Who should apply for Iran Visa?
Visitors to Iran must obtain a visa from one of the Iranian diplomatic missions unless they come from one of the visa exempt countries or countries eligible for visa on arrival. All visitors must hold a passport valid for 6 months. Holders of normal passports from following countries have to apply for Iran Visa:
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Canada, Colombia, India, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Somalia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, United States, Uzbekistan, United Kingdom.
Visa Exemptions and Visa on Arrival?
Holders of normal passports traveling as tourist can obtain a visa on arrival, for a maximum stay of 15 days, provided holding an e-visa pre-approval code obtained via e-mail from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and arriving at Chah-Bahar, Qeshm, Kish, Mashad, Esfahan, Shiraz, Tabriz and Tehran international airports and holding a photograph, a copy of passport’s biographical page and fee of between EUR 30 and EUR 80.
Citizens of the following 7 countries can visit Iran without a visa:
Azerbaijan(2 weeks and extension is possible til 3 month), Bolivia(30 days), Malaysia(15 days), Sri Lanka(1 month), Syria(90 days), Turkey(3 months), Venezuela(15 days)
Iran Visa Types
Free Trade Areas Visa
Tourist Visa
Transit visa
Student Visa
Press Visa
Diplomatic and Service Visa
Entry Visa
Visa for drivers carrying cargo
Work Permit Visa
Pilgrimage Visa
This type of visa will be issued for a two week stay in Free Trade and industrial Areas of Iran ([Kish Island], [Qeshm] Island and [Chabahar] Port) for all foreign visitors with a valid passport, and may be extended up to six months at the request of authorities of these areas.
Note: Foreign nationals who intend to travel to other parts of the country, should submit their application to representative office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the area and the application will be reviewed and visa will be issued if approved, within 48 hour.
Tourist visa is issued for foreign nationals who are interested to travel to Iran individually or with a group for the purpose of visiting Iran or their relatives.
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT:
1- From 23 September 2011 all visa applicant need to have an adequate medical travel insurance coverage from Iranian or Foreign Insurance Agents. List of the required document depend on nationality and embassy have some differences.
2- There is other regulations to issue visa for children under 18 years who are traveling with their Iranian mothers. the regulation and documents are mentioned here.
Transit visa is issued for a limited period of time for foreigners who intend to pass through Iran to a third country.
Student visa is issued for foreign nationals who intend to study in the Islamic republic of Iran.
Press visa is issued for journalists and representatives of foreign media and press who intend to travel to Iran for purposes relating to their profession for a specific period.
This visa is issued for holders of diplomatic and service passports who intend to travel to Iran. Diplomatic and service visa exemption:
Afghanistan (1 months), Armenia (1 months), Azerbaijan (1 months), Belarus (30 days), Benin (30 days), Bosnia (1 months), Brunei Darussalam (30 days), Bulgaria (1 months), Burkina Faso (1 months), Bolivia (60 days), Cambodia (1 months) ,China (1 months), Colombia (1 months), Congo (6 months), Croatia (1 months), Cyprus (3 months), Cuba (1 months), Ecuador (90 days) ,Ghana (30 days), Guinea (1 months), Guyana (1 months), Hungary (1 months), Indonesia (14 days), Japan (3 months), Kazakhstan (30 days), Kenya (1 months), North Korea (1 months), South Korea (3 months), Kyrgyzstan (1 months), Macedonia (1 months), Malawi (1 months), Mali (1 months), Moldova (1 months), Montenegro (30 days), Nicaragua (2 month), Oman (1 months), Pakistan (3 month), Philippines (30 days), Poland (1 months), Romania (1 months), Russia (30 days), Senegal (1 months), Serbia (30 days), Sierra Leone (1 months), Switzerland (1 months), Syria (30 days), Tajikistan (1 months), Tunisia diplomatic passport(1 months), Tunisia Service passport (3 month ), Turkmenistan (1 months), Venezuela (1 months), Viet Nam (30 months), Ukraine (30 days), Zimbabwe (30 days)
Entry Visa is a permission issued for foreign experts and businessmen who travel to Iran for a limited period of time (once – twice or multiple) for economic, commercial, cultural and industrial purposes.
his visa will be issued for foreign drivers carrying cargo to Iran or other countries. For these cases, it is necessary to coordinate in advance with the Diplomatic Missions of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
This visa will be issued for foreign nationals who intend to work in Iran. The Iranian host must obtain the work permit in advance from the concerned authorities.
Pilgrimage visa is issued only for the foreign Muslims who intend to visit Islamic sacred places in Iran (Qom, Mashhad and Shiraz).