Is it difficult to get an Iranian visa as a tourist?  

The process of obtaining an Iranian visa is often unpredictable and seems complicated. Politics is a dirty business, and the rules change every minute. What to do? It is worthwhile to understand for the citizens of which countries this process is not a burden, but who will have to be patient and wait several months. In this or that case, to be acquainted with the fantastic culture of Iran, you must have a valid Iranian visa. Another question is which one.

What Iranian visas for travelers exist?  

In general, there are three types of visa for those who visit the country for tourist purposes. If your goal is business, then you need an invitation from Iran.  For business visa, you need a valid invitation letter from your host company in Iran.  This type of visa is suitable for those people who are coming for business or they have a partner in Iran and is not a good option for those who are coming as a tourist to explore Iran's sights.

Therefore, the most common kind is a tourist visa. Such a visa is for up to 30 days with the possibility of continuing up to 90 days while you are in Iran. Your tourist visa must be in "your hands" before arriving in Iran through the Iranian consulate. Besides, be sure that your visa is valid for 90 days from its release.

If the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) approved the visa for you (calculating the application, photo, paid fee), they will send the authorization number to the consulate. After that, you receive a visa. Visa code processing takes 3-5 working days. In some cases that you need an urgent Iranian visa, you can email to our visa staff: [email protected].

For citizens of the vast majority of countries, a tourist visa upon arrival (VOA) is available. This visa is also valid for 30 days at any international airport in Iran (Including Imam Khomeini International airport in Tehran (IKA), Isfahan, Mashhad, Shiraz, Kermanshah, and Tabriz). However, you must be sure that you will not be refused entry.

When you enter or leave another country in Iran, you must have a transit visa. It is issued for one week. To obtain such a visa is very easy even without permission, but on condition, that you are not a citizen of the U.S.

For which countries is it easy to receive an Iranian visa?  

Tourist visa upon arrival is available to citizens of almost 65 countries. This list includes the EU countries, ASEAN, some South American countries, Central Asian countries, Russia, East Asian countries, New Zealand, Australia, as well as Arab countries and the Gulf countries.

Citizens of these countries get a visa very quickly. However, despite that any international airport in Iran can issue a tourist visa upon arrival, it is better to apply for it at Imam Khomeini airport in Tehran.  By the way, visa fee directly depends on your country.

For which countries is it difficult to obtain an Iranian visa?  

Honestly, there is no "blacklist." Citizens of all countries of the world are welcome in visiting Iran. The nuance is that citizens of the USA and the UK need to make a visa through the embassy and wait a few months. Yes, it will also be more expensive than for other countries.

Moreover, citizens of the countries listed above should take care of upcoming excursions in advance or find a private guide, call relatives in Iran. However, the citizens of Israel can meet another story due to they will not receive a visa of any type.

How long Iranian visa processing takes?

Visa processing takes between 3 to 5 working days. For Iranian new year (18 March -30 March) this time is longer than usual. You can fill out the Iranian online visa application form with a photo and copy of your passport. Your visa code will be ready in a couple of days.