How to get an Iran tourist visa

Iran Tourist visa is Issued for those foreigners who have the intention to visit Iran for tourism-related objectives. Iran visa is issued for up to 30 days and is extendable. generally, it must be obtained before coming to Iran and is valid to enter for 90 days from the issue date. However, citizens from some countries can receive the visa on arrival and some other countries’ nationalities are able to enter the country without a visa.

Iran Tourist visa on arrival (VOA) Issued for 30 days at any Iranian international airport. It’s convenient but relatively risky at the same time as your entry may be denied.

In the website of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran, it is notified to those visitors to the country who intend to acquire their visa at Iranian International Airports that in order to expedite the issuance of visa, they need to take the required steps at least two days prior to their travel.

Also check out: Iran visa extension

How to get Iran tourist visa?

Iran tourist visa

Other than transit visas, all visa applicants must be ‘approved’ by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in Tehran. This includes those seeking a visa on arrival, who can be approved either in advance or, with a longer wait, on arrival. If you’re approved, the MFA sends an authorization number to the consulate or airport, which takes your Iran visa application form, passport photos, and fee and issues the visa.

Also check out: Iran visa status

Generally, there are two ways to get a tourist visa for Iran:

Tourist visa via a consulate or the embassy of Iran

Going directly through a consulate saves an agency fee but often takes longer and it has a much greater chance of rejection as many consulates won’t even accept an application without an authorization number. In theory, you download the Iran visa application form; take or send it with your passport, photos, money, and proof of your travel insurance to the embassy, which then the embassy sends your details to Tehran for approval. If you’re lucky, a week or two later your passport will come back with the issued visa.

Also check out: Iran visa requirements

Getting Iran Tourist Visa online through Tourism Agencies

visa fees vary, depending on the country you come from. In most cases, you fill out an electronic form with your personal details, attach digital copies of photo and passport, and then, your document will be submitted to Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tehran. The MFA claims it takes between five and 10 working days to assess the application unless you’re from some exceptional nationalities. But some applications may take longer or require some clarification.
You can apply through 1stQuest and get your Iran visa in 2 business days.

How to apply for Iran tourist visa

Also check out: Iran visa application form

Once the authorization number is received, your preferred agency will forward it to you and your nominated Iranian embassy or consulate. You then need to refer to the embassy or consulate, and in most consulates, the visa is issued in a day or two or right on the spot.

Official documents required to obtain an Iran visa on arrival (VOA) are as follow:

1.  A valid passport with at least a 6-month validity period
2.  A confirmed return ticket within a 30-day timeframe
3.  A photo to be attached to the Iran visa application form
4.  Visa stamp fee, which is payable to the Iran Visa & Passport Office at the airport. Iran airport visa fee depends on the applicant’s nationality.
5.  An invitation letter or hotel reservation document. The invitation letter has to be sent from the Iranian travel agency to Iran Ministry of Foreign Affairs at least 48 hours before your arrival at one of Iran’s international airports.
6. Printed travel insurance document valid for Iran (Not officially listed, but mandatory)
7. Online visa application form with an authorization number (OPTIONAL).

Also check out: Iran visa fee

Iran tourist visa application form

Which countries can get Iran tourist 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 a visa on arrival. All visitors must hold a passport valid for at least 6 months.  Citizens of Israel are totally banned from entry to Iran.

Also check out: Why Iran visa get rejected?

Tourists in Iran

Do you want to get your visa in 2 days without any hassle? 1stQuest will take care of all the process with best support. It`s cheap, easy and the chance of rejection is almost 0%.

Iran’s policy for admitting the foreigners as tourist visa holders follows as below:

1. The following countries’ citizens do not need a visa for entering Iran:

Armenia (90 Days), Azerbaijan (30 Days), Bolivia (30 Days), Egypt (20 Days), Georgia (45 Days), Lebanon (30 Days), Malaysia (15 Days), Serbia (30 Days), Turkey (90 Days), Venezuela (15 Days), China, Oman.

Also check out: Iran visa free countries

Iran tourist visa requirements

2. Citizens from the following countries can Apply for the Iranian Visa on Arrival (VOA) as well as applying it from their home country through Iran’s embassy or consulates:

Albania, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Luxembourg, Mexico, Mongolia, Netherlands, New Zealand, North Korea, Norway, Oman, Palestine, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea. Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Vietnam.

Iran tourist visa stamp

Also check out: Iran visa on arrival

3. The citizens of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Colombia, Iraq, Jordan, Nepal, Somalia, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, CANNOT Apply for Iran’s Visa on their Arrival to the country.
4. American, British and Canadian passport holders also cannot get a visa on arrival. Citizens of these countries also can’t ‘just go’ to Iran and are only allowed in when on an organized tour with a guide.
5. And the last exception is Israel whose citizens cannot enter Iran by any means.