Electronic Departure Tax Payment

A pilot plan on electronic departure tax (a charge levied on Iranians traveling abroad) has been launched at Tehran's Imam Khomeini International Airport. Devised in cooperation with the Police Department, the plan is aimed at facilitating the speedy payment of departure tax. Reza Baqeri-Asl, the deputy head of Iran Information Technology Organization, explained that passengers need to submit their passport or identification card number to the related system and pay the fee with debit cards.  "The identification card number is recorded in the tax system as a security measure, preventing any kind of infringement and abuse," Mehr News Agency quoted Baqeri-Asl as saying. The scheme is in line with the government's efforts to facilitate travel from and to the country. The authorities announced that if the plan turns out to be successful, it would replace the exit tax payment process currently in place nationwide by next month.