Question: I'm a Japanese woman wishing to visit Iran in September. I've got e-visa's approval number to collect my visa in Tokyo.
But Iranian Embassy in Tokyo told me that no matter if I get the approval number from MFA, they won't give me a visa just because I'm an unmarried independent female tourist (not accompanied by men while traveling in Iran).
So now I'm thinking about trying VOA, but they also said that they have no information on VOA, while they announce on their web site that all the applicants for VOA must get approval number in advance.
Now I have 3 questions.
1) Can I apply for VOA with my approval number which I've already got for collecting visa in Tokyo? (I have yet to apply for a visa in Tokyo)
Or do I have to get another approval number for VOA?
2) If I apply for another approval number for VOA, do I have to renew my passport?
3) I'm going to fly into Mashhad from Doha.
But Mashhad airport is absent from a list of "visa issuance place" of e-visa application form.
(Only Iranian Embassies and Imam Khomeini airport are shown on the list.)
Which place should I choose to apply for VOA in Mashhad?
Answer: It is not true that you cannot travel to Iran or cannot have an Iran visa just because of being not accompanied by a male traveler. Check again with the embassy.
Iran tourist visa issuance is easily done in the below three ways:
For the visa to Iran you have three ways:
1. Fill in the visa form on http://www.uppersia.com/Iran-Visa-Box/iran-visa-authorization-reference-number-invitation-application-form.html, it takes about 10-15 working days to get your reference number and two working days to collect your visa at the embassy by direct referral or one working week by posting the docs to the embassy. You can pay the visa fee in cash in Iran.
2. Fly to Iran and get a 14-day on arrival visa at the airport. This kind of visa is issued for 98 nationalities excluding USA, England, Canada, Colombia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Jordan, Bangladesh, and Somalia. If your nationality is among the countries authorized to get it, you can easily collect you visa against offering your passport, a passport-size photo and about $50 to the staff at the airport. There is no need to fill in any form beforehand. All the international airports issue this kind of visa including Mashad airport.
3. Refer to the Iranian embassy in your country and ask for a visa to be issued for you. Usually this way takes longer time about 30 days.
