CdP for Iran
 

@paperfoot:
sorry to disappoint you, but, no, Carnet de passage is still required for bringing in the vehicle. At least officially.
This thread was related to the question whether a Tour Guide is compulsory.
My advise is to get a CdP even though there might be ways around this rule. But only for peope that accept the risk of getting into some discussions upon entry and within Iran...
For more details check for the threads related to CdP in this forum.
Cheers,
Daniel

Hi guys!

This is my first post on Horizons unlimited. I am a British backpacker and usually use TA and Lonely Planet but had a browse on this site and saw there was much more activity on here.

I am travelling in Iran for only 1 week in the last week of this month, entering and exiting at IKA Airport. I applied for my visa code in the first week of February. I received my code before the new rules regarding British and Canadian citizens came into place and collected the visa in Istanbul last month with no mention of this new rule even though I stated on my visa application I would be travelling independently. My tour operator has said I will be fine to travel independently but I can't get the thought of an unexpected surprise at the airport out of my head.

Yes it is a bit different to travelling with a motor cycle or car but I will keep an eye out for whats being said on here in the next couple of weeks.

Rules
 

@stuartdOdds:
these rules are no real rules.
I called again the foreign ministry today regarding special rules for travelers being citizens of the US, UK, CAN or else.
There is no such rule requiring them to have a Tour Guide!
What is necessary is a reference code for the visa, which usually is acquired by Travel Agencies outside of Iran thru their partner agencies inside Iran.
There - for individual travelers - some details of the port of entry, duration of stay, route etc must be disclosed.
But, besides these rather harmless regulations neither the ministry nor the official Touring and Automobile Club of IRI did confirm the existence of a rule regarding a Tour Guide being compulsory for foreigners.
So, in case you reach the Iranian border, do not get offended by lengthy, intransparent procedures. Just stay friendly and negotiate your way through.
In Iran we say: "if somebody makes the pot hotter than the soup" then this somebody wants to make things more difficult than they really are...
So, good luck - and you will will definitively have a wonderful stay in Iran!
Greets,
Daniel

For years, the rule has been that Americans cannot travel independently in Iran.... perhaps this is not a de facto rule, but it is certainly de jure

Either that or all the visa agents are taking the law into their own hands...?

I'll second that.

Just heard from my UK-based agent this morning, after a wait of almost four weeks (i.e. since Feb-10th):

"We are not able to continue with your visa application as, at the moment there is a rule in place for British to have a guide but it may change in near future. I will contact to update.

Kind regards"

:nono:
.

Thanks for the feedback guys, much appreciated!

So you think I will be ok to travel independently? I received my visa code on the 19th February after sending off the application on the 6th Feb. I got my visa stamped on the 25th February.

I am a 21 year old British student travelling to Iran alone during my mid semester break, which might make airport officers a bit more wary of me. I would hate to have an unpleasant surprise at the airport by not having a tour guide or being part of an organised tour.

You say the tour operators might be taking things into there own hands but in these threads it states the MFA are enforcing the rules...

I also wonder if travelling during the Persian New Year Nowruz will have any affect on things.

Sorry if I sound a bit panicky here but I've been looking forward to this trip for so long and would it hate it if was scuppered!

Nowruz
 

Hi,
I would say: no worry!
This is Iran. There are no 100% applications of rules - even those that really exist.
Regarding Nowruz:
yes, all Iran is in a special state of mind during these days. And traveling. So there is people everywhere traveling, camping, having their "spring-break".
That does rather mean that they are in a happy mood, so even less stressful regarding visitors.
So, again: friendly encounter with the authorities helps along everywhere.
And if you need to convince someone that you are a peaceful, friendly person, no threat to Iran etc. just tell him very friendly how much you are interested in his country, that you have heard so many positive things about the famous country of Iran and the hospitable Iranians, so that you wish to meet and see.... and that people should not trust the media or politicians but meet in person with the world... - this will break every ice so that they will let you go your way!
If you run into problems, gimme a call. I send you my phone number through private message.
Greets,
Daniel

Hi FLH80 and others on this thread,

A German traveller has just posted on the "Wuestenschiff" forum that his request to travel through Iran by car was rejected outright by the Iranian embassy in Berlin. Even his argument that he had commissioned a licenced guide did not convince the consular official. If this the new rule of the game, there would indeed be another dead end street in the Middle East. Can anybody confirm this or describe recent opposite experiences?

Greetings,
Achim

I've taken the opportunity to delete a few recent unhelpful off-topic posts. Hope that's ok with everyone. :smartass:

no worries.. just nestling in for a bit of mingmongpingpong. :taz:

In other news, i've just emailed the Iranian Embassy in Wellington NZ asking if they will let me in with a motorbike and British passport. Be interesting to hear their answer. Will update if they get back to me. :confused2:

Key2Persia have got back to me - they can't provide visas for Brits or Canadians, regardless of vehicle, unless we sign up on their tours. I asked about whether there was a workaround based on the previous posts in this thread, but rules is rules apparently.

Stuart - you'll be fine. I've been to Iran twice (for a total of just over four months) and independent travellers aren't loooked upon in a strange way.

The only thing is.. if you're there during Nowruz you're going to be in for a bit of a surprise! Tehran is EMPTY. I went biking around it last year and couldn't believe the air clarity and how there was no reason to stop. I saw less than a hundred vehicles on the road since everyone had gone to their hometowns. A special time for sure.

Achim,
tell him to contact me directly, and I will see what I can do for him.
Sent you my personal email as PM.
Greets,
Daniel

I got a reference number through Stantours, dropped my passport off at Iranian Embassy Canberra and got a call two days later to pick up my visa (even through they said two weeks when it was dropped off!).

No where on the application form did it ask for method of travel...only point of entry. Why would you raise an issue like motor vehicle if you are not asked???


Take the path of least resistance.

Today i visited the Iranian ambasy in slovenia for tourist visa to Iran and the guy there just said that they don't like to give visa for people entering iran with their car because of the situation in Afgan, Iraq, Syria but he said that we should get it in eight working days, we hope so! And nobody told us that we need a guide to travel through Iran.
I realy don't know where is the catch entering Iran with your own vehicle!!!