Iran Visa for Indians - Definitive Guide

The Iran visa is the permit required in order to enter the country for various reasons. A few nationals do not require this to enter. However, a vast majority of nationals can easily obtain the visa on arrival. The Iran visa for Indians is available on arrival for tourist and other temporary entry purposes. For other purposes of visit, you must get it before travelling. Although, you will still need to make a visa application online. As per the recent updates, the Iran visa for Indian citizens may require an interview at the embassy/consulate of Iran. 

Note:- Due to political issues with the US, Iran has decided not to stamp the passports of the visitors. As a result, your Iran e visa and the entry stamp will be on a separate paper instead of your passport.

The exact application procedure for Iran visa depends on the exact type. However, before you start the application, ensure that you are eligible to apply for the particular category. After this, you can proceed to make the application as follows -

Visa on arrival (‘Tourist and ‘Entry’ type only)

1. Acquire all the documents necessary for the particular category, as well as a digital photograph and scan of the main passport pages. 
2. Visit the e-portal of the visa application for Iran and start an application. 
3. Fill in the Iran visa application form.
4. Choose the location where you would like to submit the application and obtain the visa. 
5. You can choose from one of the international airports in Iran to obtain your Iran visa on arrival. 
6. Provide a valid email address. 
7. Proceed to verify your email. 
8. Upon successful verification, print out the ‘ Iran e visa application submission notice’ you will receive.
9. Wait until the processing is completed and successful, in order to travel.

Visa prior to arrival (All types)

1. Acquire all the documents necessary for the particular category, as well as a digital photograph and scan of the main passport pages. 
2. Visit the e-portal of the visa application for Iran and start an application. 
3. Fill in the Iran online visa application form. 
4. Choose the location where you would like to submit the application and obtain the visa. 
5. You must choose from one of the Diplomatic missions of Iran in India.
6. Provide a valid email address. 
7. Proceed to verify your email. 
8. Upon successful verification, print out the ‘ Iran e visa application submission notice’ you will receive.
9. Visit the respective embassy/consulate to submit your documents along with the submission notice.
10.  Pay the fees and get your visa.

Note: - 

• In certain cases, you may be required to attend an interview at an embassy or consulate regardless of your mode of application.
• Ensure that you provide correct information and submit genuine documents. Providing false information will lead to an automatic visa rejection. 

Based on the purpose of the visit and the length of stay, the Iranian permits can be classified into the following - 

• Tourist - This category is granted for individuals travelling to Iran for the purpose of tourism. 
• Entry - This is granted for people possessing an invitation letter from a source in the country. Based on the person inviting, these can be classified as follows - 

• Business - This is issued for individuals who have been invited to take part in business meetings, conferences, etc. 
• Visit - This is granted to foreign nationals who are travelling to meet their relatives living in Iran.
• Sports/Culture/Research - These are issued for people travelling to participate in research, sporting events, cultural activities, etc. 
• Pilgrimage - This type is for Muslim tourists who are travelling to visit holy sites in Iran. 
• Education - This is issued for students who are entering the country to take up academic courses. 
• Temporary work - These are issued for people entering the country to take part in skilled work. 

As per the Iran visa application requirements, the following are the list of documents require for Iran visa for the permit. However, these are only general documents. Based on the exact type of permit, there will be additional documentation necessary. 

• A passport with at least 2 blank pages, and valid for a minimum of 6 months from the date of intended travel.
• A digital copy of the main pages of the passport.
• A digital photograph which meets the required specifications. 
• Bank statements to prove the possession of sufficient funds.
• Medical test certificates for HIV and Hepatitis.
• Travel insurance specifically valid in Iran.
  
  
  

• Dimensions:  400 X 600 pixels
• Colour: Coloured 
• 10kB <= 500kB in size
• Head must occupy the central position
• Must be recently captured within the last 3 months
• Background: Solid, plain white or grey
• 80% face coverage
• Neutral expression
• Glasses: not permitted
• Headgears are allowed only for religious reasons
• Facial hair is permitted

The time taken to process your application can depend on several factors. These include the volume of applications at the time, the type of the permit, the authenticity of your documents, etc. Normally you should receive a response within 10 working days. 

The fees for the process depends on Iran visa requirements for Indian citizens. The fee is dependent on the exact type of visa. It can also vary according to the foreign exchange rates. Note that the fees for the Iran visa on arrival for Indian passport holders must be paid directly to the banking department at the port of entry in Iran. If you are getting it before your travel, you can pay it directly to the embassy/consulate. 

In order to check the status of your application, you can visit the tracking portal provided by the Iranian ministry. You will have to enter the application ID or a combination of the passport number and date of birth, or a combination of the passport number and your registered email address. 

Thanks to the introduction of the visa on arrival for Indians, the ‘tourist’ and the ‘entry’ category can be received upon arrival at one of the mentioned international airports in Iran. You can get this by showing the submission notice and paying the fees. 

Airports for VoA -

• Bandar Abbas International Airport 
• Isfahan International Airport 
• Kish International Airport 
• Mashhad International Airport
• Qeshm International Airport 
• Shiraz International Airport 
• Tabriz International Airport 
• Imam Khomeini International Airport 
• Mehrabad International Airport 
• Urmia Airport 
• Ahvaz International Airport
• Kerman Airport 
• Larestan International Airport

If you travelling on any other type of Iran visa, or if you are travelling to other airports or via other modes of transportation, you must obtain your visa before you travel. For this, the permit is issued by the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in New Delhi or the Consulate Generals of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Mumbai or Hyderabad.