Visa for Iran
 

Hello all,
i was wondering if there is someone whom can tell me if it is possible to get a visa for Iran in Turkey (i am an Italian Citizen but living/Resident in Ethiopia)and more or less how long it takes. I am planning to apply for a visa here in Addis (Ethiopia)but at the embassy they have told me that will have to contact the tourist office in Teheran ????
Any advise/suggestion is very welcome!
Thank you all and keep on smiling ...

Mauro

Hi Mauro, I spent most of December'03 in in and around Istanbul and out of around 12 people who applied to the Iranian consulate while I was there,at I think $62 a time, no one whose country was involved in the Iraq fiasco was given one. Do what I did, fly to India from Turkey, it's safer. Regards and the best of luck, Maja.

Hi Maya,
thanks a lot for the reply even of not very much encouraging anyway , i will try my best to get a visa from here ...

Thanks for the suggestion to Fly to India ... i will see what to do ...

Cheers
Mauro

Dear Susan Harvey and everyone else,
are you aware of any particular difficulties with the Iranian Visa as mentioned by Maja ??
Please if you do have any info .... would be much appreciated ....
Note that i have an Italian Passport
thanks a lot
Mauro

Hi Mauro,

It seems that getting a visa for Iran is a bit of a lottery at the moment. We have had lots of overlanders stay with us recently who have come through Iran and had no problems getting visas, but sometimes it can take a while (up to a month) to get hold of them.
However, we do know a couple of guys (including Ted Simon last year) who were refused visas. Much seems to depend on the political feeling in the Middle East at the time.
All I can say is go for it and try to get one - most people we know who've been through Iran have said the people are lovely and it's a great place and the same for Pakistan.

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no pipe, no slippers
www.chasingthesun.org

Thanks a lot Harvey ,
yes i am trying to make it happen, and hopefully will happen.
I am planning to pass thru Delhi, sometime in Oct/Nov. i see that you are based there, maybe we can meet up for a drink or something like that..... anyway there is still time for that ..
Thanks again for the info.,

Mauro,

Send us an email when you're heading our way. If we're still here you are welcome to pop in for a beer or two...

Harvey

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no pipe, no slippers
www.chasingthesun.org

hi mauro, could you let me know how you got on with your iranian visa in istanbul,i was planning to do this around august this year and im hoping that it is possible some how.
maybe if i tried getting it from another city in a different country ie athens ?????

our iranian embassy in australia told me visa were available (transit) in australia but are only valid for a month or so...
and do you have any info on pakistan visas.
i hope it works out, good luck...phil.

[This message has been edited by futronix (edited 11 May 2004).]

Phil,
i did not get the visa yet, i applyed here in Addis Ababa - Ethiopia- and i am waiting ... i dont know how it will develop, if they dont issue it here in Addis i will try in Istanbul in september when i will reach there. We dont have a Pakistany Embassy here so i will try to get the visa probably in Turkey aslo for Pakistan.... I will keep u updated on the developments .. and you too let me know how it goes.

Anyone who wants to meet up for a ride in Turkey / Iran, I will be there, solo with my XR650L in July/August. I am riding up from Jordan and Syria.

Can't wait. http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb/smile.gif

I will be leaving Addis about the 20th of June going thru Ethiopia, Sudan,Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Turkey and plan to be in Turkey end August beg. Sept.
lest keep in touch and maybe we can meet up ...

The latest info I have is from a Kiwi couple who got their visas in Ankara a month ago on the same day (!) they applied. I have asked them to post the details here...

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Salut from Southern France, the bikers' paradise,

Peter.

Thansk Peter, that is good news, and hope to read the details ... 24 days to go .....

Cheers

Mauro

Hi Mauro,
What the Iranians say about refering to Tehran is partly true. When i was applying for a visa in Pakistan for Iran (June, July 2003), they said the same due to Iraq issue and it didnt help when some countries put it in the axis of evil! Which it certainly is not.
The embassy should roughly know how long it will take, and i dont see why you shouldnt get it. Otherwise keep trying along the route. But if you have already applied, and if you can, wait for it. Then again i waited a month for a pakistan visa in Singapore and left without one, getting it easily in Nepal.
My Iranian visa was first aplied in Indonesia and it was quick. It expired closer to Iran, and even with a previous visa, the embassy in Pakistan still refered it to Tehran. Took 14days to get the visa, and about 3 visits and many phone calls to the embassy. Best of luck, Iran is one place worth going to, especially Esfahan , I used to fall in love in every street corner - beautiful women! And people are nice and very warm to foreigners.
Cheers
Dalbir

Thanks a lot Dalbir,
i have applied here in addis already 2 weeks ago, and hoping to get it before my departure on the 20th of June (i still have some 20 days),if not i will follow your advise and ask on the route ....
Thanks also for the note that Iran is really worth visiting, is really great hearing that.
I will definetly visit Esfahan ...

Cheers

Mauro

Hi, we're the kiwi couple mentioned in Beddhist's post.

We tried to get visa's at the consulate in Ýstanbul and were told it would take 10 days. Didn't want to hang around for that long so on the way to Capadoccia called in at the embassy in Ankara.

Handed the forms, PP photos etc over at 10am, deposited 35 US dollars each ýn the embassy bank account and picked up the visa's at 4pm the same day.
They gave us 30 day tourist visa's.

We didn't need any official contacts for Ýran or letters of recommendation.

We met a couple of Canadians who had been waiting for 2 weeks for visa's (also from Ankara) but were being given the run around. Last we heard the application had been "lost"

Good Luck with your application and your travels...

Cheers
Trent and Jacqui

Hi Trent and Jacqui,
thanks a lot for the info.
I am still waiting now over than 3 weeks, here in Addis, i will call them again and lets hope i will succedd .... are you in Iran Now ??? if so could you please write few lines to express your view, on safety, people, and how interesting it is ...

Thanks ones more ..

Mauro

hý mauro...phil austin here. im in turkey and just ran into steven the swiss guy you travelled through africa wýth. im goýng to ýndia výa ýran if you want to hook up drop me an email. im stýll waitýng for my iranian výsa. i used iranianvisa.com to speed the process up...still no word however. hope to see you on the road.

hi
we have have used www.key2persia.com a travel agencey in shiras they have got us two visa's.email your details to them they will then send you a ref number and you go to pick up the visa from a consulate of your choice the 1st took two months the 2nd 14 days
great people

cheers nobby

Mauro,

How did you get on with the visa in the end?

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Salut from Southern France, the bikers' paradise,

Peter.

Well ý am ýn ankara now and applýed for the výsa here agaýn ..they saýd they would gýve a transýt výsa rýght away but ýs a 7 days výsa.. otherwýse ý have to waýt 10 days .ý have opeted for the 10 days .. so now ý wýll be headýng to Capadoccýa and be back ýn a week ..hopefully the výsa wýll be ready ...

mauro

Hi Mauro,

So, no luck in AA? I keep my fingers crossed for you that it works this time.

Seing that the link to the Iranian foreign Ministry on the http://www.key2persia.com/visa.htm page is out of date, here is the page with the latest from the horse's mouth: http://www.mfa.gov.ir/other-sites/consuli/visa.htm

It seems that the use of an agency is no longer required. Could be useful, though, as you don't have to wait around, perhaps for weeks, for a visa that may never come.

What's amazing here: as there are no financial connections with Iran the agency asks you to visit their office and pay the fee when you arrive! I sincerely hope their trust in travellers' honesty is not misplaced. Any travel agent in Europe trying this would go broke fast.

Q: does anybody know how long a tourist visa is valid for to enter the country (not the duration)? I. e. how long in advance can we apply?

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Salut from Southern France, the bikers' paradise,

Peter.

At the embassy here ýn ankara they told me 3 month ... meanýng ýf u get a tourýst výsa for 1 month u can get ýn ýran wýthýn 3 month from the date they ýssued the výsa ...
thanks for the lýnks
mauro

Hi All,

I have been following this post for a while and checked out the www.key2persia.com website that was mentioned above. When you apply online it asks you to enter the entire itinery for our stay in Iran including details about what hotels we will be staying at. As we dont actually get there until Oct/Nov this year we dont have a clue at the moment (we might not even make it that far!) so were wondering how other people have filled out the form?

I guess I could pick a few hotels out of the guide books and say that I am staying there but I want to make sure that I dont get caught out when it comes to them issuing the visa.

hi
just pick a few hotels out of the guide book they don't check up. key to persia good people to deal with

cheers nobby

Hi Nobby,

Thanks for the tip. I'll just check out som hotels in the Lonley Planet and put that in.

Thanks
gazzr

gazzr, how is key2persia going? I'm using Iranianvisa.com, have confirmed everything, am waiting for a reply. They seem professional, are replying to emails no problems. Just wondering how it's going via the key2persia site.

thanks

Hi Bedfordblie,

My girlfriend's looking after the Iranian visa (via) key2persia at the moment but I should have some feedback for you in a few days. I'm hoping that it's nice and easy.

I'll tell her to pull her finger out and get to it!

Regards
Garry

Hi guys,

How did you get on with your visas? Can you post your experiences, please?

Just had an email from our friend Linda (Australian). She had her application in Germany refused and was told she needs an invitation from an agency. German, French and Belgians apparently don't need this.

------------------
Salut from Southern France, the bikers' paradise,

Peter.

Hi, this is Linda. just looking at the key2persia site and wondering how to fill in the itinery form. Can get ideas for hotels from their site but is it a good idea to make up a round trip or just one way leading out to Pakistan? Do you mention Pakistan as an exit point? Can anyone tell me the best thing to do as I´ve already had one refusal.
Thanks
Linda

Hi folks,

Just to let you know that I contacted key2persia agency by email 3 weeks ago and haven't yet received a reply but last friday I wrote to www.iranianvisa.com and had a reply waiting this morning - after the weekend- so it looks like they are a bit more on the ball. They say they will have an answer in about a week. I am hoping to pick it up in Istanbul.

Linda

Hi Linda

I am so sorry that I haven't replied earlier but have been trying to get my bike serviced and still closing off things from the UK while on the road.

By now you may have heard from key2persia or made other arrangements for Iran but thought I better get in touch. Unfortunately though I don't have alot to tell you!! We too provided an itinerary to key2persia and have heard nothing back. Another traveller said he has tried calling them and emailing them and has also heard nothing back. He is passing through in August and was also hoping to pick up his visa in Turkey. He emailed me to say he is looking at other options. I promise I will pass these to you when I hear. Likewise if you have any luck please let me know.

Garry

We are in the process of getting our Iranian visa's through:

http://www.iranparadise.com

They seem really on the ball, I always get a response the same day via email and they understand the wish for independence etc. I should hear next week if it has gone OK, they seem confident!!! So I'll let you know!

Just as an update, our tourist visas have now been granted. We pick them up in Turkey. We got them through the Iran Paradise link above. Initially we got turned down but the guys went to the ministry and got the decision reversed!!!! Well recommended!

Do the females need to have that cloth on hair for VISA photos, or it's not required?

If travelling with girlfriend do they hesitate giving the visa if not marryed?

We just had to send scanned copies of our passport for the visa confirmation but will probably need pictures with a headscarf when we actually pick it up in Turkey. As for being married I don't know, but I do know people who have been through as an unmarried couple so I don't think there is a problem.

I just had this from Iranparadise:

Dear Sir

We can grant visa +hotel reservation or with tour .we can not give you only visa .

Is this normal? Do I have to book a hotel through them and pay for it? Should I try another agency?

Thanks for any help.

No headscarfs for women needed for pictures if doing visum via Iran embassy in Helsinki, Finland! I guess it is the same for most of Iran European embassies, though, be sure to ask.

Cheers, Margus

Not sure. We didn't need it if i asked them - we had contacts in Iran but no hotel reservation and all of it was OK for embassy. Though we communicated directly with Iran embassy, not with agency.

Call embassy an ask.

[This message has been edited by Margus (edited 10 January 2006).]

I did call the embassy and they referred me to their web page. It says there that you should use an agency and when applying for the visa you need to give the magic number. It also says that head scarves are required. This is in Germany, it may well be different elsewhere. Maybe I'll try another agency.

i used www.key2persia.com based in Shiraz. No accomodation needed and picked up the visa 1 day after fronting up to the embassy in Delhi. You pay when you get to Shiraz as is the norm i think.
Sean

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Margus:
[B]Do the females need to have that cloth on hair for VISA photos, or it's not required?

The Iranian Embassy site (London) says women should wear headscarves in Visa pix.
Matt

hello,
the situation could be a bit weird in iran at the moment, if you look at the occidental news. but once you re there if you manage to get the visa, i guess there s nothing weird, as usual : our news are "manipulating" us. same stories with pakistan and many other countries.

visa delivery, as always, depends on your nationality. for americans who want to go to iran, it may be harder to get a visa than for the swiss people :-)
this "invitation business thing" (as money is required) with the bookings in advance of hotels etc ... is a local agreement between the iran embassy in a country and some traval agents.
it s official and not official, since some iran embassies in some countries require this "invitation business thing", some other iran embassies in other countries don't.
in france, for example, they used to ask this "invitation business thing" and i think it has changed now. if you ask for an iran visa in the -stans (what i did before), they require nothing to get a visa.
for the visa application pictures for the women, yes, it would be clever to wear a scarf, just to show that you care a bit about their culture, even if it's only appearance.
same story, to get a -stans visa : depending on your nationality, you need a "invitation business thing" or not.
finally, if things get bad in a country, they won t give you a visa.
hope it helps,
nb : more practical info about iran on : Informations pratiques : Iran


[This message has been edited by vincent danna (edited 12 January 2006).]