Visa policy of Iran

Most visitors to Iran must obtain an electronic visa (e-Visa) prior to their arrival in Iran, unless they are a citizen of one of the visa-exempt countries or countries that are ineligible for an e-Visa, in which case they must obtain a visa in advance from one of the Iranian diplomatic missions around the world.

Travellers arriving in Iran must hold passports that are valid for at least 6 months beyond the intended period of stay.

Overview

Dual citizens of both Iran and another country count as citizens of Iran when entering Iran, and hence must hold an Iranian passport upon arrival.

Iran no longer affixes visas to passports nor stamps them on entry for most nationalities as a response to the US sanctions on persons who have visited Iran after 2011. ^[1]

In November 2018, the head of Iran's Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts, and Tourism Organization (ICHTO) announced that the country will no longer stamp or put stickers to passports of foreign tourists (except US, Canada and UK visitors) in a bid to ease their concerns about traveling to other countries after leaving Iran. ^[2]

In June 2019, the President of Iran ordered the Interior Ministry to implement the decision on not stamping passports of foreigners. ^[3]

Visa policy map

Visa policy of Iran

  Iran

  Visa not required

  Visa not required for tour groups / eVisa

  eVisa

  Visa required

  Admission refused (Israel)

Visa exemption

Citizens of the following jurisdictions do not require a visa for entry to Iran for stays up to the duration listed below for tourism or business purposes (unless otherwise noted): ^[4]

90 days   Oman   Syria 1   Turkey 90 days within any 180 days   Armenia 45 days   Georgia 30 days   Bolivia   Lebanon   Iraq   Tajikistan 2 21 days   China   Hong Kong   Macao 20 days   Egypt 15 days   Malaysia   Venezuela 3 15 days within any 6 months4   Bosnia and Herzegovina   Bahrain   Belarus   Brazil   Brunei   Cambodia   Croatia   Cuba   India 1 [5]   Indonesia   Japan   Kyrgyzstan   Kuwait   Mauritania   Mauritius   Mexico   Peru   Qatar   Saudi Arabia   Serbia   Seychelles   Singapore [6]   Tanzania   Tunisia   United Arab Emirates   Vietnam   Uzbekistan   Zimbabwe 14 days   Azerbaijan 5   Kazakhstan

_{1 - Must enter Iran by air to qualify for visa exemption.
2 - Must depart from Dushanbe and arrive at Tehran to qualify for visa exemption. Visa exemption is subject to a maximum limit of 90 days per year.
3 - Length of stay extendable up to 30 days.
4 - For tourism purposes only.
5 - Length of stay extendable up to 3 months.}

Russia

Citizens of Russia travelling in a tour group together with a representative of the tour group operator may also enter Iran without a visa, for a maximum stay of 90 days. [4]

Date of visa changes

1 February 2010: Azerbaijan [7] 29 July 2015: Bolivia, Egypt, Georgia, Lebanon, Syria and Turkey [8] 10 August 2016: Armenia [9] 1 November 2017: Serbia [10] 21 July 2019: China, [11] Hong Kong and Macau 24 October 2019: Iraq [12] [13] (was canceled between December 27, 2019 to October 2021) 11 November 2022: Kazakhstan [14] 4 February 2024: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bahrain, Belarus, Brazil, Brunei, Cambodia, Croatia, Cuba, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Kuwait, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Peru, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Serbia (resumed), Seychelles, Singapore, Tanzania, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Vietnam, Uzbekistan and Zimbabwe [15] [16] 10 August 2024: Tajikistan [17] Canceled: 17 October 2018: Serbia [18] (resumed in February 2024) 27 December 2019: Iraq (resumed in October 2021)

Iran free trade zones

All tourists may stay on Kish Island, Qeshm Island, or other free trade zones for 14 days or less without obtaining any visa. Americans; with the exception of Puerto Rico, U.S Virgin Islands, and Guam; Canadians, and Britons are required to have a certified escort guide waiting for them upon arrival, and they must obtain hotel reservations before arrival. Tourists may stay at the following trade zones for up to 2 weeks without a visa in 2022: ^[19]

• Arvand Free Zone
• Aras Free Zone
• Chabahar Free Trade-Industrial Zone
• Maku, Iran
• Qeshm Island
• Kish Island
• Anzali

Kish and Qeshm Islands

All tourists, may stay on Kish Island or Qeshm Island for up to 14 days without obtaining any visa. Citizens of the United States; excluding Puerto Rico, U.S Virgin Islands, and Guam; Canada, and the UK are only required to have a certified escort guide waiting for them upon their arrival. The guide has to have the hotel-reservation letters of the passenger with them and let the immigration office of the airport know about the arrival of the passenger.

Non-ordinary passports

Visa policy of Iran for diplomatic, official or service passport holders

  Iran

  Visa not required for holders of diplomatic or service passports

  Visa not required for diplomatic passports only

Holders of passports issued by the following countries are allowed to enter Iran without a visa.

Afghanistan D 3   Albania DS7   Armenia D 4   Azerbaijan DS3   Belarus DO7   Benin DS7   Bolivia DS5   Bosnia and Herzegovina DS3   Brazil D 3   Brunei DO7   Bulgaria DS3   Burkina Faso DS3   Cambodia DS7   China DS3   Colombia DS3   Croatia DS3   Cuba DS4   Congo DS1   Cyprus DS1   Ecuador DS4   Egypt DS8

Ghana DS7   Greece D1   Guinea DS3   Guyana DS3   Hungary D3   India D3   Indonesia DS10   Iraq DS6   Japan DO1   Kazakhstan DS7   Kenya DS3   Kyrgyzstan DS3   Lebanon DS7   Malaysia DS9   Malawi DS3   Mali DS3   Moldova DS3   Montenegro DS7   Nicaragua DS2   North Korea D7   North Macedonia DS3

Oman DS3   Pakistan DO1   Philippines DS7   Poland D2   Portugal DSp4   Romania D 3   Russia DS7   Senegal DS3   Serbia DS7   Sierra Leone DS3   South Korea DS1    Switzerland D 3   Syria DS7   Tajikistan DS3   Tunisia DS3   Turkmenistan DS3   Turkey DS1   Ukraine DS7   Venezuela DS3   Vietnam DO7   Zimbabwe DS7

_{D - Diplomatic passports
O - Official passports
S - Service passports
Sp - Special passports
1 - 3 months
2 - 2 months
3 - 1 month
4 - 90 days
5 - 60 days
6 - 45 days
7 - 30 days
8 - 20 days
9 - 15 days
10 - 14 days}

Future changes

Iran has signed visa exemption agreements with the following countries, but they have not yet entered into force:

Country	Passports	Agreement signed on
Tajikistan [20]	Ordinary	21 November 2023
Qatar [21] 1	All	21 February 2022

_{1 - Unilateral exemption was granted for ordinary passports.}

Electronic Visa (e-Visa)

Nationals of other countries must apply an e-Visa on the basis of which a visa on arrival will be issued for a maximum of 30 days Extension of stay is possible twice for 30 days for a total of up to 90 days. ^[22]

e-Visa does not apply to nationals of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Canada, Colombia, Jordan, Pakistan, Somalia, United Kingdom and United States.

Shahid Rajaee Port

Marine travelers entering Iran via Shahid Rajaee Port in the southern Hormozgan Province can also receive a visa on arrival. ^[23]

Visa required in advance

Nationals of the following countries are ineligible for an e-Visa, and thus must obtain a visa in advance at an Iranian embassy or consulate: ^{[4] [24]}

Afghanistan   Bangladesh   Canada

Colombia   Jordan   Pakistan

Somalia   United Kingdom   United States

Prior approval required

Holders of American, British, Canadian and Colombian passports can also visit Iran with an Iran tourism visa.

The visa procedure for these nationalities takes around 8 weeks. They also have to plan and book their trip with a certified local travel agency in Iran.

Before the visa can be issued, the agency has to submit the applicant's day-by-day itinerary to the foreign ministry for approval. American and Canadian spouses of Iranian Citizens can obtain family visas of up to 90 days to visit and stay in the country without the need for an agency. Passports of the above-mentioned citizens will also be stamped with a sticker visa and entry/exit stamps.

Visa application and requirements

Iran's tourist visa is issued for up to 30 days and can have up to two additional 30-day extensions, for a total of 90 days.

To get a visa prior to arrival, a Visa Authorization Code must be applied for through the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affair's e-visa website or an Iranian travel agency. The amount of the visa fee is dependent upon one's nationality. The visa fee must be paid prior to pick-up or when applying for a VOA. Local Iranian travel agencies offer better support, trackability and convenience for an additional fee.

Upon receiving a Visa Authorization Code, the visa may be collected at one of Iran's worldwide embassies and consulates prior to arrival or upon arrival at one of Iran's international airports.

Most nationalities, except American, British and Canadian passport holders, can also obtain their tourist visa upon their arrival in the form of a Visa-on-arrival (VOA) at the airport without a prior application. Although this method is convenient for last-minute travelers, it does have a higher risk of rejection and tends to be more time-consuming.

Admission restrictions

Mandatory guides

Citizens of Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States are required to be escorted by a government-approved guide at all times. Independent travel for these citizens has been banned due to the closure of Iranian foreign missions in these countries. ^[25]

Israel

See also: Iran–Israel relations

Entry and transit is refused for nationals of Israel, even if not leaving the aircraft and proceeding by the same flight. Entry and transit is also refused to holders of passports or travel documents containing an Israeli visa or stamp (less than 365 days) or any data showing that the visitor has been to Israel or has indication of any connection with the state of Israel. ^[26]

See also

• Iran portal

• Visa requirements for Iranian citizens
• Tourism in Iran

References

1. "Iran Relaxes Visa Process to Incentivize Foreign Tourists". Financial Tribune.
2. "Iran Waives Visa Stamping Rules to Boost Tourism". IFP News. 23 November 2018.
3. "No more passport stamps for foreign nationals visiting Iran". Tehran Times. 2019-06-24. Retrieved 2023-12-14.
4. "Visa and passport". Timatic . International Air Transport Association through Emirates . Retrieved 13 November 2023.
5. "Iran Visa Requirements for Indian: Documents Required, Eligibility & Fees". TATA AIG.
6. "Travel Page - Iran". www.mfa.gov.sg. Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Singapore).
7. "Iran extends visa-free regime to Azerbaijani citizens". trend.az. 2 November 2015.
8. al-Shamahi, Abubakr (29 July 2015). "Iran waives visa requirements for Egypt, Lebanon, Syria nationals".
9. Вступил в силу армяно-иранский меморандум об отмене въездных виз
10. "THE DECISION OF THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN ON VISA EXEMPTION FOR THE NATIONALS OF THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA, HOLDERS OF ORDINARY PASSAPORTS". www.mfa.gov.rs.
11. "Sina Visitor System".
12. Iran temporarily lifts visa requirement for Iraqi nationals
13. "Iran and Iraq start visa waiver programme". 27 October 2021.
14. "Iran Introduces Visa-Free Regime for Kazakh Citizens". 8 November 2022.
15. "Iran Waives Visa Requirement for 28 Countries". 1 February 2024.
16. "Iran to implement visa waiver for 32 countries on Feb. 4". Tehran Times. Tehran Times. 31 January 2024. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
17. Tajik-Iranian Visa-Free Travel Deal To Begin August 10
18. Iran ends visa-free travel for Serbians
19. "No Visa required for Iran free trade zones". 30 June 2015.
20. [ "Таджикистан и Иран подписали меморандум о взаимопонимании по отмене виз".
21. "Iran, Qatar sign 14 bilateral deals, including visa waiver". 22 February 2022.
22. "Iran eVisa".
23. "Shahid Rajaee Port Visa on Arrival". financialtribune.com. 23 April 2017. Retrieved April 24, 2017.
24. "Tourist visa".
25. "ESCORTED TOURS THROUGH IRAN".
26. "Visa information on the site of IRI Embassy in Moscow". mfa.ir.

External links

• IR-IRAN Electronic Visa (Iran eVisa) Application System
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs of I.R.Iran