Travel/visa info for Iran and Pakistan please

[Charlotte Goose]

Hi all

My boyfriend (baronbolton) and I are heading off in September, India bound on two bikes (yet to be purchased). We decided on this trip, and a route through the middle east, only this weekend while at the Ripley meet (rather guttingly missed the special additional meet in the Amazonia room for specifically this route - and I am pretty sure quite a few people are planning this!). No real nitty gritty planning has taken place - and we're running short of time. Arghhh! Can you help please?

Given the ever-changing situation in the middle east can anyone help us with recent experience or info on the following:

1. How does the escort system work for crossing Pakistan? From where to where? Is it free? Will we definitely have to ride with escorts, and do they do ungodly speeds and long hours? Do we have any control? Is there anyway round this - like sticking the bikes on the back of a truck if need be?

2. We are in the fortunate position of each having two passports, and are trying to figure out how the border crossing/passport control for Iran/Pakistan/India works. Could we get away with our visa for Iran being in a different passport to the one for Pakistan, or will the Pakistan officials wonder how the hell we could stay in Iran if no visa is present in the passport we hand over. I ask this question because we are anxious about timings for getting these visas and it might help if we can get one in each passport.

3. As I understand it:
Iranian visa: Apply through visa company for authorisation code which arrives in 5-7 days, then take all paperwork with code to embassy in London as early as possible to join queue and get visa which is sent back in passport about 10 days later. Valid for 90 days from issue, for a 30 day entry.
Pakistan visa: Apply through a visa company who will need 3 months bank statements, a letter from our employers to say we have a leave of absence, forms etc, and it should be back with us in about 10 days. Valid for 90 days from issue, for a 30 day entry.
Is THIS RIGHT, and is there ANYTHING ELSE we need to know?

Any information will be greatly received, and much appreciated!
Ta very muchly.

Char x

[crazymanneil]

1. - Just rock up to the border. Escort is assigned and they go with you for a bit until a checkpoint where they will hand you over like a batton in a relay race. Each checkpoint you come to you have to stop and fill out a book with your visa number, passport number and a load of other stuff. By the time you cross Pakistan you will have memorised all these numbers! Some escorts are quicker than others, if you overtake them then you just wind up getting stopped at the next checkpoint.

2 - Don't know. Might be best to have it all in the one passport? Can't remember officials checking other visa's or not.

3 - Seems about right. The Iran authorisation number is valid to collect visa at embassy of your choosing (i.e. not necessarily at home if it suits) and is valid for 3 months *before* you get the visa so you could have up to 6 months to enter (check this with your visa agency). We rocked up to the embassy with the completed forms, photos (headscarf!) and auth number and got the visa same day.

Didn't use agency for Pak visa. Applied via post and got nowhere fast. Turned up in person and got it same day after some pleading. LOI seemed to be most important document for us, but also had bank statements. Apparently not good to tell them you are coming by bike (they never asked us)

You also need to apply for India visa in consulate located in your home country. Valid for 6 months, not possible to extend. Can get visa for Nepal at the border. Bear in mind visa for India may not permit re-entry within a certain timeframe. Possible to fly home or fly to Bangkok from Kathmandu.

Don't forget Carnet. The bond is 500% for route through Iran/Pak/India. Also don't forget the vaccinations, some of them are in 3 doses which have to be spread apart so you need to allow time to get them all (start now).

Look at my other post -

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...366#post337073

Neil

[mcgiggle]

The escorts are a bit hit and miss but if you bank on them until Multan you'll be about right.
We overtook them and as said above you just get stopped at the next check point .
They plod along at about 45 mph which is a little frustrating, more so because you ride along looking at the back of an old pickup truck all day, we would jump in front of them and ride at there speed, sometimes they were cool but other times they would overtake you and sit in front again.
Most hotels/lodgings will inform the police you are there and they appear out of the woodwork and are there when you get up to leave the next morning, even if you do manage to leave before they get to you there is always a check point up the road.
Bear in mind this will be the first 3 days and when you get across to Multan area you'll be free to go and expore and the guys are really friendly and only doing what they have been told to and have your safety at heart.
The "baton exchange" can be drawn out as well, it's not unknown to wait around for an hour before the other team turn up to take you on your way, but you will get offered countless cups of chai.
When we wanted fuel or food we just stopped and they did a Uey and came back to us.







But before you have to cross Iran...................... now the escorts there ((

[Mehmet Zeki Avar]

Here is the link for current tips of June-2011 about entereing İran and travelling there.
Ride Pray Laugh....... the not so MiddleEast Adventures (now): June 2011
MAN ON A TRIP
1-If you have time to visit our club in İstanbul, you will be donated with more current information and maps while we are having welcome drinks.
istanbul bisiklet motosiklet ihtisas klübü | Facebook
Our club is the meeting point of bikes and civilisations between east and west so you will meet some other bikers here going to or coming from the same destination..Usually maps and experiences are changed here.Also closed garage available with tools for some repairings for your bike if needed...
2-UK. plated Honda Dominator available here in İstanbul until Friday.Owner is just back from a trip to Iran and she is staying at our club.Perfect bike for a lady.
Wish you all the best.
mehmet zeki avar

[Omie]

Yes you can avoid the police escorts by getting in a train for Lahore along with the bike but you'll miss a lot. Ride through Balochistan, Sind, and Southern Punjab has its own charms despite high temperatures. Maybe you get lucky enough to spot blind dolphins in the Indus.
I would advise you to just take it easy and enjoy Pakistan. I am sure youre gonna love it. Stay in touch and keep us posted.

[Tiffany]

Hey Char and Gabe
that's great news you're heading east, you'll have a blast.
It seems like almost all your questions have been answered and comprehensively so.
About the two passport scenario - it's not an issue, I have been using two for a couple of years now, I rock up to the border, they often check through the passport to see if I have the visa for the next country, when they can't see it, they look questioningly (if they can't speak Englsih )and with a flourish I produce my second passport with the explanation that it is a "business passport" alternative pronunciation is "bizniz", at which they all look at me with renewed respect, despite the fact that I'm probably the least likely looking business traveller they have ever seen - battered old motorbike, mud-splattered and dusty clothing and scruffy plaits.

However it always works, calling it a business passport.

Good luck with all the prep and visa/carnet stuff.

[Charlotte Goose]

Guys, guys guys. thanks. A wonderful start. Its great to go from being anxious to entirely excited! Specifically:

Tiff, hi! Fab to hear from you, and excellent little bit of info re the second passport. Ta kindly. Hope to meet you in the flesh before too long.

Omie, thanks for your encouragement. Nice to know there is the back up option of train, but if at all possible we will be riding.

Istanbul bisiklet motosiklet: Thanks for links, and more importantly thanks for the invite! Istanbul is a highlight of the trip for us. Gabe has already been once and stayed a month! I cant wait.

Mcgiggle: checked out your website - its great, and the name is superb! Seeing how long you took to get to India I am starting to get conscious of how quickly we will need to do it given the time we have off from work. Basically we want to spend five weeks in India, which leaves 10 weeks to get there. It may be a little more rushed than our last trip, but to do it in less time is better than not doing it at all. thanks for the lowdown on the escort system - we feel like we have a much better handle of what may or may not happen.

We didnt know about escorts through Iran?!?!

crazymanneil: interesting what you say about the validity of the authorisation code for the Iranian visa - didnt know it was that long, or applicable to a consulate in any country. Thats worth having up our sleeve. I think we will end up using an agency for the Pakistan visa as I have heard some good reviews for Visa HQ, unless anyone has anything to contrary to say?

Thanks again. Since the first post, we have appointments for jabs etc, and we even have one of the two bikes we will need - a Serow -which is going to need a bit of a work!

I cant wait!

Cheers guys

[strimstrum]

Hi Charlotte

There's no stopping you now ! No sooner back from one trip than off on another. We are finally on opur trip - currently in Vladivostok - quite a bit different to a field in Somerset.

Our regards to Gabe and good luck with this next trip sounds absolutely brilliant or "Awesome" as we kept hearing everywhere in the States on the first leg of this trip.

Martin

[Tiffany]

Hey Char
There is no need for escorts through Iran except for Amerian citizens, who MUST travel with a group. You guys should be fine, Helen AKA Adastra has just posted about her trip through Iran on the Middle East section - you'll find it useful.

Now it's just a case of getting on with the paperwork:confused1: never fun.

Good luck with prepping the Serow, and I'll see you guys in September

[estebangc]

Read it yesterday in Swiss press and found it now in HUBB.

Just in case you haven't heard of it.

They were coming back from India and were kidnapped in Loralai, 150kms EAST of Quetta (I assume they were on their way to Quetta). Apparently they left from there WITHOUT escort. By the way, he is a policema and she is ex-police woman, both from Bern.

No clues about their whereabouts according to Pakistani news, although probably taken to Waziristan (a long haul to get there), so situation seems to be getting harder in "safer" areas if I understand well.

[apapadop]

My 2009/10 experience:

1. Iran: Escorts from Bam to the border (Zahedan-Taftan) for everyone (not just Americans). Pain in the neck because they grab your passport and go and assume you'll chase them. Not much you can do about it, just be ready to put up with it for a couple of days. They'll probably stall you to ensure you stay at one of their "safe" hotels close to the border, at fixed prices. Again, it's one night, they have the guns and the stamps, you just have to deal with it.

2. Pakistan: Escorts from the border (Taftan) all the way to Lahore. Professional, fast, excellent chaps throughout. Don't leave without them, don't be a I-know-your-country-better-than-you western supremacy traveller. They're offering a free service and are looking out for you. Take it. They don't force a ridiculous pace or anything - if you want to cross Balochistan at 90mph that's a bad idea anyway. Be prepared for constant riding throughout the day at about 60-70mph. You will be able to stop for a short while at any point.

3. Passports: Doesn't sound great for paranoid Iranian police who are convinced everyone is a spy. I would try to use only one passport and keep the other one out of sight as a backup.

But again, this was Nov/Dec 2009.

Have fun!