According to the regulations of the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a 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 friends and relatives. This visa is issued for a maximum stay of 30 days with option of Extensions in Iran. The visa remains valid for a period of 3 months from the date of issue.
Depending to your nationality and the consulate which you refer, it is possible to submit your documents and receive a visa after some days without any reference from Iran. But it can be a time-consuming or even fruitless attempt, specially when you are applying out of your country. Most consulates need an authorization letter from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tehran. Getting this authorization is the most important step in visa application and there is not much left when you have it. You will have your visa in 1 or 2 days.
How Uppersia Handles your online application of Iran Visa
1- Download the Iran visa approval form on our website, fill it out and email it to us including your passport image and a passport size photo of yourself.
2- Upon receiving your application, we will promptly apply for your Iran visa approval through the MFA.
4- Once we receive the confirmation letter, we will email you the approval file without delay. It Usually takes from 1 to 7 working days and 30 working days for American, Canadian and British citizens.
5- Visit the specified consulate to pick up your visa, or collect it upon arrival at the airport if you have applied for a Visa On Arrival.
Iran Visa Online Application Process in General
Receiving the Authorization Code
After we receive your application form, the first page of your passport scan and the passport photo, the formal application will be submitted to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and will go under the official procedure. The output will be an authorization letter which will be faxed to the Iranian Consulate which you have indicated in the form. We will give you this letter’s reference code with which you will be able to collect your visa. This code is only valid to the mentioned consulate and only for 3 months from the date of issue.
Collecting the Visa from The Consulate
Having the reference code, you will refer to the consulate with your passport (which must be valid for the next 6 months), the completed visa application form (which can be picked from the consulate or be downloaded from their website), 2 new passport size photos (with covered hair for ladies, at some consulates), the visa fee (which depends on your nationality) and the authorization reference code, (Always check the needed documents with the consulate, as there may be differences from one consulate to another.) You may also be able to send the documents and receive the visa by mail. Contact the consulate for more details. The procedure of submitting the documents and collecting the visa can be normally done in the same day.
Iran tourist Visa Application process in short
Who Can travel to Iran visa-free
According to the latest regulations, citizens of the following countries can enter Iran visa-free for up to 15 days (non-extendable) for tourism purposes, within each six-month period:
Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Croatia, Cuba, Egypt, Georgia, India (Indian nationals entering Iran by airplane), Indonesia, Iraq, Japan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Oman, Peru, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Syria, Tanzania, Tunisia, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zimbabwe, Russia
Who Can Get Iran visa on arrival
Many nationalities have the option to acquire their Tourist Visa Upon Arrival at Iranian airports by submitting an application through an Iranian travel agency such as Uppersia for the Iran visa invitation letter (visa support letter) prior to their journey.
The citizens who cannot get their Iran visa on arrival
America, Canada, Britain, Iraq, Colombia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Kenya and Somalia
Airports Available for Visa on arrival (VOA)
IKA : Tehran Imam Khomeini Airport
THR : Tehran Mehrabad Airport
MHD : Mashad Airport
SYZ : Shiraz Airport
TBZ : Tabriz Airport
ISF : Isfahan Airport
Documents Needed for VOA
- Approved Iran visa invitation letter received through a licensed Iranian travel agency like Uppersia.
- valid passport with at least 6 months validity
- A passport size photo
- Visa fee is to be paid on arrival is between EUR 30 to 190 EUR.
Who Can Get Iran visa only within a guided tour
The US, The UK and the Canadian citizens
