Iran visa on arrival (Step By Step Guide)

Getting an Iran visa on arrival (Iran VOA) is one of the easiest ways to get your visa and travel to Iran. You will learn how to get your Iran visa on arrival step by step soon. Almost all countries can get their Iran VOA, but there are several exceptions to this Iran visa policy.

Citizens of the eligible countries can get their Iran VOA from one of the Iran international airports, or an Iran embassy / consulate general from THE COUNTRY OF THEIR CHOICE. Iran visa on arrival fees are different for each nationality and, accordingly, each visa type. Depending on how you choose to apply for your Iran VOA, you may need to provide different documentation as well.

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DID YOU KNOW? Tourists and travelers with any Iran visa type will no longer have their passports stamped. Moreover, Iran ministry of foreign affairs (MFA) does not affixes Iran visa on passports anymore. This way, everyone can visit Iran without having to worry about traveling to the US or any other country after visiting Iran. This regulation was set in place following the policy of attracting more tourists and the travel sanctions of the US government.

Visa owes it troublesome reputation to nothing but the sheer amount of paperwork each applicant must do!

• Skip the paperwork and the boring routine office work
• Don’t risk the costly mistake of poor documentation
• Increase your chances of getting an Iran visa significantly
• Cut down your waiting time from 2 weeks to 3 days!

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Step by Step Guide to Get Your Iran VOA

STEP 1: Do you need an Iran visa on arrival? check your eligibility for an Iran VOA.

Citizens of most countries can get their Iran visa on arrival with no problem, but there are a number of exceptions to that statement as well. There are 9 countries whose passport holders DON’T NEED A VISA at all to enter Iran, and there are 10 countries whose travelers must GET THEIR VISA BEFORE ARRIVING IN IRAN.  

1. VISA FREE COUNTRIES. citizens and passport holders of the following countries can enter Iran without a visa (VISA-FREE) and just by holding their passport. If you fall under this category, you don’t need to get an Iran visa unless you intend to stay longer than the permitted duration of time.

1. If you are a citizen or a passport holder of any of these countries, you CAN’T get your Iran visa on arrival (Iran VOA). You should instead get your visa BEFORE arrival:

• Afghanistan
• Bangladesh
•  Canada
•  Colombia
•   Iraq
•  Jordan
•  Pakistan
•  Somalia
• The United Kingdom
• The United States

STEP 2: FILL OUT THE IRAN VISA APPLICATION FORM ONLINE

Now that you have made sure of your eligibility to get an Iran VOA, you need to fill out the Iran visa application form. 

• Your passport must be valid for at least the next 6 months
• Your passport should not have an Israel stamp

The documents you will need to fill out your Iran visa application form are:

• Travel itinerary
• Digital personal photo 
• Digital image of your passport

Digital Image specifications required in case you apply for your Iran visa online:

1. must have been taken within the last 6 months
2. In (.jpg) format
3. Rectangular aspect ratio; (600×400 dimension)
4. No bigger than 500kb, no smaller than 10kb
5. In front of a plain white
6. In a casual or business outfit
7. Must be taken only of you
8. Full faced, looking straight ahead
9. Hair off your face
10. Neutral expression, no frowning
11. With apt lighting
12. Eyes wide open
13. mouth must be closed

you cannot:

• Wear a hat
• Wear glasses
• Wear headphones or earphones

Note: You should provide a medical statement signed by a medical professional or a health practitioner if you can’t take your glasses off for your Iran visa picture.

Note: if you want to send your documents to the Iran embassy of your country, you must have two pieces of picture from yourself.

The browser requirements are:

• support 128-bit encryption
• JavaScript must be enabled
• Transport Layer Security (TLS) must be enabled
• Your browser must be set to accept cookies

You can track your visa status online using the tracking code you receive once your application is submitted.

Note: Before filling out your visa form, you need to decide where exactly you want your visa issued. You can choose:

• one of the Iran international airports to get your visa from after arriving in Iran.
• Iran embassy or consulate general of your country, or another country.

After filling out the Iran e-VOA form, you will have to wait until your visa grant notice, or Authorization code is sent to you. This can take up to 2 working weeks normally, and only 3 days if you apply through Artin Travel.

STEP 3: having received your Iran visa authorization code, you will need to prepare different documents and papers depending on how you want to receive your visa.

• To get your Iran visa on arrival from an international airport in Iran you need the following documents:
  • A hard copy of your Iran VISA AUTHORIZATION LETTER
  • Your passport (for identification purposes)
  • Iran Visa on arrival fee in cash, and in EUR
  • Travel insurance documents
  • Hotel information
• If you wish to get your visa from an Iran embassy or consulate general, you need to have the following documents:
  • Hotel information 
  • Telephone number of your host in Iran (if you are traveling to Iran with an invitation letter)
  • Two pieces of your passport sized picture to be attached to your Iran visa application form
  • Iran visa fee 
  • Hard copy of your visa application form
  • Hard copy of your authorization code letter (Iran visa grant notice)
  • Travel insurance documents

Tip: you may be asked to be present in the embassy at a set time for an interview as a part of your Iran visa on arrival process. The chances of this happening are not high, but they are not zero either.

Note: if you don’t send in your documents or fly to Iran to get your Iran VOA within 30 days from when your visa authorization code is issued, your application will expire.

Iran visa on arrival cost (Iran VOA cost)

Depending on your nationality, you have to pay different Iran visa on arrival fees to get your visa. The cost ranges from €20 to €150. To see the full list and learn how much you have to pay in total, check out the list below (in alphabet order): 

Note: Iran visa fee differs slightly among Iran embassies in Europe, Iran embassies in America, Iran embassy in Australian, and so on. To check out the full list of Iran visa fees, read.

What is Allowed in Iran? What Isn’t?

• Firearms, alcohol, drugs, pornographic material, video and audio content, pork, gambling products, and material that portrays Iran in an unfavorable manner are all prohibited from entering the nation.
• Attempting to smuggle narcotics can result in harsh penalties (the death penalty).
• Travelers may take the following items out of Iran: one hand-woven rug with a maximum size of 12 m2, silver items without valuable gems up to 3 kg, gold objects without precious gems up to 150 grams, 10 kg of pistachios, and a total of 200 grams of saffron.
• Artifacts, original artwork, handwritten manuscripts, lithographs, calligraphy pieces, tiny artwork, and ancient coins are prohibited from being exported.
• The overall political climate in Iran has been brought under control. There are no security hazards in cities, particularly significant tourist centers (except those which are common in such cities worldwide).
• It is recommended that travelers bring copies of their passports and other identification documents and leave their authentic cards at the hotel. There are no robberies in hotel rooms because everything is video-monitored.

Iran Visa on Arrival vs. Iran Visa in Advance

While getting your Iran visa on arrival:

• Long queues for airport visas may bother you.
• The time to reach Iran may be different. You may arrive at the airport at midnight, for example at 4 am. Then you will have to wait until the morning of the next day to start your visa process.
• It will take a rather long time to fill in the visa application forms at the airport.
• Waiting for the administrative procedures for airport visa issuance may bother you.

In conclusion, it is advisable to apply for an Iran visa on arrival beforehand.

ONLINE IRAN VISA BENEFITS

If you apply for your Iran visa online, not only you can fill out your application form in a matter of minutes, but also:

• Your​ airport visa process speeds up
• It is more secure than a regular Iran visa on arrival
• You won’t have to stress waiting on the Iran visa on arrival queue.
• You won’t need to fill out multiple forms
• You will receive your airport visa along with your passport and reference code online, after you have applied for a visa.

Note: Iran visa fee differs slightly among Iran embassies in Europe, Iran embassies in America, Iran embassy in Australian, and so on. To check out the full list of Iran visa fees, read.

Also Note: You can only get a visa on arrival if you’re visiting the country as a tourist. You must apply for a student visa or a work visa, depending on whether you are going to study or work. You will not be able to obtain a visa upon arrival.

Iran Visa FAQs

Which countries can get visa on arrival in Iran?

Iran visa on arrival is issued for 72 countries and except for Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Canada, Colombia, Iraq, Jordan, Pakistan, Somalia, The UK, The US; citizens of all other countries can get their Iran visa on arrival.

How much does a visa to Iran cost?

Generally, Artin Travel charges travelers $20 as the visa service (FREE if you book a tour) and, per Iran visa policy, another $18 to $180 as the standard Iran visa cost. Depending on the type of visa, the duration of your stay, and where it is issued, Iran visa fees differ.

Can I visit Iran as a US citizen?

Yes! All US citizens are welcome to visit Iran anytime they want, after following the instructions for US travelers. 

Do you need a visa for Iran?

Aside from passport holders of these 9 countries, citizens of all other countries need a visa to travel to Iran.  Malaysia, Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Oman, Lebanon, Georgia, and Syria.

 Can you fly to Iran right now?

According to the Ministry of Foreign of Affairs (MFA), getting a TOURIST VISA or a PILGRIMAGE VISA is not possible during the COVID outbreak until further notice. You can still obtain an Iran treatment visa, Iran entry visa, or Iran family visa anytime you want.

Is it dangerous to visit Iran?

No. Iran is, as described by travelers and tourists, among the safest travel destinations. You will know as soon as your flight lands in Iran that this is not the country the Media tries to portray.

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