How to Get a Tourist Visa for Iran

Getting a visa for Iran can be a frustrating and time-consuming process, which is why there are numerous companies to help you obtain it. Note that Americans will only be granted visas if they adhere to strict guide requirements, but citizens of other nationalities do not have to travel in Iran with these restrictions.

Apply for Your Authorization Code

In order to be granted a tourist visa to Iran, you need to first apply for a visa authorization code from the Iranian government. You can do this by visiting your nearest embassy or consulate, but travelers have not reported much luck in speedy processing. The code may not come at all, and if you are en-route to Iran via Pakistan or Turkey, your travel plans could be set back for weeks while you wait for the code.

It's best to apply for your visa authorization code at least a month before you plan to visit Iran. To do this, you need to contact a travel company who can obtain the code for you. A popular Iran-based travel company that does this is Iranian Visa. Before applying to get the code through Iranian Visa, you should note that this is an Iran-based company and can not take payment in US dollars or from any US based accounts. Your payment options for the visa processing fee (30 Euros for 7-10 day processing) are to use a Moneybookers Account or transfer money to a specific Turkish bank account. If you have only have US based accounts, you will not be able to sign up for a Moneybookers Account, and there is an extra fee for transferring money to the Turkish bank. You can also choose double fast processing from Iranian Visa for 22 Euros extra.

Most visa granted are for 14 days to one month. You can apply to get a visa on arrival at the following airports: Tehran (both), Mashad, Shiraz, Tabriz, and Isfahan, but you still need to have a valid visa authorization code to pick up the visa at the airport. You can not just arrive and get a visa, as you can in many other countries.

For those who want to pay in Pounds Sterling, you can use UK-based company Persian Voyages. The visa processing fee is significantly more at 50 Pounds, but you can conveniently pay by personal check.

In order to apply you'll need to provide your full-detailed itinerary to the visa company along with your application. This includes names and addresses of hotels that you plan to stay at, so you'll need to do your research beforehand. You must also specify where you will get the visa stamped from. If you plan on traveling to Iran from Turkey, for example, you need to decide which consulate in Turkey you'll pick up your visa at.

Wait for the Code

After you've received confirmation of your application and paid the fee, you just need to wait for the code to come through. Codes will be delivered via email, and as soon as you have your code you can get your visa stamped at the embassy or consulate that you specified in your application. If you want to change the location, you'll need to pay an extra fee to the company that processed your visa so they can send your application information to the different consulate or embassy.

Get Your Visa Stamped

After you get your authorization code for your Iran visa, you can get the visa stamped anytime. The date of your visa starts from the date you get it stamped, not when you get your code. When you get your visa stamped, you'll need to pay the visa stamp fee to the Iranian government. This fee varies based on your nationality. You can see a chart of the current fees here.

You will need a passport that is valid for 6 months, two passport sized photographs (with headscarf on for ladies) and the visa fee for your nationality. At certain consulates, you will be required to sit for an interview and/or get a blood test. Keep in mind that getting a visa stamped in Pakistan or Turkey can take the whole day, so start early.

If you apply through Persian Voyages in the UK, you can visit the Iranian Embassy in London or send your passport and visa stamp fee (95 Pounds) through the post.

Visit Iran

Once your visa is in your passport, you'll be ready to discover Iran!