ImmersiveIran > Travel Guide > Iran Tourist Visa
As of mid-2025, Iran has introduced a new and more structured process for issuing tourist visas, making it easier for visitors to obtain their e-Visas through licensed Iranian travel agencies.
Under the new system announced by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts (July–August 2025):
These updates are designed to simplify the application experience for travelers while maintaining coordination between tour operators and the Iranian authorities.
Tip: For a seamless visa experience, book your tour or custom itinerary through a registered Iranian agency like Immersive Iran, which handles all official paperwork and ensures compliance with the latest guidelines.
This information was updated in June 2025. Contact us for any possible updates.
This information was updated in
June 2025. Contact us for any
possible updates.
Certain nationalities are exempt from an Iranian tourist visa altogether. Depending on your country, stay durations vary:
|
Stay Durations
|
Country
|
|---|---|
|
90 days |
Oman, Syria (enter by air), Turkey, Armenia (within any 180 days), Russia (in a tour group) |
|
45 days |
Georgia |
|
30 days |
Bolivia, Lebanon, Iraq, Tajikistan (enter by air from Dushanbe to Tehran & no more than 90 days per year) |
|
21 days |
China, Hong Kong, Macao |
|
20 days |
Egypt |
|
15 days |
Malaysia, Venezuela (extendable up to 30 days) |
|
15 days within any 6 months (tourism only) |
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bahrain, Belarus, Brazil, Brunei, Cambodia, Croatia, Cuba, Indonesia, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Kuwait, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Peru, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Tanzania, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Vietnam, Uzbekistan, Zimbabwe |
|
14 days |
Azerbaijan (extendable up to 3 months), Kazakhstan |
If you are not from the countries mentioned in the ‘free-visa’ or ‘special nationalities’ sections, it means that you need to secure a visa before your arrival to Iran. Here’s a guide to the main options available:
1
Apply Directly Via Iran e-visa Website
You can apply through the Iranian government’s e-Visa portal. The confirmation process can take up to 14 working days.
2
Apply Through an Iranian Consulate or Embassy
If you have easy access to an Iranian consulate or embassy, applying in person is another option. This method also can take up to 14 working days.
3
Apply Through a Licensed Travel Agency (Recommended)
Agencies can streamline the visa process, handle any documentation needs, and have the local contacts necessary to ensure a smooth application and approval process. This route often takes a shorter time, around 3 to 7 working days. If you are booking your travel services with us, we will happily apply for your visa free of charge.
*
Due to the high rejection rate, ImmersiveIran does not recommend applying directly via e-visa yourself. Applying through a licensed agency like ImmersiveIran offers the highest and fastest chance of approval.
*
Processing for Iran visa will take around 3 to 7 working days* with us.
*
For US, UK, and Canada nationals, the process takes around 40 working days.
*
After receiving visa grant notice (application approval), you can pick up your visa from the place you originally selected for the pickup (an Iranian embassy/consulate or upon airport arrival in Iran).
*
Most nationalities can get an e-visa for up to 30 days (it’s extendable).
*
You can stay visa-free for 14 days in certain free-trade zones in Iran. These include Kish Island, Qeshm Island, and the Arvand, Aras, and Chabahar Free Trade Zones.
*
You need to pay a fee for picking up your visa. See below the fees to be paid at an Iranian airport:
|
Country
|
Price (EUR)
|
|---|---|
|
New Zealand |
€150 |
|
Australia |
€145 |
|
Sierra Leone, Chile |
€120 |
|
UAE, Uganda, Chad, Vietnam, China, Taiwan |
€100 |
|
Angola, Serbia |
€85 |
|
South Africa, Ukraine, Brazil, Hong Kong |
€80 |
|
Germany, Austria, Spain, Italy, Ireland, Bulgaria, Greece, Poland, Hungary, Belgium, Sweden, Switzerland, Portugal, Netherlands, Romania, Denmark, Thailand, Singapore, Oman, France, Finland, Cyprus, Iceland, Slovenia, Estonia, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Latvia, Luxembourg, Lithuania, Malta, Norway, Ghana, Qatar, Cuba, Gabon, Guinea |
€75 |
|
Russia, Uzbekistan, Argentina, Zambia, Mongolia, Moldova |
€70 |
|
Japan, Turkmenistan, Guyana, Cameroon, Peru, Kenya, Kuwait, Tanzania, Madagascar, Malawi, El Salvador, Sri Lanka |
€60 |
|
Philippines, Panama, Fiji, Nigeria |
€55 |
|
South Korea, Croatia, India, Macedonia, Bosnia, Kazakhstan, Paraguay, Senegal |
€50 |
|
Mauritania, Indonesia, Tunisia, Zimbabwe, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Niger, Venezuela, Palestine |
€45 |
|
Ecuador, Benin, Yemen, Eritrea |
€40 |
|
Tajikistan, Algeria, Bhutan, Morocco, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Egypt (more than 20 days) |
€30 |
|
Belarus |
€25 |
|
Armenia, Bahrain, Malaysia (more than 15 days) |
€10 |
*Please note that these rates are based on the date of writing.
You can contact us to check if there are any updates.
A few countries are considered special for travel to Iran and the entry of tourists from these countries to Iran is different. These countries are:
*
You should either apply via an agency like Immersive Iran or an Iranian Embassy/consulate.
*
U.S., Canada, UK, and Colombia passport holders must book a tour guide and travel services from a certified Iranian travel agency. The government must approve their day-to-day itinerary through the agency.
*
A licensed tour guide must escort U.S., Canadian, and U.K. citizens throughout their travel.
*
Only pick up your visa from an Iranian embassy/consulate. Picking up your visa from an Iranian airport is not an option.
Here are the documents you will need for applying for an Iran visa:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Visa Fee Payment:
You can either receive your visa from an Iranian airport (not applicable to the special nationalities) and pay a fee there. Or you may prefer to pick up your visa from an Iranian consulate/embassy before your arrival and pay the fee there. Usually, the fees of the airport are less than that of the consulates.
*
Make sure to complete all fields.
*
Correct documentation is vital for the visa process. It ensures that the work proceeds without issues.
*
Outline where and when you will visit, with accurate stay addresses.
*
A minimum of one month before departure is advisable. Approval times differ by nationality.
*
Your passport must be valid six months past your planned dates in Iran.
*
Above all else, high-quality passport copy and personal photo are vital. They will help you secure the desired visa without hiccups. The passport copy should be without any reflection, curve or shadow.
If you wish to stay in Iran beyond the validity of your tourist visa, you can apply for an extension. To do this, visit the local Police Department of Foreign Affairs and submit an in-person request. It is recommended to begin the process at least three days before your visa for Iran expires, but applying too far in advance is not advised.
Prepare the required documents: a passport valid for at least six months, two photocopies of both your passport and current visa, two completed application forms provided by the office, and two recent passport-sized photos.
If you want to travel to Iran for business, you’ll normally need a legitimate invitation letter from an Iranian company or organization that will host or invite you. That invitation, often coming from the company’s CEO or a responsible official, must state the purpose of your visit, duration of stay, and contact details of the inviting entity. At ImmersiveIran, we are able to issue official invitation letters and handle the business-visa application process on your behalf.
You also need to prepare standard travel-document requirements: a valid passport (with at least six months of validity), recent passport-type photos, and a completed visa application form.
Once you have the invitation and required documents ready, your application is submitted — either via the Iranian embassy/consulate abroad, or through an authorized visa-processing agency.
Processing typically takes 3 to 14 working days under normal conditions. Because regulations may vary depending on your nationality or the inviting company’s status, it’s wise to coordinate with your Iranian host and to start the process well in advance of your planned travel date.
