Visas & Planning - Iran - page 57

GETTING THE PAPERWORK RIGHT
While we don't advocate lying on your application form, try to avoid unnecessary complications. Tricky questions:
» » Email If asked for one, opt for something generic and avoid.gov accounts.
» » Itinerary If you want a 30-day visa, write a 30-day itinerary. Keep controversial places such as Bushehr, Natanz
and border regions off your agenda. Once in Iran you can go where you want.
» » Occupation Teachers, nurses and data-entry clerks are more welcome than unloved journalists, military person-
nel or, according to one reader, anything to do with fashion (very dangerous!). Be aware that the MFA might Google
your name.
» » Purpose of your visit Tourism. One guy, applying for a visa on arrival, wrote 'to see Iranian girlfriend'. He was
deported.
» » Photographs Women will probably need to have their hair covered (any scarf will do) in their visa-application
photo. Check embassy websites.
Tourist Visa
There are two ways to get a tourist visa.
» » Do It Yourself You can go directly through a consulate, which saves an agency fee but
takes at least three weeks and often longer. In theory, you download and fill out the ap-
plication form from the Iran consulate in your home country; take or send the forms and
your passport, photos, money and proof of your travel insurance to the embassy, and they
will send your details to Tehran for approval. Several weeks later you might, if you're
lucky, be contacted with the result. Otherwise you'll need to contact them, which is not al-
ways easy. If all goes to plan, you will eventually either pick up the visa in person (some
embassies require women to cover their hair), or have your passport returned in a
registered-mail envelope. Exceptions abound. In rare cases this method can take just a few
days. However, we've also heard of cases where weeks after submission the consul has
directed applicants to a visa agency to get the visa authorisation number. With so much
uncertainty, if you choose this option, give yourself six weeks or longer to be sure.
» » Use an Agency Visa agencies charge from €30 to UK£120 to get you an authorisation
number. In most cases you fill out an electronic form with details of your itinerary and
where you'd like to collect your visa, attach digital copies of photo and passport, and the
agency sends this to Tehran. The MFA claims that for most nationalities it takes between
five and 10 working days to assess the application. When it does take longer, the visa
agency often won't know why, which might explain (if not excuse) the agency being slow
to reply to your follow-up emails. There is no refund if your application fails, but few are
rejected. Once the authorisation number is received, the agency will forward it to you and
your nominated Iranian embassy/consulate. You then need to go through the application