When you plan to travel to Iran as a tourist, you need to have a tourist visa before you can enter the country. In the past, you had to go to the Iranian embassy in your country or your region and apply for a visa. Since January 2016, Iranian government has changed the rules to apply for a visa and you can get your Iran visa on arrival at Tehran airport for 30 days. But how does it work?
My travel to Iran
In the Netherlands there is an Iranian embassy, but I decided to see how the visa on arrival at Tehran airport works, so I didn’t apply for a visa before I left. I’m a Dutch citizen en I travelled solo to Iran for 2 weeks in February 2017. I arrived to Tehran airport on a direct flight and had a return ticket for 2 weeks.
Read more: Is it safe to travel solo to Iran?
Please be aware, American, Canadian and British passport holders cannot travel Iran independently. You have to show evidence of a tour and you need to apply for a visa before your departure. Read about an experience from a British passport holder to apply for an Iranian visa in London here. A few other nationalities cannot get a VOA but need to go to the Iranian Embassy in their country. Please always check your local authorities and what rules apply for your nationality.
Tehran Airport
Most international flights will arrive at IKA – Imam Khomeini Airport in Tehran. After you disembarked the plane, the route will lead you to the main hall. On the far left, there are booths for customs authorities. You can only go through direct if you already have a visa or don’t need one.
In the main hall, you’ll find:
- Insurance booth in the middle of the hall
- Office to apply for your visa on arrival on the right
- Booth to pay for your visa
What do you need to bring for your Iran visa on arrival?
Before you leave home, make sure to have the following things with you (in your carry on!).
- Valid passport that is still valid for 6 months after the duration of your intended visa
- CASH!! Either $ or € will do. I paid 75 euros but this seems to vary.
- Name and address + phone number of the location where you’re staying the first night. You do not need proof of your whole itinerary but authorities will check the first night.
- Proof of insurance coverage in Iran. If you do not have this, you can buy it at Tehran airport. Make sure your insurance company states: “valid in Iran” on the document. The words “world coverage” do not count. Obviously, the document needs to be in English.
Read more: Practical preparations for travel to Iran.
What do you need to do for a visa on arrival at Tehran Airport?
I arrived at 1.30 am on a Saturday morning. On my flight were various European nationalities. An African party and a few Asian travellers also applied for their Iran visa on arrival. None got declined.
Insurance for travel in Iran
First, you need to get your insurance paper stamped. Just wait in line at the insurance office for the guy to stamp your paper. If you do not have proof that your insurance covers you in Iran, you can buy insurance for €15. Or purchase it online before you go, for example via this company.
Read more: How travel to Iran ruined my future travel experiences
Iran Visa application forms
After this, you need to get to the main office and ask the man for the visa application papers. He will give you a white, blue and pink paper. You need to fill out all the details just like any other visa application form. I recommend not to mention you’re a blogger, journalist or photographer as your occupation. Just in case.
Pay for your Iran visa on arrival at the airport
Once you filled everything out, the guy at the office will give you a yellow post-it with an amount on it, which you can pay at the payment booth. Your credit card or debit card will not function, so you can pay in US Dollars or Euro. I paid € 75.
Read more: My 2 weeks in Iran Travel Budget – How much did I spent?
You’ll get a confirmation that you paid for your Iran visa on arrival and you’ll hand over all the papers and you passport to the main office.
Wait for your Iranian visa
Now you have to wait until they call your name. My hotel confirmed that the authorities called them to check if I had a reservation with them. A group of Belgium people confirmed their tour guide received a phone call too.
How long does it take to apply for a visa on arrival?
For me, it took a little over an hour. This was at 1.30 am and we were the 2nd plane at that time. We had to wait until the previous applications had been handled, before I could apply for my Iran visa on arrival.
It can take up 2 hours, depending on how busy it is at Tehran airport and how quick you are yourself! Make sure to calculate enough time if you arrange taxi or pick-up service before you leave home.
Final step for your visa on arrival at Tehran airport
As I was the last tourist standing, the guy didn’t have to call my name. I got my passport and inspected the visa.
Make sure your visa has all the correct information and check if you received the correct passport back!
Now, only one final step to take: go to the custom office and get that visa stamped! Welcome to Iran! You successfully applied for your Iran visa on arrival at Tehran airport!
Read more: 2 weeks travel in Iran itinerary
FAQ about Iran visa on arrival
Can you only apply for an Iran visa on arrival at Tehran airport?
>> No, you also apply for a visa at the other international airports of Iran. I met Ellen from Australia, who applied for a visa on arrival at Shiraz airport and it took her 15 minutes to get one.
Can I apply for a visa on arrival for Iran for more than 30 days?
>> No, the standard visa on arrival is valid for 30 days. In case you need more time, you can apply for an extension of your visa in Tehran or Shiraz.
Do women need to have a passport photo with their hair covered?
>> No, at least my passport photo shows my hair and this wasn’t a problem. None of the other women I spoke to mentioned this being an issue.
Can I apply for a multi-entry visa for Iran on arrival?
>> No, you can only apply for a single-entry tourist visa for Iran.
Read more: Best places to see the desert in Iran.
Pros and Cons for Iran Visa on Arrival
I wanted to apply for the visa on arrival because I could and wanted to see what it is like and tell you people all about it. Some other things to keep in mind when you decide if you apply or not:
Pro’s for applying for your Iranian visa at the airport
- You do not have to travel to an embassy to apply for the visa
- You do not have to leave your passport for multiple days to get a visa
- You can spontaneously visit Iran on a last minute decision
Con’s to applying for your Iran visa on arrival
- It might be cheaper to apply for the visa at the embassy
- You will not know if you get your Iran visa until the very last moment
- If you’re declined (for whatever reason) you have to find a flight elsewhere at the airport.
For me, the cost and time to travel to my embassy and leave my passport there for a couple of days was more inconvenient than to apply for the Iran visa on arrival at the airport. I did worry a bit if I’d get my visa for Iran on arrival but I hope this post eases your mind about how you can apply for your Iran visa on arrival at the airport.
Use an agency to get your visa
If you’re still not sure if you want to take the risk to apply for a visa on arrival at the Iran airport, you can use an agency to get your Iranian visa before. They save you the time and hassle of going to an embassy to apply. You need to pay a fee, fill out a form and they handle the application for you.
Apply for your Iran Visa with 1stQuest
Thank you for reading. Would you like to get updates about the blog and my travels? Sign-up to my newsletter. Once a month you’ll receive an e-mail with information about Probe around the Globe and what is new on the blog. As a gift, you can download my FREE Iran Photo E-Book with all the best images of my travel to Iran to flip through and use as inspiration.
Do you plan to travel to Iran and have more questions? Please let me know and I’ll do my best to answer them and add them here.
This post contains affiliate links. If you decide to book something via one of my links, I’ll earn a small commission. This is at no extra costs to you.
Hello!
Did they ask you for an exit flight ticket? Because I would like to exit through Azerbaijan overland.
Thanks (:
I booked a return ticket, so they didn’t ask me as it was pretty obvious, but you can also obtain the via at the border, so I guess it will be ok. Better check with your embassy what they say about it. Have a good time Antonio.
Hoi! Wat een ontzettend duidelijke blog!:) Ook leuk om te lezen hoe je reist! Ik hoop binnenkort ook solo naar Iran te gaan, maar vraag me af; weet je misschien of het mogelijk is je visum buiten je paspoort te laten drukken? Zodat je ook nog naar de VS en Israel kan blijven reizen?:)
Dank je Rose. Ik denk niet dat dat kan voor een Iraans visum. Het plakkaat gaat echt in je paspoort.
Hoi Rose.
Naar de VS reizen kort nadat je in Iran bent geweest, zal sowieso vervelend worden. Op een ESTA moet je niet meer hopen en bij een gewone visumaanvraag kan je je aan ernstige vragen en misschien een weigering van je visumaanvraag verwachten.
Naar Israel reizen is in theorie geen probleem. Mensen die Iran bezochten worden niet systematisch geweigerd bij de Israelische grens. Verwacht je echter ook hier aan erg veel vragen. Zeker in Israel gaat het er bij zulke ondervragingen om dat je gewoon kalm, eerlijk en geduldig moet antwoorden op de vragen en dan komt alles wel goed.
The most informative and useful travel blog I’ve ever read and I have been travelling for 55 years. Thank you very much. Gerry
I am now 75 and take things more easily. I will fly into Isfahan and am thinking of spending all of my 3 weeks in Iran, there. From my reading there is plenty to see and do in Isfahan. What do you think? Should I visit Shiraz or Yazd? Thanks again.
I’m glad you liked my article Gerry and happy you found it useful. Depending on what your interests are, you can spend all your time in Isfahan or travel around. I found traveling in Iran very easy and loved Shiraz, so you might want to explore more once you get there. I found each city to have its own character and unique vibe but you can always decide once you get to Iran. I think you’ll have a great time!
Thanks Naomi. I will take your advice and go to Shiraz.
Great information! I can already see myself parting with the money for insurance as I don´t even have a proper contract (mine renews annually and automatically..). I wonder if you can apply for arrival visa on border crossings on ground? Not sure from which country we´ll be entering but after reading this I´ll definitely take more time to prepare!
Zo leuk om jouw verhalen en foto’s te lezen! Maakt me helemaal enthousiast voor mijn eigen trip naar Iran. Ik vroeg me af hoe jij van het vliegveld naar Tehran ben gegaan midden in de nacht. Wij komen zelf geloof ik ook rond 1.30 aan, en het is best wel ver nog naar het centrum. Ben jij met een taxi gegaan en zo ja, is dit een beetje te betalen?
Dank je Ingrid! Wat leuk dat je ook binnenkort gaat. Ik kwam ook om 1.30 am aan en heb een taxi vantevoren geboekt. Dit was 20 USD en ik werd voor mijn hotel afgezet. Je kunt ook kijken of je via jouw hotel of hostel iets kunt regelen.
This was really interesting and useful 🙂 Glad you went to Iran, Middle Eastern countries are awesome and more people should go there.
Oh man, I really want to go to Iran, but I am a German/US dual citizen and I emailed the embassy and they can’t tell me, whether I can just go with my German passport or if I need to follow the procedures for US citizens. Not sure if this is something I should hide???
I don’t know about that but I do know stories of people travelling on their other passport. Just not sure what the consequences will be if you want to go to the US again.
I am a US-Serbian dual national, and went with my Serb passport and no one gave me any trouble or asked. I didn’t hide it or lie about it, it’s just that no one cared.
Such a thorough and informative post! Thank you for writing and sharing this! I could see many people assuming credit cards would work or standing in the visa line before the insurance one. Your post can seriously save people a lot of stress and time!
As a Canadian I had no idea about all of these restrictions! I’ve seen a lot of Iran lately and it’s been piquing my interest more and more. Thanks so much for the great info!
My friend and I have planned a travel to Iran. This is a very informational! If possible do post a tip on an itinerary! Thanks a ton!
wondering now if Australians need to book a tour, time to do some research. I was last in Iran back in the early 2000’s. Great Post!
Thanks Leigh. To my knowledge Australian passportholders do not need a tour. I saw a few ozzy solo travellers
Yeah right! Interesting to know US, CA, UK have to book at tour. Great info thank you! Iran has some amazing mountains. I’d love to go there to ski one day. Bet I’d look a bit odd carrying skis through there. One day! Thanks for sharing this really helpful info with us.
Actually Lex, I met a guy who went to Iran just to go snowboarding. He had his own gear with him and everything. He went for the weekend and during the week, I met him in Yazd. The next weekend he was back at the slopes for more snow!
Iran has never really been on my to visit, but little by little you are convincing me that I should visit.
I so much wish to be able one day to travel in the Middle East. Iran is on top of the list. Very useful post with thorough information on the visa procedures!
Thanks Daniela. I hope you can make your dreams come through!
Your post was really informative and helpful, thanks!
Did you find it relatively easy getting your visa at the airport? I think I’d be nervous on the whole flight over in case I got declined and then had to catch the next flight back out haha!
I was a bit nervous like a week before Elle and thought: what would I do when I got declined, but once there, it was fill out the paper work and pay and you’re good to go.
You are so very brave to travel alone! I have never done this and am afraid to do so. I wish I had more courage. I also did not realize Americans had a limit on where they can visit.
I can highly recommend it Mary. Solo travel is really amazing and I loved my travel in Iran.
It would be amazing to travel around that part of the globe one day. As a Canadian citizen, I have to go on a tour and I didn’t know that previously! How did you find it travelling by yourself as a women in Iran? Did you meet many other travelers your age while there?
I loved it Sara. It was easy and relaxed. I met many solo female travellers aged 20 to 60 and felt really good. It was such a good travel experience, I wish everyone could do it.
Good and useful post. It’s been a long and tedious effort to get Iranian visas, and I live in the national capital with the Iranian embassy only a short drive away, AND had a tour company get the approvals for me.
Getting an Iran visa on arrival would be a lot easier!
In just a few days I’m heading back for another couple of weeks. I am so looking forward to it. I won’t be quite so apprehensive as on my first visit. Mind you, Tehran can be a very dangerous place for foreigners – that traffic is horrendous!
Please tell me in wich hotel did you stay the first night in Tehran, how many days do you suggest to stay in Tehran, is It better to arrange a tourist guide being over there or is It better to travel solo? Wich other cities do you suggest to visit? How much money would be enough to travel in Irán for 2 weeks? Thanks so much foro your help
Naomi will respond, I’m sure.
My experiences are:
Tehran is a big, crowded, smelly and dirty city. The place is covered in diesel fumes and the traffic is mad. However, it has a lovely setting at the foot of high mountains, and there are some excellent cultural institutions. Once I got an understanding of how things worked, I enjoyed it. One or two days, for sure, even if just for some of the museums.
Solo travel is possible, I guess, but although English is widely used and spoken, especially in tourist areas, it is not universal. Plus a lot of signs and forms will be in Farsi written in Arabic script. Extra skill level required. I’ve travelled with a tour company and that allowed me to focus on the sights, rather than the details of travel and highway checkpoints and buying tickets and so on. But certainly possible for a solo traveller keen on adventure and saving money.
I’m guessing here, but I’d say $3K American would be a low amount for two weeks. Remember to bring money with you in cash, as the Iranian bank system is not linked to the world’s. There are ATMs, but your cards won’t work in them. Likewise credit cards are useless. However, SAD and EUR are widely accepted, and there are plenty of moneychangers.
I stayed at the Hotel Laleh, the old InterContinental. The rack rate is north of SAD200 a night, and there are certainly cheaper options available.
Hi Giovanni, I stayed in 2 different places in Tehran, one when I just arrived and one when I left. I travelled solo and do not agree with what Pete wrote. Solo travel was a breeze and not difficult at all. I didn’t have to do anything as help was always there. I found more people than I expected to speak English and help me. I went to Tehran, Shiraz, Yazd, Esfahan and Kashan in 2 weeks and I spent rougly 1200 euro. This could have been a lot cheaper but I decided for a midrange approach with a little bit more luxury. I’ll post my itinerary and travel budget later on. I hope you’ll get to go to Iran and experience everything yourself.
These are some wonderful tips, but concern is that is it good to visit Iran these days? If yes then I would love to visit it someday! Thanks for sharing this tips! Cheers!
I am surprised they let you use your profile picture for your visa form, Naomi. Normally those pictures look all the same with their blue or white backgrounds and unemotional faces. Yours really stands out! Did you ever felt uncomfortable while traveling in Iran?
LOL Robert. I didn’t want you guys to see my aweful passport photo so I tempered with it a bit obviously. I was very nervous before going to Iran but once I got through my first day it was a breeze. It was so easy and relaxed and I had a great time!
Yesterday evening I totally thought the visa you showed was super legit. Looks like you’ve got some damn good photoshop skills 😀
Great to hear you had a wonderful time in Iran. Nowadays there are so many people being afraid of the Middle East because of the unreasonable pictures in their head. Keep rocking!
Wow, Naomi. It must be thrilling when you are traveling solo with skeptic mind. But I guess, that’s the part of travel experience . I am sure, you will cherish it for a long time. Looking forward to read your other posts.
Thanks Rajiv, I loved it from start to finish.