Iran visa requirements · checked 26 September 2026
Visa & Entry Requirements for Iran
Most travellers need a visa for Iran: 154 of 198 passports must apply at an embassy or consulate, while 42 passports enter visa-free.
Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs says all types of visa can be applied for through its online visa portal, describes visas acquired at Iran's international airports, and lists the countries whose citizens are subject to visa waiver rules. It says some types of visa for the citizens of some countries are applied for only in person at an Iranian embassy, and that the citizens of some countries may not be issued a visa due to political and diplomatic considerations, without naming them. The UK Foreign Office says the Iranian Embassy has told it that British passport holders must apply as part of an organised tour or have a sponsor in Iran. Iran's Law on the Entry and Residence of Foreign Nationals says permission to enter Iran is obtained by a visa from Iran's officials abroad on the traveller's passport, and that the government may make special arrangements in exceptional cases.
Another passport? Use the checker or find it in the table below.
Visa for Iran — requirements summary
Visa-free: 42 (21%)
eVisa: 1 (1%)
Visa required: 154 (78%)
No admission: 1 (1%)
All travellers must meet the entry rules set by Iran, and they depend on your nationality. Find your passport below — you may be able to enter visa-free, or need an eVisa, a visa on arrival or a visa from an embassy.
EUR 50 is what Iran's embassy in Berlin charges German passport holders for a normal single-entry 90-day tourist visa (EUR 75 urgent), plus EUR 10 insurance; holders of Afghan passports and refugee passports pay EUR 80 (EUR 120 urgent). An urgent visa through agencies is for the same day or within at most 72 hours. The embassy says registering a visa application costs at most EUR 20, and that issuance through agencies usually takes at most 10 to 12 days from the handing in of the application.
Fee and processing time not published — confirm with the embassy or consulate before you apply.
Visa applied for in person at an Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran
Embassy
Fee and processing time not published — confirm with the embassy or consulate before you apply.
Visa for applicants with United States passports residing in the USA or Canada, through the Interests Section of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Washington (through travel agencies or their host in Iran)
Embassy
Fee
75 USD
Valid for
45 days
USD 113 expedited, plus a non-refundable insurance fee of US$13 per visa application and a non-refundable processing/postage fee of US$40 per package, paid by money order in US dollars payable to the "Embassy of Pakistan". Iran's Interests Section in Washington says only applicants currently residing in the USA and Canada may apply through it, that applicants with United States, United Kingdom and Canada passports must apply only through travel agencies or their host in Iran, that the visa is issued only electronically, that average processing is 10 business days (2 business days urgent) from document receipt, and that applicants must enter Iran within 45 days of issuance and may stay for the period indicated on the visa.
Visa for applicants with Canada passports residing in the USA or Canada, through the Interests Section of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Washington (through travel agencies or their host in Iran)
Embassy
Fee
63 USD
Valid for
45 days
USD 95 expedited, plus a non-refundable insurance fee of US$13 per visa application and a non-refundable processing/postage fee of US$40 per package, paid by money order in US dollars payable to the "Embassy of Pakistan". Iran's Interests Section in Washington says only applicants currently residing in the USA and Canada may apply through it, that applicants with United States, United Kingdom and Canada passports must apply only through travel agencies or their host in Iran, that the visa is issued only electronically, that average processing is 10 business days (2 business days urgent) from document receipt, and that applicants must enter Iran within 45 days of issuance and may stay for the period indicated on the visa.
Visa for applicants with United Kingdom passports residing in the USA or Canada, through the Interests Section of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Washington (through travel agencies or their host in Iran)
Embassy
Fee
225 USD
Valid for
45 days
USD 338 expedited, plus a non-refundable insurance fee of US$13 per visa application and a non-refundable processing/postage fee of US$40 per package, paid by money order in US dollars payable to the "Embassy of Pakistan". Applicants with non-USA or non-Canadian passports must provide a copy of their valid immigration status document. Iran's Interests Section in Washington says only applicants currently residing in the USA and Canada may apply through it, that applicants with United States, United Kingdom and Canada passports must apply only through travel agencies or their host in Iran, that the visa is issued only electronically, that average processing is 10 business days (2 business days urgent) from document receipt, and that applicants must enter Iran within 45 days of issuance and may stay for the period indicated on the visa.
Entry requirements for Iran
Passport validity
6 months
Iran's Foreign Ministry eVisa portal says that to apply for any electronic visa your passport should have at least six months of validity beyond your actual travel date, and its visa-on-arrival page says all visitors must hold a passport or travel document valid for 6 months at the time of departure. The UK Foreign Office says that if your passport has stamps from Israel or other countries' border crossing points with Israel, you may be refused entry to Iran.
The UK Foreign Office says that to enter Iran you must have a certificate proving a yellow fever vaccination if you are coming from a country listed as a transmission risk.
Iran's embassy in Berlin adds EUR 10 for travel insurance to every visa fee it charges, and Iran's Interests Section in Washington charges a non-refundable insurance fee of US$13 per visa application; no official source we could read says whether the eVisa or the visa on arrival requires insurance.
No official source we could read states an onward-ticket requirement. The MFA eVisa application asks for your travel itinerary only if you have already made travel arrangements.
No official source we could read states a proof-of-funds requirement or amount for Iran. The UK government says non-Iranian debit and cash cards will not work in Iran.
Managers of public and private premises, and owners or occupiers of private homes, must notify the local police station or gendarmerie within 24 hours of the arrival of any foreign national who stays one night or more with them. A foreign national who does not follow this law and its regulations is fined 2,300,000 to 115,000,000 rials. The same penalty applies to managers, owners or occupiers who do not meet the notification duty in article 8.
Under the Law on the Entry and Residence of Foreign Nationals, foreigners must leave Iran when their permitted stay ends unless the police extend it. A foreigner who does not comply with the law is fined 2,300,000 to 115,000,000 rials by the general courts, unless a heavier penalty applies, and may be expelled.
No Iranian source we could read states a cash-declaration threshold. The US State Department lists an entry maximum of $10,000 and an exit maximum of $5,000.
We track the entry rules of Iran for 198 passports. The most common situation is visa required, which applies to 154 passports (78%). 21% of passports can enter without a visa. The least common is no admission (1 passport).
Entry categories for Iran
Visa-free entry: 42 passports can enter without a visa, for stays from 15 to 90 days.
eVisa: 1 passport can apply for an electronic visa online.
Visa required: 154 passports must apply at an embassy or consulate.
No admission: 1 passport cannot currently enter.
What else you need to enter Iran
Passport validity: Iran's Foreign Ministry eVisa portal says that to apply for any electronic visa your passport should have at least six months of validity beyond your actual travel date, and its visa-on-arrival page says all visitors must hold a passport or travel document valid for 6 months at the time of departure.
Travel insurance: Iran's embassy in Berlin adds EUR 10 for travel insurance to every visa fee it charges, and Iran's Interests Section in Washington charges a non-refundable insurance fee of US$13 per visa application; no official source we could read says whether the eVisa or the visa on arrival requires insurance.
Return or onward ticket: No official source we could read states an onward-ticket requirement.
Proof of funds: No official source we could read states a proof-of-funds requirement or amount for Iran.
Open your passport in the table for the exact rules — maximum stay, fees, how to apply and the official source. Entry rules change at short notice: confirm with the embassy of Iran or its official immigration website before you travel.
Frequently asked questions about Iran visas
Do I need a visa for Iran?
Unless your country is on Iran's visa-waiver lists, yes. Iran's Law on the Entry and Residence of Foreign Nationals says permission to enter Iran is obtained by a visa from Iran's officials abroad, and that the government may make special arrangements in exceptional cases. Iran's MFA says all types of visa can be applied for through its online portal and describes visas acquired at Iran's international airports, but also says some types of visa for the citizens of some countries are applied for only in person at an embassy, and that the citizens of some countries may not be issued a visa, without naming them. Its portal says citizens of Azerbaijan, Turkey, Syria, Georgia, Armenia, Egypt, China, Iraq, Oman and Kazakhstan are subject to visa waiver rules, and that ordinary passport holders from 27 further countries can stay 15 days for tourism once every six months. The UK, Canadian, Australian, German and US governments say their citizens need a visa (the US State Department excepts Kish Island); the UK Foreign Office says British passport holders must apply as part of an organised tour or have a sponsor in Iran.
Can Americans visit Iran?
The US State Department's advisory is Level 4: Do Not Travel; it says not to travel to Iran for any reason and that US citizens in Iran should leave immediately. It says a tourist visa is required, except for Kish Island, and that having a US passport or connections to the United States can be reason enough for Iranian authorities to detain someone. Iran's Interests Section in Washington says applicants with United States, United Kingdom and Canada passports must apply only through travel agencies or their host in Iran. For British passport holders, the UK Foreign Office says the Iranian Embassy requires an organised tour or a sponsor in Iran.
Can I visit Iran if I have been to Israel?
The UK Foreign Office says that if your passport has stamps from Israel or other countries' border crossing points with Israel, you may be refused entry to Iran, and Australia's Smartraveller says Iranian authorities will refuse entry if your passport contains Israeli stamps or visas. Canada's travel advice says Canadians have been denied entry because their passports bore an Israeli visa, an Israeli border stamp or an Egyptian or Jordanian border stamp issued by an office bordering Israel. No official page we could read states Iran's rule for Israeli passport holders; Iran's MFA visa portal says only that the citizens of some countries may not be issued a visa due to political and diplomatic considerations.
Can I use my credit card in Iran?
Canada's travel advice says the economy is exclusively cash-based, credit cards aren't accepted and ATMs exist only for local banking, and it advises bringing sufficient cash, preferably in U.S. dollars or euros; the UK government adds that non-Iranian debit and cash cards will not work.
What is the dress code for women in Iran?
The UK government says Islamic codes of behaviour and dress are strictly enforced. In public places women must cover their heads with a headscarf and wear trousers or a floor-length skirt with a long-sleeved tunic or coat reaching mid-thigh or knee, and they may be asked to put on a chador before entering religious sites. It says the authorities have arrested and detained women and girls for not properly following dress codes, and that enforcement crackdowns can lead to large-scale arrests at any time.
Is Iran safe to visit?
The UK, Canadian and Australian governments advise against all travel to Iran, and the US State Department's advisory is Level 4: Do Not Travel. Australia's Smartraveller says foreigners in Iran, including dual nationals, are at a high risk of arbitrary detention or arrest; the UK government says British nationals and British-Iranian dual nationals face a very high risk of arrest, detention and questioning.
Passport validity: Iran's Foreign Ministry eVisa portal says that to apply for any electronic visa your passport should have at least six months of validity beyond your actual travel date, and its visa-on-arrival page says all visitors must hold a passport or travel document valid for 6 months at the time of departure. Travel insurance: Iran's embassy in Berlin adds EUR 10 for travel insurance to every visa fee it charges, and Iran's Interests Section in Washington charges a non-refundable insurance fee of US$13 per visa application; no official source we could read says whether the eVisa or the visa on arrival requires insurance. Return or onward ticket: No official source we could read states an onward-ticket requirement. Proof of funds: No official source we could read states a proof-of-funds requirement or amount for Iran.
How long can I stay in Iran without a visa?
Usually 15 days (28 passports); visa-free stays range from 15 to 90 days depending on your passport.
How many countries can visit Iran without a visa?
42 of 198 passports can enter Iran visa-free (21%). 1 can apply online (eVisa or eTA), and 154 need a visa from an embassy.
Data: TravelRequirements.info — Entry Requirements Dataset, AXG Sp. z o.o. (CC BY 4.0) — official sources are linked on each passport page. Gaps filled from the Passport Index dataset (MIT).
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