FAQ

For travel to Iran, a regular Visa along with a passport is mandatory.

All visitors to Iran must hold a passport or travel document valid for 6 months at the time of departure.

Only categories exempted under bilateral arrangements may not need a visa. If you’re from these countries you don’t need to have Iran Visa: Azerbaijan, Bolivia, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Georgia, Armenia, Venezuela, Egypt, Malaysia, and China.

Usually between 7 and 15 workdays to receive the Authorization Code. After that, you should go to the embassy and it takes about 1 to 3 days to receive the final stamp of visa on your passport. (There are exceptions for American, Canadian, British, and Irish Passport holders)

Receiving a Tourist Visa Upon Arrival is possible for the citizens of about 180 countries at Iran international airports Imam Khomeini airport in Tehran, Mehr Abad airport in Tehran, Mashhad airport, Tabriz airport, Isfahan airport, and Shiraz airport. Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Canada, Colombia, India, Iraq, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Jordan, Pakistan, Somalia, USA, UK are non-eligible countries for Iran Visa On Arrival.

Yes, but the visa process is longer than other nationalities and some details are different. First of all, they should contact an Iranian travel agency based in Iran to apply for a visa. They should have an organized itinerary before starting their tour and a local tour guide must accompany their tour. In addition, a CV for their visa applications is required.

Yes Organized Itinerary is necessary to apply the visa. If you apply the visa by Tour Operators will be easier way for you.

Usually, it takes 30-60 days according to Iran Low/High seasons.

Sure, You should mention the details of the flight and hotels once you are going to register the information.

Unfortunately, due to the imposition of financial sanctions, it isn’t possible to use international credit cards (Visa Card, Master Card, etc.) in Iran. So you need to carry your money in cash. US dollars or Euros are easier to exchange in Iran. But in case of an emergency, there are specific places like currency exchange offices in which Master Credit Card and all types of money transfers and exchanges are accepted.

The classic route of Iran goes right into the heart of the country and is about 1300 km long, from north to south. The major tourist cities located on this route include Tehran, Kashan, Isfahan, Yazd, and Shiraz. You can visit many of Iran's Highlights in these cities. There are also numerous small towns and villages on this route including Kashan, Abyaneh, Naein, Meybod, Abarkuh, Pasargadae, etc. which are worth visiting.

In spite of the media propaganda about the Dangers of traveling to Iran, this country has always been safe for tourists and no danger threatens anyone in Iran. Iranian people are very hospitable and kind, especially toward tourists and foreigners. To be sure, you can read travel blogs of those who traveled to Iran or ask them about it. But if you are still worried about the safety of traveling to Iran, you can contact a local Iranian travel agency or tour operator to provide you with tourist services.

There is no limitation for unmarried couples to travel to Iran with each other. The foreign tourists are not asked about their marriage proof or about what kind of relationship they have and they can easily travel to Iran and stay at the hotel in the same room.

As a foreign tourist, you cannot use your cell phone in Iran. But you can buy a one-month Iran tourist SIM card at a very reasonable price on arrival.

There is Internet access everywhere (except for some remote places). In hotels, coffee shops and most restaurants in all cities you will have Wi-Fi. There are also coffee-nets where you can access to the internet without any problem. By buying Iran SIM card and activating its Internet you are able to have an easy regular Internet access all around through your cell phone. Sometimes it may be slow but it will work.

In Iran you can use What's App, LinkedIn and Instagram without any restrictions. But Facebook, Telegram, YouTube and Twitter are blocked and are accessible via a VPN.

Having travel insurance to obtain Iran Visa is compulsory. Without insurance documentation, you cannot pick up your visa from Iran Embassy or get your visa on arrival at the airport.

Yes, Iran is a safe country to visit and no danger threatens solo female travelers. But just like any other country all around the world, it is better to consider facts for traveling solo like knowing emergency numbers and being cautious in different situations.

Most people (except US, UK, and Canadian citizens) can travel independently to Iran, without any guide. But many people, in order to avoid having trouble, prefer an Iranian agency to assist them in the various parts of their tour and to have a guided itinerary. If you are planning to travel to Iran alone, we suggest that you obtain complete information on various issues before starting your trip.

Alcoholic beverages are strictly banned in Iran, either to consume, transport to the country, or even carry with you. Only Alcohol-free beer is available in the shops and restaurants. Tourists caught in possession of alcohol will be deported, so forget it during your trip to Iran.

It depends on the place and on the situation. If it is not permitted, you will find the sign or you will be informed. Of course, there are serious restrictions on photography of government and military buildings and installments. Iranians usually welcome you to take pictures of them, but it is always better to ask for permission.

Iran is known for having various souvenirs and in each city, you have many options. The most famous ones are Iranian rugs, saffron, pistachios, carpets, delicious sweets, copper dishes, enamelware, Khatam dishes, pottery, various fabrics, and many other handmade crafts. In Iran, you can find the best rugs and carpets in the world. If you are traveling with a travel agency, ask them to refer you to a specialist to help you buy souvenirs, especially rugs and carpets.

Iran has a hot and dry climate. The summers are long and hot and the winters are cold and short.  January is the coldest and August is the hottest month. During the spring and fall, the temperatures are moderate.

Iran is an Islamic country and respecting the Islamic dress code is necessary for the country. However, the rules are not very strict, especially for tourists and foreigners.

Women’s hair should be covered but not necessarily with a tight scarf and some parts could remain out of the cover. Arms should not be bare and legs should be covered down to the ankles. There is no limitation in the colors of clothes. If a chador is needed for women to enter holy places, it will be given upon your entrance. Men should wear long pants with long or short sleeves shirts. On Iranian Flights, necessary dress codes are requested when the plane enters the Iranian boundaries.

Touristic sites have different entrance fees but the fee is approximately between 5 to 7 US$ per person for each site. If you are traveling on a tour, the entrance fees will be included in the services. If the cost of your tour does not include meals, you will have to pay around $ 15 to $ 20 for a quality meal in a good restaurant. Paying tips isn’t mandatory in Iran, but it is better to give a tip to the tour guide, the tour driver, the hotel bellboys, and restaurant waiters.

Ambulance (115), Directory inquiries (118), Fire Brigade (125), Police (110)

Iranian food is very similar to Middle Eastern food, wheat, rice, lamb and chicken are the main ingredients. Fresh herbs and spices such as saffron, barberry and cinnamon, nuts, dried fruits, and beans are widely used. The local and traditional drinks include tea, dough (a yogurt-based drink), and Sharbat, but you can also find all kinds of international drinks. The use of alcoholic beverages and the meat of pork are illegal in Iran. All the foods and drinks in restaurants, hotels, and coffee shops should be Halal.

Persian Kabab and different stews (Ghormeh Sabzi, Gheimeh, Fesenjoon, etc.) are served with rice, Abgoosht, rice mixtures containing either beef or chicken and several vegetables and grains (Loobia Polow, Albaloo Polow, etc.) are among the most famous dishes in Iran.

If you are vegetarian, don’t worry, you have various options (different Polows, Mirza Ghasemi, kashk-e Bademjan, Ash, etc.), especially in local restaurants in the classic route or north of Iran.

Iranian Rials (IRR) is the official currency in Iran. However, the amounts of money and prices of goods are usually given by Tomans in daily life. What is written on the bills is Rial and not Toman. When you are in shopping centers or in a restaurant it’s better to ask the seller to make sure that prices are in Rials or in Tomans because the prices are normally written in Rials. Commonly if they seem very expensive they might be in Rials.

Each Toman equals 10 Rial.  Example: 1 million Tomans = 10 million Rials. In order to find out the value in Toman, you simply need to remove one zero. In some situations like paying your accommodation fare, you can use the dollar, Euro, Pound, etc. but for most costs, you have to exchange your money for the Iranian Rial (IRR).

Do not worry at all. You can get help from the police on the street. Moreover, young people can usually speak English and they will help you.

If you do not know where you have lost your passport, you can refer to one of the Iran police stations or Iran passport offices with a photocopy of the data page of your passport and a copy of your visa.

In many hotels, there is a western types of toilets, but in most public places you have to use squat toilets. The squat toilet is set on the floor and it has no seat. All toilets have a water hose but in most public toilets in cities and between cities, there is no paper towel.

You have many options for accommodation, from five-star hotels to traditional houses that have been turned into boutique hotels but keep in mind that you should stay in places that operate under the Iranian Tourism Organization.

Yes, there is no danger to American citizens in Iran. The only difference between American tourists and other tourists is that they cannot travel to Iran alone ...