Iran Visa Service

Visa Enquiry Form
Download The Official Iran Visa Application Form
Tourist Visas to Iran for American Passport Holders
Press Visas and Media Services

Iranian Tourist Visa Application Procedure - All nationalities except U.S. Citizens

We are pleased to offer a service, whereby we can obtain a single entry tourist visa for Iran. This can take around two to three weeks from the time we receive your completed application form.

To apply for an Iranian visa please complete our Visa Enquiry Form and submit it to us online.

We also require a copy of the main page of your passport (page with the photo). You can scan this and send as an e-mail attachment to  sales@magiccarpettravel.co.uk

British Passport Holders

As far as we are aware, one cannot collect the visa stamp on arrival at the airport in Iran, so the visa has to be stamped in in advance. 

The closest Consulate is Dublin; however you can also collect the visa stamp at the Iranian Consulate for example in Paris or Istanbul, or any capital city with an Iranian Consulate. 

The Dublin Consulate, fortunately (for the moment and this can change) do not require finger prints for British passport holders.  Therefore, whilst you can visit them in person to collect the visa stamp, you can also post your passport and documents to them - by registered mail only.

Please note they do insist on having the visa stamp fees of 150 Euros (for British passport holders - other nationalities will  vary; EU passports cost around 70 Euros) in Cash only - cheques or card are not accepted. 

Magic Carpet Travel can therefore obtain the visa permit on your behalf as usual, using the same process as set out on our website, but it has to be for collection in Dublin or elsewhere, but not London.  

Please note,   if for example you are stopping off on route to Iran in Istanbul or Dubai, you can go in person to the Iranian Consulate to collect the visa stamp.  As we understand it however, you may be required to give finger prints as a British passport holder (other nationalities are not required to provide finger prints).  In that case you will be directed to a local police station to provide finger prints. It may then turn out to be a lengthy and frustrating process. 

Overall it is best to go for the easier option of collection from the Dublin Consulate. 

The downside however, is that Dublin Iranian Consulate is a very small office.  The Consular section is open two hours every other day of the week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday 09.30 - 11.30). 
 
In order to have the visa stamped into your passport, you can send your documents to by post, or go in person, OR you can send us all your documents and we will get the visa stamped in on your behalf.  The cost of this service is £150 (excluding the visa stamp fees and fee for obtaining the visa permit in the first instance). This process can take around two to three weeks, depending on how efficient the Dublin Consulate staff are feeling at the time.

We also  do  offer a faster service for those visiting Iran  for business purposes ,  using DHL at a minimum  cost of £250 -  the exact cost  will  depend on how rapidly you need the visa stamped in.  Please contact us for details. 

In order for us to process your application, you can follow the procedure set out on the website.  In summary we require:
 
1. A completed visa enquiry form -  please specify Dublin for collection of your visa,  if unsure.
2. A scanned copy of the main page of your passport (page with the photo).
3.  Visa payment fee payable at the time of application.

Once your visa permit is issued, within two to three weeks of us receiving your details, you will need to complete and send the R1/R2 form (Dublin Consulate will accept the London Consulate form), together with your passport and photos, etc. in order to collect the visa stamp.

We will provide full details for this part of the process, once you have started the application.

Payment

Please note you do not need to send us your passport at any time, unless you are asking us to have the visa stamped into your passport.
In the unlikely event your visa is rejected, we will refund half the amount £60 to you in order to cover our application costs.


Finger printing process for British passport holders
Currently all British (and American) passport holders must have their finger prints taken  at the Iranian  Consulate, at the same time you submit your passport and documents to  have the visa stamped in.  This means each individual will have to go in person to  the Consulate,  to  do  so.

In order to make a visa application, please complete and return the 'Visa enquiry form' form online.

Once we give you the visa permit number, you need the following in order to have the visa stamped into your passport:

One completed visa application form in black ink. Download The Official Iran Visa Application Form .
Two passport size photographs - as much as possible please include your torso in the picture.
Ladies must wear a headscarf.
Your passport

Procedure for getting the visa stamped into your passport for British passport holders
You need to take your passport, completed visa application form R1 &R2 in black ink & two photographs plus the visa fee (£129 for British passports) in the form of credit card or cash (they do not accept cheques) to the Iranian consulate IN PERSON ONLY (as they need to take your finger prints), in order to have the visa stamped in. Please allow a whole day for this initial process. 

The Iranian consulate is at 50 Kensington Court, London W8 5DD.  Nearest underground station is High Street Kensington. It is open Monday to Friday. But please visit their website or phone them to check for the numerous public holidays, for which they close without notice.

Currently, we would advise that you arrive no later than 07.00 to join a queue outside the Consulate. The Consulate staff will give out around 30 tickets at around 09.00. You are then asked to come back that same afternoon (it can be anytime from 12.30 - 4 p.m.) or another date up  to  4 weeks later (particularly if they  are busy) when you will  finally enter the Consulate building,  where the staff  will  finger print you and accept your forms,  passport, etc. If you are late and the tickets have been given out, you will have to return another day.

The consulate currently need 2 - 10 working days to stamp the passport.  It depends on how busy they are at the time of your visit. If you let them know you are flying shortly, they may charge you  extra on the visa stamp fees and stamp your passport the same day (you would have to return about 5 pm that day to collect the stamped passport).  If they are busy they may not do this for you.  

You should also take along a self-addressed prepaid registered envelope, to leave with the Consulate staff, for the return of your stamped passport.

You can book your flights as soon as the visa permit has been issued and you do not need to wait for your visa to be stamped into your passport.  We do not however recommend you purchase flight tickets, until your visa has been approved. 

Assistance for British passport holders with having the visa stamped in the passport
We are pleased to offer British passport holders assistance with having the visa stamped into your passport.  We are able to make an appointment at the Consulate for you, usually any time from  1  - 4 p.m. when you will go in to be finger printed and submit your documents/passport.

You should be able to collect your stamped passport at the end of the same day (usually around 5 p.m.), IF the consulate staff are not too busy and agree to do so.  If not, you would have to go back  the next day or leave a stamped addressed envelope for the return  of your passport.

Or we can have our couriers collect your stamped passport.  You can then collect from their office in central London or we can have the passport sent back  to you by couriers.

The cost of this service is around £200.  However it is best to discuss the details to confirm the exact cost.

If you do not hold an American or British passport and you have time, we can have the visa stamped into your passport, for a fee of £100 per passport. If you would like us to do this on your behalf, please use registered mail to send us your passport, completed visa application form R1 & R2 (in black ink), two photographs (ladies with a headscarf) together with the fee of £60. Please allow one to two weeks for this process.


Iranian New Year March  21st and visa disruptions
The Foreign  Ministry in Iran  does not process visa applications for around one  month  around March  5 -  April 5th  each  year.  Please ensure your visa application is lodged outside this period. 
To apply for an Iranian visa please complete our Visa Enquiry Form and submit it to us. We will then contact you to discuss your individual requirements.



If you are Iranian born or your father is Iranian you are considered an Iranian citizen by the Iranian government and can therefore only travel to Iran on an Iranian passport, even if you have never been to or lived in Iran in the past. However if your mother is Iranian and your father is any other nationality, you are not considered an Iranian national by the Iranian authorities. In this case you would be able to travel to Iran on a non-Iranian passport.


Guidance for completing the R1/R2 visa application form
Below are some helpful answers you can use on the visa form to the ‘ambiguous’, general   and perhaps ‘unclear’ questions on the R1/R2 form.  The main principal used for completing the form, should be to provide information on a minimal basis.  No need to go into too much  detail.
First page is mostly your personal details, which is straight forward. 
Then:
Question 18 -  type of visa -  if you have applied for a visa through  Magic Carpet Travel,  you can tick  the ‘entry visa’ option
Q 19 -  purpose of stay -  ‘visiting sites’  covers a magnitude of possibilities.
Q 24 -  which  countries have you visited? You can put down a couple of continents - for example United States and Europe. No need for a long list.
Q 25 -  have you lived in other countries for more than  6 months -  unless this is very recent history or a current issue,  you can  put ‘not applicable’ (N/A)
Q28 -  Your address in Iran -   Recently (Feb.  2011) the Consulate staff have become very picky on this question.  You must put down  at least the name of one hotel with their address and telephone number,  or they  will  not accept your application.  You do not necessarily have to stay  at that  hotel,  but you must have the details of at least one hotel  down  on the form.
Q29 -  Host in Iran,  etc. -  N/A -  this is the easiest option in almost all  eventualities
Q31 -  do  you intend to  enter Iran  with  a tour operator? -  Unless you are actually travelling on a tour with  Magic Carpet Travel,  the n the answer is NO
It is very important to  sign  and date the form.

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Public holidays in Iran during 2012

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Download The Official Iran Visa Application Form