How to Get a Visa for Iran in 2023

1.1 Introduction

Travelling to Iran can be a challenging decision one can make in 2023. A mixture of historical, natural and socio-cultural attractions, usually seen against the backdrop of current politics, makes many people from all around the world interested in visiting this mysterious and complex country. Kental Iran Travel, an Iran tour guide agency based in Tehran, is ready to help you make this curiosity a reality in a very short period of time.

In this article, we explain the methods one can apply for a visa for Iran in 2023. In doing so, we will offer a list of documents applicants need to submit while applying for a visa for Iran. At the end, we will explain how applicants, after they are granted a visa, can physically obtain their visa.

1.2 How to apply

As is the case for all countries, Iran offers various types of visas for different purposes. Some are Tourist, Educational, Pilgrimage, Medical, Marital, and Investment visa types. In the following, we specifically focus on tourist visas, for which Kental Iran Travel is of much help for the applicants.

There are two methods one can use to apply for a visa for Iran. The first method is to apply for visa through the E-Visa application platform, a system run by the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. On the application web page, various tips and notices have been explained in details about which the applicants must be careful.

The second, and by far the easier, way to obtain a visa is to fill in a visa application form on third-party platforms, such as the Kental Iran Travel service. By doing the latter, one is essentially lifting off the burden of dealing with the E-Visa platform; in fact, Kental Iran Travel will do the paper work on their behalf.

To apply for a visa through Kental Iran Travel service, a Tehran-based Iran tour guide agency, you will only need to provide Kental Iran Travel with some of the basic documents and information, such as the digital copies of your passport and photo and information about your nationality.  They will do the official paper work for you, thus saving you time and energy for your time in Iran. Needless to say that Kental Iran Travel service will notify you with the status of your visa application.

1.3 Required documents

There are three vital components of a typical visa application for Iran. All visa applications must contain the following items:

• Passport
• Digital image of your passport
• Digital image of your photo

The last two items must meet certain criteria such as formatting and size. The E-Visa platform has offered comprehensive explanation on the criteria for digital image of your passport and your photo in detail.

For many applicants, especially those non-tourist visa applicants, the items above will not suffice to obtain a visa for Iran. Other items may include:

• Resume or Curriculum Vitae: according the type of visa you are applying for, you may be asked by the E-Visa to submit a resume or Curriculum Vitae which contain information about your current and previous education and work history.
• Travel itinerary: in case you want to travel to different cities and provinces in Iran, providing the E-Visa platform with your travel arrangements may be helpful. In case you want a third-party agent, such as Kental Iran Travel, one of the most experienced Iran tour guide agencys, to obtain a visa for you, they will provide the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with your travel arrangements, thus saving you time and energy during the application process.

Other than the items mentioned so far, there are other unique items one may need to submit while applying for a visa for Iran though the E-Visa platform. The table below gives information about specific requirements of each of the visa application types

As mentioned above, you may be asked by the Iranian consulate or the embassy in your country, or close to your country, to attend an interview. In this case, the embassy or the consulate will notify you for further steps via an email sent to the email address you provided in the application form.

However, if you are not required to attend an interview with a consulate or embassy officer, you should wait until the status of your visa application changes. You can check you application status on the Visa Application Online Check. No need to say that the E-Visa platform, as well as third-party agents such as Kental Iran Travel, will notify you with an email whenever the status of your visa application changes.

However, the good news for some applicants is that citizens of eleven countries are exempt from visa requirements. So, if you are a citizen of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Bolivia, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Georgia, Armenia, Venezuela, Malesia, or China, your passport will be enough for travelling to Iran. However, you can still apply for other services of Kental Iran Travel.

1.4        How to physically collect visa

After you apply for a visa for Iran, you will need to wait for about 10 business days for the visa issuance process to take place. When your visa is ready, you will receive an email from Kental Iran Travel, if you apply through Kental Iran Travel service, or from the E-Visa platform, if you apply through the main platform, indicating that you have been granted a visa to enter Iran.

1.5        Where and how to acquire an issued visa?

There are two ways you can physically acquire you visa. The first is through embassies and consulates in or near your native country. The confirmation email will explain where you can collect your visa. The second way is to collect your visa at an international airport in Iran.

The Visa on Arrival method is suitable for both independent tourists who can handle their accommodations, visits, and trips on their own and those who apply for visa through third-party agents such as the Kental Iran Travel service.

1.6        How does Visa on Arrival work?

There are three steps to take in order to collect your visa at an international airport in Iran.

• You need to apply for an electronic visa (E-Visa) through either the main E-Visa platform or the Kental Iran Travel service, which is a highly experienced Iran tour guide agency based in Tehran. After you have done this, you will have to wait for the issuance of your visa. When the visa is issued, you may be given a Grant Notice to Visa on Arrival.
• When you arrive at an international airport, you will need to submit the hard-copy of you Grant Notice to Visa on Arrival.
• Finally, you will have to pay the visa fee in euros through banking terminals at international airports.