What the Iran visa rules mean for Sri Lanka travellers
Sri Lanka citizens need a visa issued in advance by an embassy or consulate of Iran. Start the application several weeks before departure: you will typically need a passport valid for six months with blank pages, a completed application form, passport photos, a travel itinerary, proof of accommodation and of sufficient funds, and sometimes an invitation letter or bank statements.
The main option is the Visa applied for in person at an Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Iran also offers 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), 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) and 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) — see the visa options above.
Documents to prepare
Whatever your visa status, Iran applies the same entry conditions to every traveller:
- 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 mu…
- Vaccinations: Yellow fever: 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.
- Vaccinations: Polio: The UK Foreign Office says that to enter Iran you must have a certificate proving a polio vaccine if you are coming from a polio-affected country.
- 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…
Iran entry rules compared
Iran lets 42 passports in without a visa, issues eVisas to 1 and requires an embassy visa from 154. Sri Lanka citizens are treated the same way as Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Jordan. Overall the Sri Lanka passport ranks #174 in the world with 19 visa-free destinations.
More travel options
Planning a longer trip in Asia? With a Sri Lanka passport you can also visit 2 countries in the region without a visa, including Singapore and Tajikistan.
In the other direction, Iran citizens need eta to visit Sri Lanka.