Iran visa on arrival is one of the most common ways travelers consider entering the country, especially for short visits. With its rich history, cultural heritage, and famously welcoming people, Iran has become a top destination for many tourists. In recent years, the simplicity and relatively low cost of getting a visa—especially at the airport—have increased the number of international visitors.

This article explains all Iran visa types, depending on your nationality and travel purpose, with a special focus on the Iran visa on arrival process (also known as Iran VOA).

Important Note: As of the COVID-19 pandemic, Iran visa on arrival is currently unavailable for most travelers. We recommend applying for other visa types instead. You can either use the Iran eVisa website to apply individually (not recommended), or go through a trusted travel agency with the required documents to improve your chances of approval and speed up processing.

What visa types does Iran government issue?

You can receive one of the following visas to enter Iran:

1. Muslims of different countries can apply for Iran Pilgrimage Visa to visit holy sites of this country.
2. Tourist Visa – This is the most common and easiest way of entering Iran.
3. Entry Visa – This is applicable mainly for individuals who received an invitation from their family members or employment invitation from a certain organization/company.
4. Medical Iran Visa – This visa requires authorization from a certain health medical center.
5. Investment Visa – As the name suggests, individuals with investment purposes are eligible for this visa type.
6. Transit – If you are just passing through Iran soil to enter another country, you can apply for it.
7. Press Visa – If you are an employer of a media agency visiting Iran, it is mandatory to receive this type of visa. Also, if you are visiting Iran to follow your career, you can apply for this or a Temporary Work visa.
8. Work Visa – For employment purposes, you can either apply through this visa type or entry visa while holding your invitation letter.
9. Student Visa – Students can apply for this visa with the intention of following their education career. A full list of universities is mentioned in other articles on our website(Iran student visa).
10. Visa for Diplomatic Services – Officials and government agents are eligible to receive this visa.

What is Visa on Arrival and Who is eligible to receive it?

This is the type of visa applicants of certain countries can apply on the airport; not all nationalities are eligible to apply for it. In general, the following conditions should hold for these nationalities:

1. Tourism should be the primary purpose of your travel. Individuals employed by media agencies, athletes, investors, etc., should apply for their respective visa types.
2. The following countries are not allowed to apply for visa on arrival: USA, UK, Canada, Colombia, Somalia, Bangladesh, Jordan, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India. However, they can apply for other visa types before entering Iranian soil.

read more: Iran visa for European citizens

In addition, Israeli citizens are also banned from entering Iranian soil. Any other citizens can apply for Iran visa on arrival, except for those who do not need to acquire a visa to enter Iran and only need to pay a certain fee for a certain duration. For the full list, visit Iran visa policy, section “Which Countries’ Citizens Do Not Require Iran Visa before Entering the Country?”, where you find the respective countries and the duration of their stay. You can also check the Iran visa cost for each country here.

3. Second-time applicants should apply through a travel agency recommended by Iran’s ministry of foreign affairs.

As we have seen in several cases, there is a rejection chance of Iran visa on arrival and also Evisa website, especially after the pandemic. For this reason, we suggest you apply through eVisa; otherwise, a reliable travel agency to acquire your visa approval. This way, the chance of rejection will be close to zero, and you can acquire your visa within three to five working days.

read more: Iran visa rejection

Important note: There is a chance you may not find the respective visa type for your conditions. In such cases, you can always rely on Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs website. Suppose you can’t find reliable information. In that case, you can get the help of our travel agency, TAP Persia, to carry out your visa application with the aid of an experienced support team.

Once you have applied, you can check your application status by visiting Iran’s E-visa website and entering the information requested, including your Application ID, Passport number, and E-mail.

Iran Visa on Arrival for USA, UK, and Canada Citizens

Qeshm and Kish islands have become one of the most exciting destinations for foreign travelers because travelers can enter these two islands without needing a visa. The duration of stay varies between 1 day to 14 days. Additionally, citizens of the USA, UK, and Canada can benefit from visas on arrival for these two destinations.

read more: Iran visa for Canadian citizens

For other destinations, they are required to apply for a tourist visa and Iran travel packages through an eligible and reputable travel agency, and it is mandatory to travel with an escort guide during the trip. For both the above cases, these citizens can acquire an Iran visa on two conditions

(1) a suitable host (tour guide, appointed by Iran’s ministry of foreign affairs) will accompany them throughout their journey,

(2) citizens should announce their destinations, places of stay, and travel itinerary before requesting a visa. Hotel booking in advance is also mandatory for USA, UK, and Canadian citizens before applying for a visa.

Where can you apply for Iran Visa on Arrival?

Although you can apply and get a visa on arrival at the following airport, there is a chance that your visa application can be rejected. For the above reason, this type of visa is not recommended for travelers; hence, you best apply for another Iran visa based on your conditions and nationality.

Important Note: The Visa on Arrival (VoA) cannot be requested when entering Iran by land. A person who travels through other means of transportation cannot apply for VOA. In such a case, that person should apply for a visa through Evisa or a travel agency and acquire visa approval. Next, he/she should receive the visa from an embassy appointed in the visa approval form and then travel to Iran.
Read More : Iran Airport Transfer 

How much does it cost to acquire Iran Visa on Arrival?

Note that the following list of fees is not fixed and it can vary for each country. In any case, the current costs for countries are as follows. You can also visit the following link to get the exact prices.

• Countries including Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bhutan, Bosnia, Brunei, Croatia, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Tunisia, and Venezuela are required to pay an amount of 10€ to 50€.
• The costs for other countries except for the UK, US, and Canada ranges from 60€ to 150€, with the highest fee belonging to Australia and New Zealand.
• The fees of Iran tour packages for the UK, US, and Canada vary for each agency, so we recommend contacting our support team on TAP Persia to get the needed information. For more information, you can visit the Iran visa page.

Note that the actual price will be shown when you register online on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website, and these prices may change. So, you better check them out first. Another best way to get informed of the costs is to visit a travel agency to guide you through the whole process. However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs may increase visa fees for some countries(Iran travel restrictions).
Read More: Iran Visa Fee 

Visa Free Countries – Traveling to Iran Without A Visa

Travelers can stay in Iran without a visa for the mentioned days. If you want to stay in Iran for more than the mentioned time you have to apply for an Iran visa.

However, for the full list of eligible countries, please refer to our guide titled Travel to Iran Without a Visa.

Ensure a hassle-free visa experience by reading our essential tips on “Common Mistakes to Avoid When Applying for an Iran Visa” here.