Paying Iran visa fee as a foreigner in Georgia

[pakohan]

Hello,

Today I tried to pick up my visa at the Iranian embassy in Tiflis. In order to pay the fee, I was sent to the bank with a sheet of paper with the IBAN the Iranian embassy is using. The bank employee told me I had to create a bank account in order to pay the fee.

Correct me if I'm wrong, this is the first time obtaining a visa, maybe I'm spoiled as a German, but is that the standard procedure? Fortunately the owner of my Hostel does have a bank account at that specific bank, so I hope I can pay the fee via his account.

Since I planned on leaving Georgia today I was devastated when I realized I'll have to change my plans, thus I was too stressed to ask for alternative ways of paying the fee or details (cash is not possible).

What are your experiences regarding that? Could I have sent the money from my German account as well? They didn't give any advice on what to put in the description of the transfer, so did the embassy use the source bank account owner name to match it to me?

I'm currently lost because the embassy is closed tomorrow so if they don't accept the payment I'll be sending later, I'll have to open an account, wait five business days, send another payment, get my visa and close the account, before finally leaving Georgia, which I intended to do today already.

Any experiences regarding any visa from any country is welcome since I plan on traveling for nine more years and maybe just need someone to tell me that this is completely normal and I'll end up with dozens of bank accounts after my journey....

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[Jay_Benson]

Hi

You should be able to do it using your own on-line bank account. This link should help you get it sorted out:

https://moneytransfers.com/iban

[mika]

Hello Pakohan,



welcome here to the Hubb.



Yes we Germans are spoiled as visa regulations are fairly easy with a German passport for most border crossings, but sometimes we also run into a wall, as you just did.



No, its not normal to have to open a bank account to pay for your visa fee. In many years of traveling I never had to open a bank account to pay for a visa fee. The embassy should accept if your hotel owner does the transfer from his account or you do it online as suggested by Jay. Just get a confirmation print out and give it to the embassy staff, I would say that it doesnt matter what name the account is in.



The last time I applied for an Iranian visa in Damaskus (in 2009) I was rejected because of my port of entry and I was told to use a travel agency to arrange the visa for me.



As you will be riding for a long time, relax and leave Georgia when you got your Iranian visa.



All the best.



mika