Visas & Planning - Iran - page 58

process as a formality, and in most consulates the visa is issued on the spot - in Canberra
it took us 25 minutes.
If you're British or American, expect both methods to be slower, more costly and more ar-
duous. When it's open, the Iranian Embassy in London will often request an interview and
requires fingerprints from British applicants. For US citizens, allow three months to be
safe.
Tourist Visa on Arrival
Iran usually issues 15-day tourist visas on arrival (Airport Visa) to people from about 65
countries, including most European, ASEAN, Gulf Arab and Central Asian countries, sev-
eral South American countries, Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand and South
Korea. Two notable absentees are Britain and the USA.
In theory, tourist visas are available on arrival at all international airports and all you
need is your passport and the name of an Iranian qualified to sponsor you - for example a
hotel manager or travel agency principal. You supply the name and phone number and the
immigration officer calls to confirm you are a tourist. In practice, however, a disturbingly
high number of people have been sent back on the next flight when their expected visa did
not materialise, even though they seemed to meet all the requirements. As we went to
press there was talk that to minimise such problems these visas would in future require an
authorisation code, just as normal tourist visas do.
Extensions to these visas are also harder, with another 15 days usually the maximum.
Entry Visa (Business Visa)
To get a 30-day (extendable) business visa you must obtain an invitation letter from the
company or organisation you plan to visit. The process is otherwise the same as getting a
tourist visa (DIY or using an agency). People coming for a conference or to play in a
sporting event need an 'entry visa'.
Sponsors & Visa Agencies
Any Iranian can sponsor your application, which in effect means they submit the paper-
work for an authorisation code. But in most cases it's easier to use a travel agency or one
of the following specialist visa agencies, which have been recommended by readers and/
or used by this topic's authors. Keep in mind, though, that even with an agency there are
no guarantees.
Iranianvisa.com ( www.iranianvisa.com ; Tehran)
Persian Voyages ( www.persianvoyages.com ; UK)