. US visitors may only be issued a visa as part of a group tour or an individual tour.

In order to get your visa for Iran apply to an approved Iranian travel agent in your country of residence. The approved Iranian travel agent will apply to the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on your behalf. Following authorization by the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs your visa will be sent to the nearest Iranian Embassy or Consulate (see below) and you will receive a reference number to allow you to process and receive your Iran visa.

Once you have applied in good time (typically up to 6 weeks before you depart) and receive your visa you must enter Iran within 90 days. Usually the applicant must fill out 2 application forms, present 2 photographs (women may need to be photographed with hair covered), have a passport with at least 6 months validity and pay the visa fee.

Types of Iran Visas
There are different kinds of visas to enter Iran including: Business Visa, Entry Visa, Tourist Visa, Transit Visa and Journalist Visa.

Extending Your Iran Visa
If you wish to extend your visa for Iran, this can be done relatively smoothly in Tehran or other major cities including Esfahan, Kerman, Mashhad, Tabriz, Shiraz, and Zahedan at the provincial police station.

Visa On Arrival
Passport-holders from Albania, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Colombia, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, Netherlands, New Zealand, North Korea, Norway, Oman, Palestine, Poland, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovenia, Slovakia, South Korea, Spain, Syria, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam are eligible to obtain a visa upon arrival (VOA) at Iranian airports.

These visas are of 15 days validity and can be extended for a further 15 days at Iranian international airports (see the list below) or immigration offices.

Visa on Arrival Airports
Tehran Imam Khomeini Airport (IKA), Tehran Mehrabad Airport (THR), Mashad Airport (MHD), Shiraz Airport (SYZ), Tabriz Airport (TBZ) and Isfahan Airport (ISF).

*Note: your visa may be denied on arrival (for example if you have an Israeli stamp or you have been refused a visa in the past). It is recommended you obtain a visa for Iran before arrival.

Iranian Embassies Overseas

Australia
25 Culgoa Circuit OMalley
ACT 2606 Canberra
Tel: 02 6290 2427

Canada
245 Metcalfe St.
Ottawa, Ontario
K2P 2K2
Tel: 613 233 4726

Denmark
Engskiftevej 6
2100 Copenhagen
Tel: 391 600 71

France
4, Avenue D'Iiena
75116 Paris
Tel: 01 406 97900

Germany
Podbielskiallee 65/67,
14195 Berlin
Tel: 030 84 3530

Indonesia
Jalan HOS Cokroaminoto 110,
Menteng, Jakarta 10310
Phone : 21 3193 1378

Ireland
72 Mount Merrion Avenue
Blackrock
Dublin
Telephone: 01 288 5881

Japan
3-13-9 Minami Azabu,
Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0047
Tel: 03 3446 8011

Netherlands
Duinweg 20
2585JX Den Haag
Tel: 070 354 8483

New Zealand
151 Te Anua Road,
Hataitai, Wellington
Tel: 04 386 2976

Norway
Drammens veien 88 E
0244 Oslo
Tel: 23 27 29 60

United Kingdom
16 Princes Gate,
London SW7 1PT
Tel: 0207 225 3000

United States of America
The Iranian Interests Section of the Pakistan Embassy
2209 Wisconsin Avenue, N.W.
Washington 20007
Tel: 202 965 4990


Embassies & Consulates in Tehran
Your country's embassy or consulate is invaluable in an emergency. Embassies are usually able to supply information on local lawyers, doctors and interpreters as well as help in the case of stolen or lost passports and travel documents.

It may be advisable to register with your embassy by phone on arrival in Iran and to inform them on your departure.

Australia

No. 13, 23rd Street, Khalid Islamboli Avenue,
Tehran 15138, Iran
Tel: 021 8872 4456

Canada

57 Shahid Sarafaz Street, Ostad Motahari Avenue
Tehran 15868
Tel: 021 8873-2623-6

France

85 Nofl Loshato Street (rue Neauphle-le-Château)
Tehran 11348
Tel: 021 6670 60 05-08

Germany

Ferdowsi Avenue, 320-324
Tehran
Tel: 021 311 41 11

India

46, Mir Emad Street, Motahari Street,
Tehran
Tel: 021 875 51 03-5

Ireland

North Kamranieh Avenue
Bonbast Nahid Street, No. 9
Tehran 19369
Tel: 021 2280 3835

Japan

Bucharest Avenue, Corner of the 5th Street,
Tehran, (P.O. Box No. 11365-814)
Tel: 021 8717 923

Netherlands

Darrous, Shahrzad Blvd, Kamasaie Street, First East Lane No. 33
Tehran (P.O. Box 11365-138)
Tel: 021 256 70 05-7

New Zealand

No. 34, corner of 2nd Park Alley, Sosan Street
North Golestan Complex, Aghdasiyeh Street
Niavaran (PO Box 15875-4313)
Tehran
Tel: 021 280 0289

Switzerland

Elahieh, Ave Sharifi Manesh
13, Yasaman Street
P.O. Box 19395-4683
1964963751 Tehran
Tel: 021 2200 83 33

Embassy of Switzerland – U.S. Interests Section

Africa Ave, West Farzan Str. no. 59
P.O. Box 19395-4683
1968845114 Tehran
Tel: 021 8878 29 64

United Kingdom

198 Ferdowsi Avenue
(PO Box No 11365-4474)
Tehran 11344
Tel: 021 66705011-7