Iran Offers On-Arrival Visa to Indian Citizens

Iran is to start granting visas on arrival to Indian citizens as of July 23.

As per a recent directive issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Indian travelers can obtain visas on arrival in all 12 international airports in Iran, reads a letter sent from the Civil Aviation Organization to airport directors and airline companies.

The measure was finalized during President Hassan Rouhani's visit to India back in February. 

Nationals of all countries, except for those from Colombia, Somalia, USA, UK, Canada, Bangladesh, Jordan, Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan, holding valid ordinary passports and wishing to visit Iran's mainland, can obtain a 30-day visa upon arrival in international airports. 

Iran's international airports include Tehran's Imam Khomeini International Airport and airports located in cities of Mashhad, Shiraz, Isfahan, Tabriz, Ahvaz, Kish, Qeshm, Kerman, Uremia, Bandar Abbas and Bushehr.

Financial Tribune enquiries show that 72,809 Indians traveled to Iran during the last Iranian fiscal year (March 2017-18), accounting for 2.3% of total foreign visitors. Iranian tourism authority's data indicates a 6.6% drop in the number of Indian visitors, compared with the year before.