Thee months expiration date before you can use the visa? Hm, no, you can enter immediately but no later than three months after the visa is issued.

By the way, unless that book of yours is a follow-up to the Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie I'm 100% sure you can get a visa. Why would an Iranian consulate in Ottawa have a visa service if it was impossible to get a visa? That would be a pretty stupid office, wouldn't it? Almost everybody except Israelis can get the visa. It's just a whole lot more difficult for some nationalities such as Americans and Brits. I got mine at first attempt. Very easy. Applicants from more "provoking" countries often have to try several times and have to pay more. If you get a no at first attempt, just apply again. Pump in applications. Funnily it has worked for many. A no is a no to one specific application, and there are plenty of stories of identical applications getting a yes at second or third attempt. Remember that the application form has a trick question, that is: What countries have you visited before? You will make your success more likely if "Israel" or "USA" is not written on that line. I wrote Namibia. Just think about it - when did Namibia annoy Iran?

If still no, try applying through an agent. If still no, try another agent.

If still no success you can try to apply at Iranian consulates as you're getting closer to Iran. E.g. this is the story about your three options in Turkey: In Istanbul you will have a 10% chance, in Ankara 50%, and in Erzurum 90%. The closer to the border the better. Also consider what kind of visa you are applying. You would hope for a tourist visa, but a last resort alternative with a generally better prospect for a yes is a transit visa. As soon as you cross the border you can extend your visa (though double check if this is possible with a transit visa, there are mixed feedbacks on that topic). The rumor is that a visa is especially easy to extend in Esfahan.

In the end I say to you as the Iranian border officer said to me: "Have good time in Iran." Yep Jeremy, you're going for sure.

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RTW 2005-2007
www.eriksaue.com