HOW TO OBTAIN A TOURIST VISA TO IRAN

Every foreign visitor is required visa to enter Iran except the following:
nationals of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovenia and Turkey for stays of up to 3 months. Nationals of Israel will be refused entry under all circumstances.
The Embassy of Iran in the visitor's home country or overseas issues visas. Visas are only valid for the cities indicated on the visa.
To obtain a visa, a Letter of Invitation is required from a sponsor in Iran and certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Normally the sponsor is a tour operating agency or a hotel. Once the permission is granted it is then sent to the Iran Consulate overseas where the visa is issued. The complete procedure can take a minimum of one month.

Invitation Letter requirement:
To issue the Letter of Invitation, which will enable tourist to obtain Iran visa, the following information is required:
01 Name of applicant and surname of his / her parent.
02 Nationality / Citizenship.
03 Sex and marital status.
04 Date and place of birth.
05 Passport number, issue date / place & validity.
06 Date and point of arrival / departure.
07 Occupation & place of work (name and address of organisation).

Types of tourist visa and cost in US$:
There are 2 main types of visa issued for tourist travel in Iran - Transit and Tourist Visas. The type and length of visa you actually receive varies depending on the country where you will collect the visa, and on the current situation in the Tehran Foreign Ministry. For example, sometimes one-month tourist visas are issued as standard, while other times it may be very hard to obtain anything more than a 10-day visa.

The official authorisation fee for this service varies for each nationality.
Current sample prices for non-American nationals:
Single entry: $70
Double entry: $120
The application procedure for a Transit Visa is as the same as for a Tourist Visa.
Transit Visa is valid for 5 days.

Application requirements:
(a) Two copies of completed visa application form.
(b) Valid passport for at least 6 months with a minimum two blank pages.
(c) 2 passport size photos (ladies are respectfully requested to observe the Islamic code Hejab in their photographs).
(d) Invitation Letter (as mentioned above) with details of travel arrangements.
(e) Visa fees payable by cash or money order.
(f) Day-by-day itinerary.
(g) Applicants must also submit two-way tickets and evidence of hotel reservation.

Notes:

Visas are only valid for the cities indicated on the visa.

Visa regulations are liable to change at short notice. Prospective visitors are advised to contact the nearest Iran Consular section or the Embassy.

All visitors wishing to stay for more than 3 months must obtain a residence permit. Application must be made within 8 days of arrival to Police Headquarters or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tehran.

US citizens who were born in Iran, who have become naturalised citizens of Iran, or who were at one time citizens of Iran, and the children of such persons, are considered Iranian nationals by Iranian authorities. Therefore, despite the fact that these individuals possess US citizenship, they must enter and exit Iran bearing an Iranian passport. Yet some former Iranian nationals have been issued visas in their US passports. Exit visas are required for dual nationals to depart Iran. US passports are valid for travel to Iran. However, the authorities have often confiscated the US passports of US-Iranian dual nationals upon arrival. US-Iranian dual nationals have been denied permission to depart Iran documented as US citizens. To prevent the confiscation of US passports it is suggested that dual nationals leave their US passports at the nearest US Embassy or Consulate overseas for safekeeping before entering Iran, and use their Iranian passports to enter the country.