Visa

Description

In order to apply and get a visa you must submit your passport details to an authorized Iranian travel or tour company. After receiving your information we apply online to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) to get your visa approval number. Your visa will then be processed and if approved an authorization number will be faxed to the Iranian embassy you nominated to have it picked up at. Our office will then email you the authorization number so you can then pick up your visa. The authorization number means that your visa has been approved by the MFA but it is not the visa itself. Normal processing time by the MFA is 5-7 days and longer for passports from USA and UK.

If you need to change the embassy location after the approval is issued then advise us and we can get it reissued at the new location usually within a few days.

Picking up your visa at an Iranian embassy
After you receive your authorization number you can apply in person or by mail at the nominated embassy or consulate. The actual processing time depends on the embassy and can be from 1-5 days. The visa is valid for 3 months from the date it is processed into your passport so don’t pick it up too early before you plan to travel to Iran.
Check our link below to find an Iranian embassy/consulate and its contact details.

Requirements:
1 Passport (must have more than 6 months of validity left)
1 Application form (sometimes available online)
2-4 visa/passport size photos (not smaller than 1”x1.5” or 2.5cm x 3.8cm)
Proof of medical travel insurance (including evacuation and repatriation coverage)
MFA Authorization Number
Visa fee
Some embassies ask for 1 or 2 photocopies of your passport photo page

Introduction VOA

Visas are available for pick up at Tehran International Airport on arrival for about 70 nationalities if this method is more convenient. We will prepare an authorization letter for you to give to the airline counter at check in. Once you arrive at the airport in Iran proceed to the Visa Office to have your visa issued. Note that these airport offices sometimes take 20-45 minutes to process your visa and if there is a large group waiting then sometimes longer. Proof of medical travel insurance is now compulsory and is available for sale from the immigration office at the airport.

As of Dec 2014 the following nationalities can NOT get Visa on Arrival anymore: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Colombia, India, Iraq, Jordan, Pakistan, Somolia.

Come2Persia can arrange this for you whether you plan to take a tour with us or are planning to make your own arrangements.

Visa Renewal

We are going to explain you how to extend your visa once you are in Iran. This extension is possible in any major cities in Iran.

Who can be eligible for a visa extension ?

Everybody, no matter how you got your visa.

How long can I extend my visa ?

You can pretend to a visa extension only once if you got your visa at the airport "Visa On Arrival". In theory, you can be able to extend your visa for 30 supplementary days, which means double your original visa (from 30 to 60 days).

In practice, you can see your demand getting deny or to see yourself given less than the duration you asked for. The extension refusal is still random, and can only depend of the mood of the agent in front of you.

Nevertheless, it seems much easier to extend your visa if you had previously obtain it prior to your arrival in Iran, meaning the original 30 days visa that you can get from your embassy. You can extend it onece or twice, which means a 30 days visa can become a 90 days visa thanks to 2 extensions.

Which documents do I need to bring to extend my visa ?

You will need :

- Two identity photos (women must wear a scarf)

- A photocopy of your passport identity page, a photocopy of your original iranian visa and a photocopy of the iranian stamp if it's not on the same page as your visa.

Most of the time, you can photocopy your passport on the office against a fee.

How much does it cost ?

The cost for a visa extension is around 10 euros. Price is subject to change. You will have to go to a "Melli Bank" in order to make the payment, and then come back to the office with your receipt.

Where can I extend my visa ?

You can extend your visa in any major cities in Iran (Tehran, Shiraz, Ispahan, Yazd, Mashhad and many more). You will have to go to the "Police Office of Foreign Affairs". Feel free to ask advices to our agency or to your hotel to get to this adress and know the opening hours. We would rather warn you that this office can be a little chaotic, depending of the town.

How long does it take to extend my visa ?

There is no general rules as it depends where you apply for this extension. It can be done during the same day or a couple of days maximum. We advice you to extend your visa 3 or 4 days before the end of your current visa, as it is nearly impossible to extend if you have too many days left on your visa.

What really is going to happen ?

After your arrival to the "Police Office of Foreign Affairs", you will have to let your phone, camera and backpacks at the entrance. This office is usually crowded, but you will often find an English speaker to help you. Make yourself known at the desk that should give you a form. You will have to fill it with your personnal details, reasons of the extension and how long do you want to extend. Once you get this form done, you will be directed towards a "Melli" bank to pay. Easiest solution is to get there via a taxi. In the bank, you will have to pay an amount of 10 €. The staff will not necessarily speak English but all the indications are written on a paper from the extension office. Once you make the payment, they will give you a receipt and you will have to comeback to "Police Office of Foreign Affairs" to finalize your application. When all the documents has been given, it can take 15 minutes or a few days for you to get your extension.

Visa extensions are available at the Police Offices of Foreign Aliens in major Iranian cities for up to 2 months.


Police Office of Foreign Aliens in Tehran :
Soroush St., After Motahari Junction, Shariati Ave.

Police Office of Foreign Aliens in Mashad :
Next to Azad Univ., Rahnamaee St.

Police Office of Foreign Aliens in Isfahan :
Azadi Sq.

Police Office of Foreign Aliens in Shiraz :

Between Kuye Zahra and Fazlabad St., Modares Blvd.