Traveling to Iran as Americans: All You Need to Know
Filed Under: Traveling to Iran as an American citizen may sound complicated and dangerous. It’s not. We’re here to dispel the myths and answer the questions piling up in our inbox based on our visit to Iran just a few weeks ago.
Our aim in the following Q&A is to answer actual reader queries and to help demystify the process of traveling to Iran.
Are American citizens legally allowed to visit Iran?
It’s a common belief that Iran holds the same status as Cuba for American citizens (i.e., that it’s illegal to visit without special permission from the U.S. government). Although the United States has imposed sanctions against Iran, there are currently no restrictions on American citizens visiting Iran as tourists. Currently, about 1,000-1,500 Americans visit Iran each year.
Audrey enjoys a peaceful moment at the Pink Mosque in Shiraz, Iran.
Can Americans travel independently in Iran?
The Iranian government requires that all American tourists travel with a private guide or group tour. Your Iranian guide will be specially authorized to guide American citizens and should be aware of any relevant Iranian government regulations.
If you happen to be independent travelers like us, don’t be deterred by this requirement. We experienced both a group tour and a private guide in Iran. In both circumstances, we still had ample time to explore, walk the streets and browse the bazaars (markets) on our own. We made connections with ordinary people, we ate street food and we were even fortunate enough to accept a couple invitations to people’s homes.
How does an American citizen obtain an Iranian tourist visa?
Obtaining an Iranian visa is roughly a two-step process: 1) a travel authorization number from the Iranian Ministry of Foreign affairs, and 2) the actual tourist visa issued by an Iranian consulate.
The tour company you work with will help you with the paperwork you need for your visa. All you need to do is fill out an application form, inform them of the Iranian consulate where you’ll pick up the visa, then summon some patience.
The difficult part of the process is the authorization number; this usually takes 30-40 business days for American citizens. Once you have that number, getting your visa from the Iranian consulate is almost a sure thing (2-3 days).
Dan, content with his newly acquired Iranian tourist visa.
Our advice is to get the visa process started as early as you can so that you don’t have a heart attack waiting for your visa to arrive on the same morning as your flight (true story from a member of our tour group).
But there is no Iranian Embassy in the United States. How will I get my visa?
Although Iran doesn’t have an official embassy in Washington, DC, there is an Iranian “interest section” at the Pakistan Embassy that handles Iranian visa requests. If you don’t live in the DC area, you’ll need to send your passport, application form and passport photos by mail (e.g., DHL, FedEx, etc.) with a prepaid return envelope.
Or, if you’re traveling like us, you can pick up your visa at an Iranian consulate abroad. You just need to specify which consulate location when you apply for the authorization number. We collected our Iranian tourist visa in Istanbul, Turkey. The process was relatively easy and painless. We highly recommend it. Just leave a few days cushion if you can and make sure you show up promptly at the time stamped on your visa application receipt. The cost was €70 for a 20-day Iranian tourist visa.
As an American, how will Iranians treat me?
Iranian people were often shocked to discover that we were American and that we were able to get a visa to their country. Once this fact set in, they often went over the top in welcoming us — everything from cordial greetings, to smiles, hugs, gifts and invitations to homes — especially when our guide was out of sight. We joke that it’s the closest we’ve felt to being rock stars.
Iran: Group Tour or Private Guide?
Whether you choose to travel Iran on a group tour or with a private guide will likely boil down to cost and travel style.
We traveled on a group tour for two weeks, then concluded with a private guide for a third week. We enjoyed both experiences, but each comes with its own benefits and potential drawbacks.
One of the things we loved about our G Adventures tour was our group. There were seven of us – four from the United States, two from Australia and one from Denmark –and we all hit it off immediately.
Our G Adventures group adopted by some Iranian university students in Esfahan
During our private tour, we had a bit more freedom to determine the itinerary and schedule. However, having a private guide (possibly with you at all times, depending on the guide’s style and adherence to the rules) can be intense, and at times almost stifling.
Regardless, in both circumstances it’s best to continually express your wishes and find creative ways to help facilitate your guide in meeting those wishes.
Keep in mind: the Iranian tour company who sponsors your visa is technically responsible for you during your entire stay in Iran. As a result, you can’t really mix and match tour companies in assembling your itinerary.
Did you ever have problems with Iranian authorities? Were you ever tracked or followed during your trip?
We encountered only one incident in three weeks where a uniformed guy with a gun followed us for a bit through a market and asked to see our passports. Our Iranian guide yelled at him and told him that he had no right to ask for our papers. The guard backed down and left us alone, but our guide insisted on calling him an “uneducated donkey” as we walked away. As unsettling as the episode was at first, it eventually made us laugh and left us with a good story.
It’s impossible for us to know whether or not we were being tracked, but it certainly didn’t feel like it. We walked the streets and engaged with local people. It all felt very safe and normal; we were never concerned for our personal safety.
What should I expect in terms of immigration and security entering and exiting Iran?
For us and everyone else in our tour group, entry into Iran was a non-event. We were fingerprinted on our way into the country at the Tehran airport, but we did not experience exceptional scrutiny of our camera and travel equipment.
Upon exiting Iran into Turkey (via the train from Tabriz to Istanbul), Iranian passport control was similarly uneventful. Iranian border officials aboard our train were jovial and interested in what we saw, where we went and how our experience was.
Our non-traditional exit from Iran, the midnight express from Tehran to Istanbul
What should I expect in terms of immigrations and customs upon re-entry into the U.S. after a visit to Iran?
Stories circulating from other American visitors to Iran indicate that experiences vary. Again, ours was a non-event. We listed Iran on our inbound immigrations and customs form and the Homeland Security agent said, “Iran. I have to ask.” We explained that we are travel bloggers and photographers. He asked where we went, mentioned that he’d seen a show about Iran on the Travel Channel and we were on our way.
Going through U.S. customs was similarly uneventful. Agents waved us on without asking us to open our bags.
What about American sanctions? Can I buy Iranian souvenirs?
Americans are technically only allowed to bring $100 of Iranian goods per person into the U.S.
Does that mean you need to restrict your shopping? Well, not really. It’s up to you. Many businesses offer special receipts with “adjusted” amounts that are a bit lower than what was actually paid.
Shopping inside the old bazaar in Shiraz.
Iranian carpets are also subject to U.S. sanctions as well. So if your heart is set on a Persian carpet, you may want to find a shop that has a presence or partner in Dubai (or elsewhere in the Middle East) so that they can ship the carpet to you from their partner location.
Can I get money out of ATM machines in Iran? Can I use credit cards in Iran?
Iranian banks are also subject to international sanctions. So although Iran is full of banks and ATM machines, you won’t be able to get money out at any of them with your ATM card. So cash is the name of the game. Come armed with U.S. dollars (or Euros) and exchange them in major cities at currency exchange outlets where exchange rates are 20% higher than in Iranian banks.
Don’t count on using your credit card. Only some of the more sophisticated Iranian souvenir and carpet shops will accept credit cards and route transactions through a partner business in Dubai or elsewhere in the Middle East.
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Have other questions about traveling to Iran? Let us know in the comments.
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Disclosure: Our trip to Iran is in cooperation with G Adventures as Wanderers in Residence. We paid our own transport to and from Iran, some expenses on the ground and for an additional one week private tour. As always, the opinions expressed here are entirely our own.
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We traveled to Iran with the G Adventures Discover Persia Tour. If you plan to book this or another tour with G Adventures, please consider starting the process by clicking on the ad below. The price stays the same to you and we earn a small commission that helps us to continue sharing stories like this. Thank you!
December 8th, 2011 at 8:53 pm
Very informative and interesting post! Thanks for this.
It’s awesome to hear that the Iranian people were so welcoming. That really made me smile. It just goes to show you that a lot of those stereotypes we are fed by the media are just that – stereotypes.
December 8th, 2011 at 10:44 pm
Fascinating Journey. Thanks so much for sharing.
December 8th, 2011 at 11:54 pm
@Amanda: Thanks, glad you enjoyed this and hope the information is useful! We had heard beforehand that Iranian people are welcoming and hospitable, especially to Americans but the reality exceeded all those expectations. Just shows that travel is one of the best ways to turn stereotypes upside down.
@Erik: Yes, it was a fascinating journey. Still so much to process.
December 9th, 2011 at 12:44 am
Nice article! I definitely agree with Amanda about the stereotypes, great to hear. And that was interesting about the “custom” receipts hahaha, I’ve had unmentionables show up on my receipts with a price only, no description, but never had to worry about fake receipts.
Travel and learn, right? Anyway, keep it up, best wishes!
December 9th, 2011 at 12:46 am
Thank you for the Q&A. Iran is a place that I’ve honestly never even thought about visiting, so thank you for demystifying it a bit for me. I’ll definitely pass this information on to others.
December 9th, 2011 at 11:36 am
What a great post! You become ambassadors for those wanting to visit Iran and the people that you made connections with will remember the friendly Americans. Thanks for sharing.
December 9th, 2011 at 11:49 am
Yet another fascinating journey for the Uncornered Duo!
Audrey- you and all the other women have headscarves on in all the photos. Is it required for all women, or just recommended?
We were in Morocco recently and were surprised that even many Moroccan women don’t wear headscarves. Especially those under 30.
December 9th, 2011 at 1:57 pm
@Margaret: Headscarves or more precisely ‘hijab’(covering, i.e. (what locals consider) moderate dress)) is required by law in public places. The key phrase here though is ‘public places’, as what that constitutes is completely cultural. In private many Iranian women dress very fashionably and similar to Europeans/Americans. I should also mention that men too are under similar constraints (no shorts, etc).
December 9th, 2011 at 2:13 pm
@Audrey: Great writeup, with two small caveats:
1.) Since it’s the tour operator who has to start visa the process rolling and it takes considerable time/patience on their end, almost all charge some sort of fee for this service. The fee may/may not be included in the cost of your tour and can vastly vary from $20 to $200. Since visa support is required for quite a number of nationalities, one can easily check on what your operator is charging you. (This is not unusual and is the norm is the CIS for example).
2.) The special interests section in Washington might ask you not to include a return envelope and charge you an extra $16 to send it themselves (or at least that was the case for me). Very kind folks there.
December 9th, 2011 at 3:02 pm
Thank you so much! When people start questioning my future trip to Iran, I’ll be sure to direct them here!
December 9th, 2011 at 5:44 pm
Very informative article and it did answer my questions. Were you guys afraid when the guy with the gun was following you?
December 9th, 2011 at 8:59 pm
Really informative post. We have heard nothing but great things from other travelers on the road who had traveled through Iran about the kindness of the people and how their time there truly captivated them. We never met any Americans, however, who had been so really glad to hear you were as warmly received. I am anxious to see more photos from your journey and here about some of the highlights. Glad to here the group tour still allowed an authentic experience. Our visit to Tibet was far more restrictive. Our every move seem monitored by our guides and cooped up with a group full time gave us little interaction with the locals. Glad to hear group travel in Iran isn’t as bad. Thanks for sharing.
December 9th, 2011 at 9:16 pm
I am quite curious about Iran and other “off limits” countries, but I won’t go somewhere that requires women to dress a certain way. I know there are many feelings on the subject (hello? breast feeding in public debate in the US?), and different people have different boundaries, which is fine, but that’s my personal limit. That being said, I’m glad you went and were able to experience the human side of a country whose people are so often demonized.
December 9th, 2011 at 11:47 pm
Im glad I came across your Iran travel blog! I first took a heaping of interest on Iran when I was researching Shiraz wines and the likes; I then met this guy in Istanbul who was staying in the same room as I from Croatia who met a girl while in Tehran. He told me nothing but wonderful things about Iran and ever since then I’ve been wanting to see this place for myself. As much as I travel solo, I do prefer to go with people/friends; unfortunately noone’s wanted to go with me. Hopefully I’ll still get to see the country! You guys did a wonderful job with informing fellow travelers about your experience! I hope to write about my own someday!
December 10th, 2011 at 3:19 am
Thank you guys so much for this post! My (awesome) mom traveled to Iran back in the 60s, and it has always been some place I have longed to go. I remember hearing stirrings about people visiting a few years ago, but never saw anything detailed. I’m glad you had such a positive experience and thank you for the comprehensive post. I now know it is possible to go and am very excited for the day I can make it happen!
December 10th, 2011 at 4:03 am
Great post! I was considering visiting a friend in Iran but got deterred by all the regulations. This clears things up for me.
BTW I’ve been following your posts since we met in Sucre, Bolivia two years ago! Thanks so much for sharing!
December 10th, 2011 at 4:12 am
This is really fascinating! I have a question about money; what do you do if you run out of cash? If you can’t use credit cards or withdraw from ATMs, what are the back-up options?
December 10th, 2011 at 11:14 am
Have been curious about visiting there for a long time but was very nervous being American. This post helped me get past that a bit. Thanks!
December 11th, 2011 at 9:18 am
I am a military guy deployed currently in Afghanistan. would i be permitted for traveling to Iran as a tourist?!
December 11th, 2011 at 5:28 pm
@Derek: Thanks! In a vast majority of the cases regarding customs issues for tourists who visit Iran, there’s little to worry about. Having said that, it’s always wise to be aware and prepared.
@Jenni: To be ambassadors of the ordinary, citizen diplomats — one of the aims of our travels. Things on the ground are quite different than they appear on TV. Iran proved to us that it’s difficult if not impossible to truly understand a place without actually going and spending time.
@Margaret: Thank you! Excellent question, one that Audrey planned to address in a separate post regarding traveling as a woman in Iran…coming soon. The only thing I’ll add to John’s response to clarify: both Iranian and foreign women are required to wear a headscarf while in public.
@John: Thanks for your comment.
I didn’t realize that men were technically under similar constraints of moderate dress. Having said that, it would never occur to me to wear shorts in Iran, even if the temperatures were well into the 100s.
One question for you that our reading can’t seem to definitively sort out: is the hijab the headscarf or the whole uniform of moderate dress. I ask because many refer to “the hijab” meaning the headscarf. However, we’ve also seen “wearing hijab” which seems to be referring to the entirety of dressing moderately (the uniform, if you like) including a rear-end covering jacket or sweater called a manteau plus the headscarf.
Thanks also for the added details, re: visa support. Very, very helpful.
Regarding paying extra for the visa support, ours was included in the price of the tour. However, your suggestion to specifically ask about this is a wise one.
@Lauren: Glad this thread could be of use and support. Looking forward to hearing about your experiences!
@Sutapa: I was concerned mainly because of the uncertainty — What was in his head? What was his intent? Where would all of this end up?
Having said that, I wasn’t too worried because we’d played things more or less by the book. And there was no reason we shouldn’t be admiring pistachios in the bazaar while making our way with our guide to a kebab lunch. All pretty innocent.
Also, I should mention that most other Iranian officials, police and military people we happened to interact with seemed pleasant, friendly.
@Laura: More photos and highlights coming up. Normally, we reserve advice posts like this until last, but we were getting too many questions by email. It was just easier to write this and point readers to it.
We are definitely looking forward to sharing photo essays from our time in Iran as well as some travel highlight pieces.
As for Tibet, we understand. When we were in China (and Nepal), we decided to focus our time on Tibetan villages outside of Tibet for the reason you stated.
@Katrina: Everyone has their boundaries and must make their own decisions. I’m happy to say that we don’t regret our decision in the least.
@Antoinette: Perhaps this Iran segment of our around-the-world travels will indirectly provide you with some potential travel companions when you head to Iran yourself.
@Susan: Glad we could add to the conversation. I imagine your mom must have terrific stories from her visit to Iran. Looking forward to hearing about yours should you decide to go!
@Adam: Wow, Adam. So cool. Great to hear from you!
@Christy: If you run out of cash while in Iran, I imagine your guide could put you in touch with someone (likely from a carpet shop) that could manage a cash advance from your credit card via a merchant partner in the Middle East. You’ll likely pay a hefty commission, though. Plan accordingly using your tour’s (or another tour’s) suggested meal/expense per diem.
Of course, you could always ask to borrow money from someone you befriend on your tour.
@Jack: That’s one for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Seriously, we have a call out to friends on the ground who can better answer this question. I’ll post a follow-up comment when we get a response.
December 11th, 2011 at 11:01 pm
Loved reading your Iran posts guys. Something different. Something very special. This Q&A was great. I am not surprised they were warm and welcoming. I have found people in the middle east to be the most hospitable. I can’t wait to go. Looks like G Adventures will be a good group and tour!
December 12th, 2011 at 12:03 am
@Lisa: Hope you’re not tired of our Iran posts yet…still have a few more stories and posts to go! Iran was a fascinating place to visit for so many reasons, but especially because of the people. We hope we can encourage others to experience this themselves by taking away some of the fear of the place and process.
And yes, G Adventures groups are usually pretty great from our experience (4 tours) – good mixture of people, ages, nationalities and interests. And, their tours are a nice mixture of group stuff with independent exploration time.
December 12th, 2011 at 9:39 am
@Dan: Good point, I was referring to the traditional definition (modest dress, which is how most Islamic legal systems define it) as opposed to a colloquial/cultural one. I got the feeling that in Iran most of the locals considered hijab to be only the head covering, even though the legal system defines it otherwise. This is due to the fact that the term “hijab” is an Arabic linguistic “loan word”, which have a habit of either slightly changing over time or having entirely different meanings. Take Lonely Planet’s British English language guide…..written in English.
Lots of French words in there with the exact same meaning (or German for that matter) as their root language. On the opposite side of the spectrum, modern Japanese is ~20% loan words (mostly English with some German/Dutch and Portugese). If a native speaker says “ice-sue” (my transliteration of the verbal sound), most English speakers would hear “ice” when the actual loan word import means “ice cream”. Perhaps a better example would be “machine” in Farsi (which is the Arabic word for Persian), which I was told meant car/automobile 
While hijab did make it into the local Persian lexicon, abaya (“cloak” in Arabic) did not with chador (“tent” in Persian) being used instead. Manteau itself is a French language import.
December 12th, 2011 at 12:19 pm
@John: Thanks for the clarification. Am chuckling at the meaning of chador. Someone has a sense of humor.
@Jack: Our contact on the ground in Iran says that he and the Iranian tour companies he’s worked with have managed to get visas for *retired* members of the U.S. military. No experience with active members of the military, however. That’s not to say you couldn’t try. We’d be interested to hear what you decide — and if you decide to apply for an Iranian visa, how it all works out.
December 12th, 2011 at 12:42 pm
@Dan @Jack: If I were you, I’d check in with your local USO where you’re stationed (if possible). Most active duty servicemen/women also have travel restrictions placed on them and it’s best to start out with what is possible from that standpoint. In addition, they will more than likely run/work with a travel agency that can help you though the process and potentially get you a great discount as well. (We used Apple Tours @ Camp Kim in Seoul once for a Chinese visa (the local embassy doesn’t take them and you have to go through an agency). Apple charged $10 for the service vs $120 that every other agency was trying to get).
December 12th, 2011 at 9:35 pm
I love articles like this that dispel common and uneducated myths about country’s. Thanks for the post. It was a great read. Would like to get to Iran one day myself. If Ian Wright can go there then so can I.
December 13th, 2011 at 11:40 am
Maybe you should add something about money. I would love to travel to Iran. Second on my list of destinations, behind Bhutan, but like Bhutan (although not quite as spendy) the money keeps me from visiting.
December 14th, 2011 at 12:06 am
It seems as if things are getting a little scary in the middle east with a drone shot down and cia officers captured by iran. Is iran travel, in your opinion, still a good decision?
Thanks!
December 14th, 2011 at 9:52 am
[...] across Syria and the Kurdish regions of Iraq, we’ll stop in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Traveling to Iran as Americans: All You Need to Know (by Uncornered [...]
December 14th, 2011 at 3:41 pm
My boyfriend is Iranian, as in his parents were born there but hold American citizenship. He was born in the U.S. and has two passports – U.S. & Iran. I want to go with him to visit some family there – I read that if they submit an invitation letter on my behalf I can skip all the tour stuff? Do you know anything about this?
He’s been there himself several times, speaks Farsi, etc, so otherwise shouldn’t be a difficult trip for me.
December 14th, 2011 at 4:47 pm
@T: That is correct, if you have family who are Iranian citizens they can apply for you to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (which is what a tour company does for you). I can’t say what is involved in the process, but from what I’ve heard from friends who are in similar situations it sometimes pays to have them go though a 3rd party due to the bureaucracy involved (i.e. some tour companies do this as well since they’re familiar with the process, etc). I’d have him call the Iranian Special Interests Section in Washington (mentioned by Dan and Audrey above) and ask them for the details. Good luck!
December 15th, 2011 at 3:05 pm
I don’t have any questions but just wanted to say how much I am loving all these posts about Iran. Tell us more about the food that you guys ate!
December 16th, 2011 at 5:09 pm
I’ve only heard excellent things from travellers who have visited Iran. I’m glad to hear you had such warm encounters with locals.
December 16th, 2011 at 6:53 pm
@T: One of my childhood friends is Iranian and she visited a couple of years ago with her American husband without a tour. As you and John mentioned, you’ll need to get a letter of invitation from the family for the visa and it will be a different sort of visa (i.e., not a tourist visa). It likely takes time to sort out all the paperwork, so make sure you start the visa process early.
Being able to stay with your boyfriend’s family in Iran would be wonderful. Although, you may come back a few pounds heavier – they like to feed guests!!
@Akila: Don’t worry, a food post is coming up soon!! So glad you’re enjoying all these Iran posts.
@Samuel: We had also heard really good things about Iranians from other travelers, but we were surprised at how the reality even exceeded expectations regarding their hospitality towards Americans.
December 23rd, 2011 at 4:01 am
How is it at the airport and the customs/immigration area, both entering and exiting?
December 27th, 2011 at 1:22 am
re-T: i am an iranian living in england.ten years ago i took my then girlfriend who is english, to iran by my family’s invitation who live there.it took about $100 and a month to arrange, all done in iran and her passport posted to our home address.the process should still be similar, even easier if anything.your boyfriend’s family need to find a good travel agent in iran, pay them, and the rest is pretty much done.ps.iran is a heaven if you like gold.my girlfriend was like a kid in a sweetshop when we were there;she loved it. good luck.
December 29th, 2011 at 2:11 pm
Thanks for the post…it killed the apprehension within….I believe it would have been a nice journey…
December 30th, 2011 at 12:43 pm
@Roger: I assume you are asking about the Tehran airport. Entry was a non-event. We exited Iran via train over the land border with Turkey. However, other American friends exited Iran through Tehran airport without immigrations or customs issues. For more detailed information about entering Iran by air, check out our Flight to Iran: The Full Story post.
@kourosh: Good point about Iran…a goldmine, quite literally!
January 2nd, 2012 at 12:03 am
I am an American who visited Iran last May with the Fellowship of Reconciliation, an NGO based in Nyack, NY. I had a wonderful time, although I was not able to travel independently from our group. I love the people and the culture. It’s unfortunate that our government and the mainstream media continually demonize Iran and the Iranian people.
For those who are considering a visit, I would say definitely go and experience the friendliness, hospitality and warmth of the Iranian people.
January 4th, 2012 at 11:55 am
@Ray: I’m familiar with FOR. Although you were not able to travel Iran independently (or travel from your group independently), it sounds like you had an experience which underscored the humanity of the Iranian people. Thank you for sharing you Iran experience with us!
January 5th, 2012 at 12:04 am
Hi. Just wanted to ask are you allowed to bring a Bible into Iran for personal use? I am a Christian.
Thanks!
January 5th, 2012 at 1:32 am
@Robert: If you bring a bible for personal use, that shouldn’t be a problem. I think the authorities would only have a problem if someone was bringing in lots of bibles with the intention to distribute them.
January 5th, 2012 at 9:29 am
re:Robert,
some of my cousins are iranian christians (all living in iran). they are free to practice their faith and i attended one of their weddings in a church number of years back. conditions are even better now. i also think audrey’s reply to your query is spot on. ps. you can always double-check with an iranian embassy, they ARE helpful.
January 9th, 2012 at 3:32 am
First off, I wanted to thank you for responding to my post and for posting this entire site. It gave me the courage to actually enter Iran with my wife shortly after you responded. I just returned.
I must admit I was nervous, especially with the notion of the drone, the media, etc. My wife is Persian-American and I’m American and I was going in with a visa for family visit as opposed to the travel group visa. (My wife holds an Iranian Passport)
I cannot say the entrance was a complete non-event as you had described – although it was probably the most feared part of the trip that I anticipated – and I was not going in with a visitor/tourist group. There was some questioning as to my visa status and purpose of travel (probably not unlike an Iranian trying to do the same in the US), but they were very polite.
Once in the country, I couldn’t agree with you more about the people in the region. 99% of the people I encountered, family and non-family were about as friendly as any mid-westerner in the US or better. For no reason at all, they would step out of line, reverse on the highway, or do other crazy things just to help you out. Of course with an American Accent, or broken Farsi you will get overcharged just about everywhere — but that is expected. The country as a whole was VERY BRIGHT and colorful – even in the month of Muharram. The street lights changed colors, the bridges were all up-lit.. I cannot imagine what it would look like throughout the rest of the year.
I hope and pray to enter Iran again at some point in the future. Hopefully by that time the tensions ease further. Until then, I have fond memories of Persian Tea 3-7 times a day, Aub Ghosht, Chelo Kabob and pictures of some of the finest architecture in the world…
January 9th, 2012 at 12:26 pm
@Roger Great to hear you had a good time. Just curious if you arrived/left though IKA or one of the regional airports?
January 10th, 2012 at 7:17 pm
@Roger: I’m grateful that you’ve taken the time to write about your experience — from reading on this site, to your visit in Iran. I’m even more grateful that you had such a good time. The words you choose to describe it all really resonate with us, down to the last one.
I love this: “For no reason at all, they [Iranians] would step out of line, reverse on the highway, or do other crazy things just to help you out.”
Here’s to better days, eased tensions and more people like you making the journey along the way.
January 28th, 2012 at 10:51 pm
I’m an American, but hold an Iranian Passport also(not visa.) I was in Iran in 2008 and absolutely loved it. I have family there (from my husband’s side.) Yes, they are the warmest people and the most hospitable and welcoming than anywhere else I’ve traveled. (although while in Tehran I did see a negative comment on a wall about America.)I thought your experience with the gut with the gun was funny. Try yelling at a cop here in America! No don’t, because you’ll end up in jail. Please make sure you all get your experiences out there (as much as sharing on FB as possible.) Maybe some American’s will open their minds to Iran.
January 29th, 2012 at 11:40 am
@Regina: That’s the idea. Ever since our trip to Iran, we have been sharing our positive experience on Facebook, Twitter, our website, and other websites as well.
Regarding the negative comment you saw on the wall in Tehran…was it a mural or did it look like some random graffiti? I ask because there’s plenty of anti-American murals around Tehran (including just outside the old American embassy).
Here’s an example of something we saw on the streets of Tehran, which to us was clearly a bit of government-sponsored propaganda work:
http://www.uncorneredmarket.com/photos/picture/6779519847/
January 29th, 2012 at 12:38 pm
@Regina, @Dan,
One thing to note may be the various murals’ age. From what I saw, most of the anti-western (not just American, plenty of British stuff too)/pro-Iranian/pro-republic stuff was quite dated (~30 years) and not that unexpected. Throughout history almost all new forms of government try and throw the last one under the proverbial bus. Almost 242 years later, Paul Revere’s depiction of the Boston Massacre (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Boston_Massacre_high-res.jpg) still invokes what must have been fervent anti-British feelings at the time.
January 29th, 2012 at 7:30 pm
@John: The murals never bothered me, so I didn’t pay much attention to them except to photograph them. I never figured their age into the equation, but you make a good point. It’s likely those Tehran murals have been around for decades, getting a fresh coat of paint so often. In any event, they hardly seemed to accurately capture a grassroots, Iranian (wo)man-on-the-street sentiment towards America and American visitors. That’s what mattered to us.
February 4th, 2012 at 7:45 pm
Audrey and Daniel– Thank you again so much for the information. When planning my trip to Iran this spring, it always puts me at ease to know you two visited so recently and have such positive things to say about your trip. I have a question about your exit method– Were you two accompanied by a guide on the train? I am planning to exit Tehran via train to Turkey as well. The travel agency I am using (key2persia.com) says I do not need to be accompanied on the train, but friends and family and also others who have visited Iran question the wisdom to go unaccompanied on a train to the border.
Also, if anyone is visiting soon and has emailed you with questions or info, put them in contact with me pretty please! I am dying to talk to others who don’t think this trip is (too) crazy and are planning to do it themselves. laurenmichellemoseley@gmail.com Best wishes on your current travels! -Lauren
February 5th, 2012 at 3:46 pm
@Lauren: You are welcome. Glad our travel information on Iran is useful. Regarding our exit from Iran by train and whether or not we needed a guide: If your tour company says you don’t need a guide, go with that. We departed from Tabriz (you will stop there on the way) which is several hours from the border. Our guide bid us goodbye at the Tabriz train station and that was it.
Practically, there is no need for a guide. In fact, without a guide on the train, you’ll have more fun interacting with people on the train. That your travel agency says you don’t need to be accompanied by a guide just seals the deal. It really is a great journey, one of the great highlights of our trip. Not to mention, the train is really nice, pleasant, very clean, decent food. However, you should bring a lot of snacks with you, not only because you’ll want some variety from the train food, but it will be nice to have something to share with others!
For more current on-the-ground information regarding the situation in Tehran and in Iran in general, we recommend following our friend Jason Rezaian on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jrezaian. He lives, reports from, and helps coordinates tourist visits from Tehran.
March 5th, 2012 at 5:15 pm
This post is extremely informative! I have been interested in traveling to Iran for quite a while now. I am twenty years old and from the US as well. My family and friends all think I am absolutely crazy to even consider traveling to this country.. Unfortunately for me, it means I will have to visit Iran alone. I myself am a little scared of the country only because the things I have heard. I do not believe the media, but not knowing what to expect was scaring me. Your section about the customs just cleared up every worry I had. I was not worried about the citizens at all because I have also heard they are very kind and hospitable. My main worry was entering the country and government workers like custom officers, police, and roles similar to those. I am glad you had a great time during your visit. Thank you for posting. I was considering doing the Gap -Discover Persia tour as you guys did, but the dates they offer don’t quite mesh when Id like to go. So I am looking into the private tours. Thanks again for sharing this information.
March 6th, 2012 at 11:38 am
@Cameron: There was another traveler in our group (the first two weeks) and he was so tired of the reaction to traveling to Iran as an American that he didn’t tell most of them including his family. When they asked him where he was going, he told them Italy. I’m glad to hear that this article has helped to ease your fears.
We will be publishing one week from now a story about our exit from Iran by train. I think that will further help put Iranian borders, customs, police concerns in perspective.
Thank you for your comment and let us know if you have any other questions regarding travel in Iran.
March 6th, 2012 at 12:36 pm
@Daniel: I can’t blame the guy! Almost wish I’d done that myself
Looking forward to the train post!!!
March 6th, 2012 at 7:41 pm
Mu husband is Iranian but has also became an American Citizen years ago. He has not been to Iran in over 25 years. He is now planning to go as his mother is ill. Will he have a problem to return to the
US? He is a doctor and is afraid they will not let him return.
March 13th, 2012 at 1:13 pm
@Jan: Twenty five years is a long time to have been away. I understand your husband’s fears about not being let out of Iran to return to the United States. I spoke with an American-Iranian journalist living in Tehran now and he said that the vast majority of American citizens who come to visit family in Iran have no trouble at all. Those that have made the headlines for being arrested have had backgrounds in military, journalism, technology. If your husband doesn’t have any connections like that then he should be fine. He should contact the Iranian special interests in Washington, DC to find out more information.
March 14th, 2012 at 8:59 pm
Audrey:
Thank you for your response. My husband is a doctor. Do you think that would have any problem? He did call Washington and they thought there would be no problem, but I am still concerned.
March 14th, 2012 at 9:19 pm
@Jan: Being a doctor isn’t usually seen as a political or militarily oriented profession so I don’t think he would have any problems. Perhaps there is a way he can reach out to other Iranian-Americans who are doctors who have taken a similar trip recently to alleviate some fears? First hand advice is always best.
March 14th, 2012 at 9:26 pm
jan,
I’m Iranian too and a number of years ago when I went back home to visit after twenty seven years, I was very nervous too but had no problem whatsoever. I ended up staying there for two years (too much good time!)and returned to England with no problem. The fact that your husband has dual nationality and hasn’t been to Iran for so long is not a problem, so long as he’s had no issues with the government in the past. Trust me, officials there are weary, but they aren’t lunatics as western press like to portray them!
March 14th, 2012 at 11:31 pm
@kourosh: Thanks so much for sharing your experience. Wow, a two year break in Iran really is a long time – you really must have had a great time! So glad to hear you didn’t have any trouble leaving Iran or entering England.
March 22nd, 2012 at 2:39 am
i,m so glad to hear many people are knowing my country.as you said iran is so beautiful and people are so hospitable and kind. i,m living in Tehran right now, if you need any information about spectacular places,i proudly help.
March 25th, 2012 at 6:55 am
I want to marry an Iranian women whom I met in Philippines. Yet I want to go to Iran to do this so the family can take part in the event. I am an American. I do not wish to go with a tour group.So how do I go about this?
March 25th, 2012 at 12:36 pm
@Maryam: Thank you for your kind comment and for your offer to help with more information about Iran! As you can see, we had a really great visit and can say that people are so hospitable.
@James: The best thing is to contact the Iranian special interest section at the Pakistan Embassy in Washington, DC and see what your options are. I know that it’s possible for someone married to an Iranian to get a family visa that does not require a tour, but not sure what the regulations are if you are planning to marry in Iran. Good luck and congratulations!
April 23rd, 2012 at 4:55 pm
@James,
You are in luck my friend! I am an American who met an Iranian girl in Malaysia and we got married in Iran. I sent a copy of my passport via e-mail to my wife’s family in Iran. They then went to the Foreign Minister’s office in Tehran and applied for a visa for me. After about 10 working days, I was issiued a visa number, and my In-laws had my Visa pick up set up in Malaysia at the Iranian Embassy there. My first time to Iran I was only given a 15 day visa. But now every time I go, I am given a 30 Day Visa. I also recommend that you have your girl friend’s family get you a VIP at the airport to help you get into the country without any problems since you are not going in with a tour. I do this every time. I look at it as a little insurance.
Now, not sure if your girlfriend is a Muslim or if you are a Muslim or not?
Let’s just say she is and you are not, like in my case. I converted at the ceremony and we were given a Temporary Marriage Lic. This says that you can live together legally.
It was good for 3 years. Your girlfriend will know what this is. We had the big celebration in Iran, but a couple of months later we got married again at the Islamic Center in Malaysia. Now we are good forever!
I hope this info helps you out! I just got back from Iran, and I am going back in a couple of weeks! I love it more and more each time I go there.
Good Luck! I wish you the best! Persian Girls are Great! Good Cooks too! LOL!!!!
Let me know if you need anymore info!
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:04 pm
@Marvin: Thank you for sharing your story, experience and details. I’m sure readers will find it helpful. All the best to you both!
May 7th, 2012 at 3:23 pm
@Daniel and everyone else thinking of traveling to Iran. They have now made it a requirement to buy travel insurance. I have been to Iran many times and this is the first time that it has been required. But don’t worry, I was able to buy it at the Iranian Embassy in Dubai where my visa was sent for pick up. It was a total cost of 485 dirhams for both my visa and my insurance.
I hope you all get a chance to visit Iran if you have not already been able to do it. I will just continue to do my part and keep everyone updated!
May 7th, 2012 at 5:53 pm
@Marvin: Thanks so much for sharing this information and new requirement to get a visa to Iran. If you already have travel insurance, can you just show proof of this? Or, is there some sort of special travel insurance that the Iranian officials require?
And yes, we also hope that people continue to visit Iran! Thanks for keeping all of us updated!
May 7th, 2012 at 7:04 pm
@Marvin Do you remember what you used to pay for the visa in Dubai? (for some price comparison)
@Audrey They might be going down the road of Belarus (which requires that you have Belarusian issued insurance regardless of the trip length … It’s a major pain for IT outsourcing out of there).
May 8th, 2012 at 12:40 pm
[...] their article Traveling to Iran as an Americans: All You Need to Know, they write: Iranian people were often shocked to discover that we were American and that we were [...]
May 10th, 2012 at 1:33 am
@Audrey Scott, I was asked at the Iranian Embassy in Dubai if I had insurance that would be accepted in Iran. I told them no, so he just wrote out a bill and then I was sent to the cashier to pay for both my visa and my travel insurance. The next day when I went back to pick up my passport, there was a guy there from another country (Not USA) and he was also told that he needed travel insurance.
@John, I paid in the money of Dubai, which is called Dirhams. The visa cost me 100 Dirhams ($27.22 USD) and the Travel Insurance cost me 385 Dirhams (104.80 USD)
I am in Iran right now!
July 4th, 2012 at 2:19 pm
A great article and so true. I went to Iran in May 2012 as a tourist from California. I was amazed by how nice the people were and by how far the American Dollar went. I bought three wonderful rugs and had no problems getting them back home. The food was great and they have many markets… but, not much available as the UN Sanctions has really hit the “every day person” very hard. Many children were asking for hand-outs. They were so happy went we gave all the pre-teenagers a $20 to each one. I think I gave away about $7000 to various people in Tehran. I was only there for 10 days but wished I could buy a vacation house, but that is not possible right now. I just how the Iran Government changes… the people rock, the Govt’ is in a shell and still living in the stone ages. God Bless Iran
July 17th, 2012 at 1:51 pm
@Greg: Thanks so much for sharing your experiences of your visit to Iran in May 2012. Our visit was several months before, so it is heartening to hear that you had a similar experiences with hospitality and Iranian people. Was amazed by your generosity of handing out money to people!
Very sad to hear that the UN sanctions are hitting ordinary people; we’ve heard stories of rampant inflation and shortages. Like you, we hope that politics change so that there is more open connections between our countries.
July 27th, 2012 at 1:18 am
Darn those sanctions! I really, really miss those pistachio nuts from Iran. They are sooo good!
August 6th, 2012 at 8:24 am
thanks for all i have read here and made me smlie. im persian from iran and God bless you too GregC
actually i was roaming sites to find out what i can do for my american friend from California who wanna take a trip to Iran.im wondering whether or not i can be his guide.(despite the fact that im not a professional tourguider and even i’ve never been in connection with any tour agency except as a client.
August 11th, 2012 at 2:10 am
@Neda: I’m not sure about that. As we understand it, Americans visiting Iran must have a guide and that guide is technically supposed to be licensed by the government to guide American visitors. However, based on our experience, I’m sure there are creative ways to work with that.
August 11th, 2012 at 7:34 am
@Neda,
Do you have family still in Iran? If so, I was thinking that you might be able to ask your family there to go to the Foreign Minister’s office in Tehran and see if your family can sponser him. As Daniel pointed out, most Americans who visit Iran need to go in on a tour, because some of these Americans do not know anybody in Iran. My only guess is if you do have family there and they check with Foreign Minister’s office and they agree to accept full responsibility for him. Then maybe just maybe, he can go as your family’s guest and not have to worry about a tour guide. If you are able to do this, please keep in mind that you still have to abide by all rules and laws of the Iranian government. Also, if you would decide to travel with your friend and take him to different parts of Iran where you would stay in a hotel, I would suggest that you stay in separate rooms. The only time that I ever had any problems in Iran was when my wife and I stay at a hotel. The hotel turned us in to the police saying that we were not married and staying in a room together. Thank God, my mother in law had a copy of our marriage certificate that was given to us from the Iranian Embassy. If we would have not had that, we would have probably both ended up in jail. So that is something to think about. I hope this info helps you!
Also check with the Iranian Interests section in D. C. They are very nice and helpful with these types of questions!
August 11th, 2012 at 9:56 am
i think eventually im finding the appropriate way Daneil
@Marvin,
i wish every thing stay well!
thank you for your advices. my friend has just asked them in the interests section of iran in pakistan embassy in washington D.C.they told him tourguide is for those who have nobody in iran.tomorrow i will go to the foreign ministry with the copy of his passport to invite him officially
wish every thing stay well.
August 11th, 2012 at 11:53 am
@Neda,
You are welcome! One last thing that I forgot to tell you. Make sure that your friend has the address where he will be staying wrote down somewhere. Because this will be one of the first things that they will ask for upon arrival at the airport. Also, they will finger print him. I hope you and your friend have a Great Time there! I have been there twice in the last 5 months!
August 11th, 2012 at 1:14 pm
@Marvin,
ahh i forgot to give him the address if he needs it in the iranian interests in D.C. although,ill go to the airport for him
awe Marvin twice in 5 months is remarkable accourding to the distance!hence,maybe you accidentally find yourself in close seats in a flight to iran. lol.
he’s planning to take his first trip to iran in october.
August 11th, 2012 at 3:08 pm
@Neda,
I do not think it is too important now for the address. But when he arrives it will be. It seems like from reading your post that you are in Iran. Another thing that you can look into for your friend is the V.I.P. That is how I went in every time. We had an agent do all the passport stuff for us at the airport. My brother in law even figured out that you can pay a little more to the agent and they will give you a pass to where you can be waiting in a lounge for your friend when he arrives. That way he will have you as a translater if he does not speak Farsi. From my past expierences at the airport, english is very limited with the people that your friend will have to deal with. Please have the address handy when he arrives, because they will ask for it. More than likely they will ask him when they are finger printing him and you are not around. That has always been the case for me.
I hope that I have been able to help you! Let me know if you need anymore info, like where and how to get the V.I.P.
August 11th, 2012 at 5:26 pm
@marvin,
i want to know more about what i will need to do in the foreign ministry or what they will ask me there.im a little anxious if they dont give him visa
August 11th, 2012 at 8:20 pm
@Neda,
If you can give me a day or two, I can double check with my Brother in Law and find out better details. I wish there was a way that I could post his number for you, then he could just tell you from his expierence what you need to do and what to expect. Just don’t be nervous. The first time tht I went to Iran, I was not married to my wife yet and her brother was able to get me a visa. You are on the right path with getting a copy of your friends passport. I will get back to you asap.
August 12th, 2012 at 4:09 am
@marvin,
i need to ask him lots of question.Audrey will give you my email adress.
i thought maybe every thing stay well but right now im come back of the ministry sad and im sure i need your brother in law’s help
thanks alot.
August 12th, 2012 at 8:16 am
@Neda,
I got the message from Audrey. I will contact you soon.
August 21st, 2012 at 4:22 pm
I’m curious to know how you went about finding your private travel guide, about how much it cost, and about how much money a person should plan on bringing with them for about a 2-week stay. Thanks
August 21st, 2012 at 4:33 pm
@Talon, I know that Dan and Audrey used a different agency, but I signed up for a tour with Pars Tourist Agency (key2persia.com) which ended up being just me, one other American, and our tour guide. The whole thing cost around $1000 for 12 days and included everything except the actual cost of the visa, the plane flight over, evening meals, souvenirs, and tip for the guide. That means if you did something like I did, you’d need to bring that 1k in cash with you, plus however much you might spend on souvenirs, plus money to cover evening meals (easily really cheap…but you could just say $10/day to be safe), plus I would suggest a 10% tip. There are a lot of travel agencies you can use to find a private travel guide- I found PTA to be perfectly adequate, but you should also read up at http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/forum.jspa?forumID=18&keywordid=72 for others’ experiences with other travel agencies. I’m sure Dan or Audrey will answer soon, and let me know if I can be of any more help.
August 28th, 2012 at 4:45 pm
@Talon: Because we started our trip in Iran with G Adventures, we had to use their local tour operator for our private guide since they had sponsored our visa (i.e., it wasn’t possible to switch companies halfway in the trip). We were able to negotiate a good deal of around $100/day, which included private transport and 3* hotels. We’re heard it’s possible to also negotiate a lower fee with public transport.
Our costs are in line with Lauren’s experience with Pars Tourist Agency – we’ve heard good things about this tour company as well. And, we’ve hear that Iran Adventures is also good and has a lot of young guides.
Often, we shared restaurant meals as they were usually large and full of meat (i.e., kebabs). Usually these cost $7-$10. Street food (i.e., sandwiches or falafel) were very cheap – $1-$2.
@Lauren: Thanks for such a thorough response on this!
September 14th, 2012 at 5:21 am
Hey, I’m an independent blogger as well about to pursue a masters at AUB. I have many friends in Iran and I’m wondering if its possible that they could qualify as a private travel guide?
September 14th, 2012 at 6:04 am
@James: I think you need to clarify what you’re after as it’s possible that anyone, anywhere could be a ‘private travel guide’. In this context the answer is no, as tour guides that can take Americans are specially licensed by the Iranian govt for that purpose (e.g. only a few guides from the various Iranian based agencies can do this). Friends, etc, within Iran can offer to host you while you’re in the country, but they would have to deal with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tehran directly.
September 14th, 2012 at 7:37 am
yes John is right and if you are american,not only your friend cant be your private guide but also all professional tour guides are not acceptable.there will be a list of verified guides who can take Americans and you will have to choose one of them
1.easier way is to register for a semi private tour.then you wont have to follow all tour’s plan on the other hand you will have a guide.
2.your friend invites you from iran(individuals cant invite sole,your friend need to use a legal personality to invite you) i mean she/he should pay to a tour agency to invite you and they will show him/her the list and she will have to choose a guide for you
October 9th, 2012 at 7:37 pm
Great article! Very informative. I am half-Persian/Iranian on my father’s side. I was born here in the States. My father holds both an American and Iranian passport. For a number of years I had considered applying for Iranian citizenship, which I am entitled to because of birthright. However, Iran does not recognize dual-citizenship and I have been told that upon entering the country I would be considered solely an Iranian citizen and could be subjected to mandatory military service otherwise I would have to pay a large fine or even go to prison for refusal. Your option seems to be the better option, though do you think I could face issues upon entry since I have an Iranian last name and a father who holds citizenship? Have you encountered tourists in a similar situation?
October 10th, 2012 at 8:24 am
Hi there,
If you want to travel to Iran..justlink to me and we can talk personally about it.
It’s the best trip you’ll ever make!
October 10th, 2012 at 3:00 pm
@Sean: We did meet Iranian-Americans who had traveled to Iran on American (or other nationalities) passports and didn’t have troubles in the country. But I would try to discuss with other Iranian-Americans to see what they usually do when they visit. Good luck!
October 16th, 2012 at 10:46 pm
Thanks for the prompt feedback! I would like to travel there next summer when my father makes his annual trip. I would likely be part of a registered tour group and he would travel independently on his Iranian passport. However, I would like the freedom to spend time with my relatives who live there and my father without violating any regulations.
October 23rd, 2012 at 6:58 am
Hi I just wanted to know when this article was printed by you. I have a son possibly going to play basketball in Iran and am very concerned about him going there. I know there are sanctions against them but I don’t know if he will be safe. If you have any feedback on this, that would be great. Thank you
October 23rd, 2012 at 5:38 pm
[...] Friendly, generous, inviting, gracious. Such is the general description bestowed by traveling Americans upon the Iranian citizens who have welcomed them. Though the Iranian government requires that [...]
October 25th, 2012 at 8:28 am
@Sean: You’ll need to talk with the tour company to make sure there are no issues with you spending time with your father and his family. It may be that his family will need to talk with the tour company to fulfill whatever requirements are necessary without being too bureaucratic. Our experience is that tour companies are good at this. Good luck!
@Chris: We visited Iran in November 2011 and this article was published in December 2011. Since then we have been in touch with our tour guide in Iran as well as an Iranian-American friend who lives in Tehran and both of them have not reported any problems with Americans visiting there since the new sanctions.
There is a move out called “The Iran Job” that is about an American basketball player living in Iran and his experiences. It’s a few years old, but maybe it’s possible for the Iranian team to put your son in touch with other American basketball players who have lived there.
November 1st, 2012 at 1:23 pm
when visiting the mirad and azadi towers is there an admission charge and can you take their metro subway to these towers?
November 1st, 2012 at 1:27 pm
forgot to ask
do tour operators include the towers in their itineraries?
November 7th, 2012 at 10:18 am
Joseph,
There is at least one metro station in walking distance from the Azadi tower (the Ostan Moein station and also I think the Meydan-e Azadi station, both from Line 4 (yellow)). Both are either recently inaugurated and not quite finished, or still under construction. Last time I went to the Ostad Moein station, it was operational but it lacked escalators and I had to climb up/down hundreds of stairs!
But the Milad Tower doesn’t have any metro stations nearby. You would probably have to take a taxi from e.g. Azadi square.
You can perhaps find out more by taking a look at the various Tehran City websites:
http://map.tehran.ir/en (which shows metro stations on Tehran map)
http://metro.tehran.ir/Default.aspx?tabid=203 (the official metro map)
November 7th, 2012 at 1:01 pm
when visiting the mirad and azadi towers is there an admission charge?
November 11th, 2012 at 6:09 pm
@Mohammad: Thanks for the thorough response and information about Azadi and Milad towers.
@Joseph: I do not know if there are admission charges for these towers as we did not go inside. Even if there are, it’s unlikely they will cost very much – we found tickets to be very inexpensive in Iran, an that was before the recent devaluation of local currency. Tour guides in Tehran tend to be quite flexible – just be sure to let them know that you want to visit these places.
November 13th, 2012 at 8:16 am
thanks.im glad to see American friends had a good travel to Iran.i as an Iranian should add that we respect Americans and Europeans the most.cause the way they progressed is admireable for us.anyway Iran is very beautiful country with swiss styke and green highlands in the north west,duch style jungles in the north which are realy beautiful.also we have african style landscape in the west and so hot desert in center.on the other hand visiting beautiful historical place belongs to both islamic and non islamic periouds of Iran will be nice…
sorry for poor english and again thanks to you for your great jobs!
November 16th, 2012 at 5:04 am
@Nima: Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting. And your English was great- we understood everything. You are right in that Iran is quite diverse in its landscapes and cultures – we felt this as we went from south to north and west to east through the country. And as we wrote, we felt very welcome in your country!
November 23rd, 2012 at 6:29 am
Thanks for the tips. Might give it a try and head to Iran after India. Wish I knew how much a week with a private guide cost though.
November 25th, 2012 at 6:02 am
Iran is truly spectacular and the people are very hospitable. Traditional customs, known for being very good. Cities of Isfahan, Shiraz and Bandar …. very interesting, a lot of foreign tourists visiting each year from Shiraz., I would suggest you visit these cities.
November 25th, 2012 at 10:59 am
@Adam: It would be interesting to go from India to Iran. Not sure if you know this, but India has a small population of Zoroastrians who migrated from Iran/Persia to India in the 10th century.
As for your question about costs, it really depends on what style of trip you want. We paid $1,200 for the two of us for 10 days, but that took some negotiation and trying to get the cheapest hotels possible. Now that the Iranian rial is quite devalued, you might be able to get a good price as the dollar goes a lot further.
@reyhaneh: We did not visit Bandar, but we did really enjoy visiting Isfahan and Shiraz. The architecture in these cities is really beautiful.
December 8th, 2012 at 5:18 pm
@audrey:thanks for the kind comments sir.well im 17 years old and so young to discuss about politics.but i should say,the new generation is very educated,open-minded and secular.
for sure you will feel even more comfortable if you visit Iran in the coming years.
my friend’s father just died recently because there was no American drug (Iran produces 97% of her needed drug but that 3% is the case) in the store to cure his cancer so he died.on the other hand Iranian medicines have saved American lives in Afghanistan war as well.it shows how unfair the sanction and the US government’s treatment is.you can visit my country so easy.but about us….even i can not imagine a travel to US.not because my pocket is empty.because of the the unfair treatment of US government.but still Iranian people see Americans and Europeans visitors as their guests.and still we love you.
sir,have you been to Karaj?my city?karaj is great.Karaj has access to the 4th most beautiful road of the world.also there is a ski-resort around the city(called dizin) that hosted world cup last summer.
here you can enjoy watching thoso beautiful pictures of Iranian landscape.
http://www.defence.pk/forums/iranian-defence/183765-paradise-called-iran.html
again thanks.
and wish you the best…
December 9th, 2012 at 8:05 am
O O sorry gentlewoman! i found out that Audrey is a female name.so my apology.
thanks
December 16th, 2012 at 9:28 am
@Nima: No worries – many people are not familiar with my name and think it’s a man’s name. I don’t take any offense
I’m very sorry to hear about the death of your father’s friend. We also hope that relations improve between the two country’s governments so that there is a more free exchange of ideas, people and goods. No, we didn’t visited Karaj on our last visit. Iran is a big country!
December 25th, 2012 at 8:57 am
It’s great to see there are people who can understand that governments don’t necessarily represent nations.
I’m Iranian and live in Tehran. I’d be glad to provide information for tourists and visitors.
By the way, entry to the country is not even that pleasant to me as an Iranian. I have butterflies in my stomach whenever I’m at the international airport. It’s not designed to welcome anybody I guess but once you are out of the airport it’s over.
December 26th, 2012 at 12:08 pm
@Fahimeh: This is one of goals of our travels is to highlight people, and how individuals quite often act independent of their governments’ rhetoric.
We’re sorry to hear about your experiences at Tehran airport. That’s quite sad, particularly since it happens to you, as an actual citizen of Iran. As we’ve mentioned elsewhere, after the initial and superficial questioning, we felt fine making our way around the airport, and eventually out the door with our guide.
Thank you so much for your comment, your perspective and your offer to travelers wishing to visit Iran and Tehran.
January 1st, 2013 at 6:28 am
Hi, Thank you, it dealt honestly with the issue.I hope you all your pepole know that the Iranian people have no problem with any body.
January 5th, 2013 at 11:44 pm
Hello. Can an unmarried couple with non-Iranian nationality stay in the same room at a hotel in Iran? If being married is necessary in a situation like this, then would staying at different hotel rooms be the only option?
January 6th, 2013 at 8:14 am
@Aoun: We always like to share what we have experienced first hand to show that perhaps there is another side to the story than what is shown on the news. During the whole time we were in Iran we had such great experiences with the people and were welcomed everywhere.
@Afsaneh: Dan and I are married with different last names, but we were never asked for our marriage certificate (we had a copy with us, just in case) at any hotel where we stayed in Iran. I don’t know of other couples traveling around Iran having trouble staying in hotel rooms together, but perhaps it’s best to ask an Iranian tour company just in case.
January 29th, 2013 at 7:11 pm
Afsaneh’s question is similar to mine. My girlfriend is Iranian-American (actually looks like she would be Indian). I am Euro-American, and look it.
I am concerned about being hassled if we travel to Iran together, as we are not married and I am not Iranian.
Any particular feedback on this?
I have traveled and lived in other Muslim countries and know public affection is not accepted. But, it varies a lot from country to country. Indonesia, Egypt, and Lebanon was easy-going about my accompanying a girlfriend. But, there were differences in acceptable behavior between genders. In Egypt, some people did not like that I was with a Middle Eastern woman. It was rather sketchy at times.
January 31st, 2013 at 1:27 pm
I really enjoyed reading your information regarding travel in Iran. I have helped many Iranians with their English on the website Livemocha, and I have made many very close friends, and one who is even closer. The Iranian people are an especially warm and gracious people. I would love to travel to Iran to meet my friend(s). Here in the U.S. I have an Iranian student who I have helped a lot. Her family has adopted me even though many thousands of km separate Iran and the US. You mention having your visa mailed to you from the Pakistani Embassy in Washington D.C. Does that still hold true? I need to arrange this right now in fact and was asked this week by someone at an Iranian university which Embassy I want to pick up my visa at. On a more unhappy note, I have tried twice to get a visa to visit Iran to attend workshops or give lectures and have failed each time because of some political event that has occurred just as my application was being reviewed. What if you want to visit friends in Iran? How is that done? Is it possible without a guide? Is any independent travel allowed at all? I know that there are Americans living in Iran that are free to travel there, how do they do that? Thanks.
January 31st, 2013 at 2:59 pm
@Ernest,
Yes! You can have your visa mailed to you. But you will have to mail your passport to the Pakistani Embassy Iranian Intrest Section along with you application.
From what I have read on here and talking with others inside and outside of Iran, you will have to have a guide to travel to Iran.
I am one of those few Americans that can travel freely through Iran. That is because my wife is Iranian. So when I am there, her family takes full responsibility for me.
I wish you luck!
January 31st, 2013 at 3:12 pm
@ Marvin,
That is interesting if her family can take responsibility for you. I wonder if my student’s family can take responsibility for me? Does that entail a formal invitation? An Iranian wife may be in the future for me as well.
January 31st, 2013 at 3:56 pm
@Ernest,
My best guess would be that your student’s family “can not” take full responsibility for you. I know this from trying to help a young lady on here that was trying to get her friend to Iran. Come to find out, I was very lucky on my first trip to Iran. You also have to understand that I used a key word in my last post. I said that I can travel freely in Iran because my “wife” is Iranian! I am even in her Iranian ID as her husband. Every time that I have travel to Iran, I always had my wife by my side.
Your best bet would be to contact an Iranian Travel Agency and talk with them. Your biggest challenge will be getting a visa. Once you get that, maybe you can ask if your student can join you while you are with a Tour Guide. Remember, Iran is not North Korea. So, you can still talk with every day Iranians once you are there. But keep in mind that they have their own sets of rules.
I hope that this helps and I wish you luck!
February 1st, 2013 at 1:14 am
@Marcus: Although we are married, we were never asked for a marriage certificate in order to share a room in Iran. Additionally, we do not share the same last name, so to many it looks like we are just boyfriend/girlfriend/partners. Anyhow, I can’t imagine you will be hassled about sharing a room. As for public displays of affection in Iran, best to avoid them (and anything that draws unnecessary attention) I’d say.
February 1st, 2013 at 3:19 am
@Marvin,
Thanks. I have worked in the Arab portion of the Middle East, but as my Iranian friends keep telling me, and as I am very aware of, Iranians are not Arabs. In fact, I have found Iranians to be very European in many respects. I have traveled a lot in Europe and have family there, and although there are very clear differences Iranians seem to view the world as we do. I have worked with Arabs for many decades, and just when I think I figured them out…boom they react to something in ways I did not expect. I have many Arab friends, but i will never pretend that I will ever understand them. But Iranians are different. When I talk to my friends, I could be talking to my friends here in the US. Thanks for your tips on travel in Iran. I had almost given up the idea of going to Iran. Cheers, Ernest
February 1st, 2013 at 1:08 pm
@Marcus
My gf and I will be careful. As I said, I try to observe local customs. It shows respect for the customs and religion of the people that you are visiting. I guess that is the Anthropologist in me. Respect others and they will respect you. I have a lot of dear friends in the Middle East, and some of them are very conservative Muslims.
Cheers
February 1st, 2013 at 2:11 pm
@Afsaneh,
I know that Audry Scott said that she and her husband did not have any problems while they were in Iran from any hotels. But my wife and I did have a problem one time at a hotel in Isfahan. The hotel turned us in to the “Green Police”. Thank Goodness my mother in law happen to have a copy of our marriage certificate. We showed it to them and there were no more problems. Audry and Daniel were very smart to bring a copy of their Marriage Certificate just incase.
Just something to think about.
February 1st, 2013 at 3:08 pm
Marvin, thanks for your comment. Have you seen the movie Offside (with Jafar Panahi)? A couple of girls dress up like men and try to attend a football match but they get caught and arrested. Then the whole point of the movie is why foreign women (women with non-Iranian nationality) are allowed to attend the football matches in Iran but not Iranian women. Now, as I can understand from your previous comment, your wife is an Iranian so I’m guessing she has an Iranian nationality as well. She might also holding other citizenships but in Iran, she is an Iranian citizen only. So what I hope for my boyfriend and I (we are Danish citizen) that we would be treated as different as the foreign women that are allowed to attend football matches. If anyone can confirm this thought I would be glad because I can not find any information about this anywhere or from anyone.
February 1st, 2013 at 6:37 pm
@Ernest W
I know it’s a while ago but about fifteen years ago I took my then English girlfriend to Iran. I’m Iranian-British.the way we went about it was for my family in Iran to employ a good travel agency and invite her as friend of the family. It cost USD30 at the time and took three weeks to process. As far as the visa application was concerned I was not in the picture. We traveled together and at the airport in Tehran she faced the immigration officer on her own, and once she was through, I followed. Once we were settled after a few days, my mom took us to the local mosque and had a word with the local Imam that we had planned to marry but needed to avoid conflict with the police. My girlfriend had to repeat a couple of verses from koran,were given temporary marriage status (an old islamic rule) and a note to show the police if we needed to. It took half an hour and there was no charge although we donated a small amount toward their charity. We traveled to different cities and stayed at various hotels but was never bothered by anyone and never had to use the note.
I would imagine that the authorities are even more lax now. I appreciate that the rules may be slightly different for US citizens but it’s one avenue worth inquiring about. My only concern is that you have already been refused visa twice, but if it was a while ago it may not be an issue.
I hope that helps. Good luck and don’t give up!
February 5th, 2013 at 10:17 pm
But always be wary of going to Iran if your Husband is an Iranian. please check the website of US state department
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1142.html
check out this movie ” Not Without My Daughter” too based on true story
Not Without My Daughter
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL844A52509A02E2FB
February 14th, 2013 at 7:33 am
hi
what’s the deal with visiting Iran?
February 14th, 2013 at 2:31 pm
What do you mean?
February 17th, 2013 at 11:51 pm
I am a Malaysian citizen with a US permanent residence. I am currently residing in Malaysia again for work reasons. I have an opportunity to do an engineering project in Iran but am worried that if I have an Iraniann stamp in my Malaysian passport, I will be challenged when I travel to the US. Any advice? Thanks. Allan
February 20th, 2013 at 8:56 am
im Zack 21 years old that im in Iran 4 12 years that i was kidnapped by my dad that i need your help to get out of here help help help help
February 20th, 2013 at 9:30 am
@zack hasheme
I don’t know if you live in the same state as vivek (above) or watch the same fictional Hollywood films or even related, but as a 21 year old you are classed as an adult (yes even in Iran!).
I suggest you contact the relevant embassy or their representatives if you want to leave the country. Iran is not like N.Korea, you can leave the country if you wish.
I don’t normally bother replying to comments such as yours and vivek above, mainly as a respect to Daniel and Audrey but took exception on this occasion.
Daniel and Audrey have done a marvelous job creating this site and it’s a shame that some people try to sabotage it in order to push their political and often misguided agendas.
February 20th, 2013 at 10:37 am
Kourosh, you might need some updating or researching. Maybe you should start from Wikipedia. Here is part of what is written in Wikipedia under “Military service” and then Iran: “…Men reaching 19 years old who are not granted exemption from the military service are not able to apply for a driving license, passport, or leave the country without special permission…”
zack hasheme, I am very sorry to hear about your situation. You might have dual citizenship, if that is the case you could apply for renunciation of your Iranian citizenship when you reach the age of 25. If the authorities approve your application, you would be more than welcome to leave Iran. Please feel free to write to me because I might be able to guide you with other alternatives. Here is my e-mail address: abbreviation.a.p@gmail.com
(اگر مکالمه فارسی را ترجیح میدی برای من مشکلی نیست )
February 20th, 2013 at 3:57 pm
hi i am Zack’s dad. pay me 10 dollar to let him go! in Iran it’s much money! kidding!
zack , if you have access to internet ! (what a nice kidnapper!) i think you can make a call to police! it is 110 . سفه گده!!
February 20th, 2013 at 4:52 pm
@ zack’s dad
Ha ha ..You must be the funniest kidnapper in the world.. I’m still laughing!!
On serious(ish) note, zack can also get his information from either wikipedia (I’ve been told) or call the Danish embassy in Tel Aviv.
February 21st, 2013 at 6:32 am
@ zack hasheme
Your comment sounds like a joke…
February 26th, 2013 at 11:58 am
[...] wrote on their travel blog, Uncornered Market. [...]
February 26th, 2013 at 3:55 pm
[...] hugs, gifts and invitations to homes — especially when our guide was out of sight,” they wrote on their travel blog, Uncornered Market. One of many unexpected experiences during my 2008 visit to Iran: being surrounded by young [...]
February 28th, 2013 at 12:57 pm
Hello Again,
You know there is real irony in life. I have been helping a young Iranian woman obtain a visa to take an 8 week intensive English course in the U.S. Yesterday after her visa interview she was denied her visa despite the fact that everything was in order. The irony…I had a applied for a visa to visit Iran as well and I received my visa denial today. Tit for tat! This was her first visa denial, this was my third. I am an academic and my visa applications were for those reasons, and yet I have been denied three times now. I have resigned myself to the fact that the only way I will ever be able to visit Iran is for someone to take my ashes after I am dead and go upwind of Iran and scatter them to let the wind carry me to Iran. You know I am not political. I am a teacher, and a scientist. I have friends and colleagues in Iran and I will never be able to see them, or talk to them face to face. I am as heart-broken as the young woman that I have been helping to take some English classes in the US. Your column is interesting, but for some of us it will never be of help.
March 1st, 2013 at 11:35 am
Daniel and Audrey , such generacity, clear vision ,free heart and nice complements about Iran and Iranians are much amazing to me.I utterly personally appreciate your attitudes toward us. No other person or institute or administration (for example Iranian department of tourism )has ever could be more helpful to show the true Iran and it’s culture to US citizens and rest of the world.
It shows that you both have a heart and wisdom.
I read most of the other people’s comments trying to seek the truth about Iran and you as true ambassadors of America let them to find facts and figures about a place mostly bombarded with rumors false information and terrorizing ideas.
I live in the north section of the country named Mazandaran Province.
In the next trip we will be so glad having you as real guests or better say real friends of ours.
In our place the Caspian Sea is great.Maybe not greater than Santa Monica beach or riviera of France, but quite calm and fascinating.
All I see in this blog : Very Nice people and generous in thoughts and believes about My country.
Thank you for all you shared in this blog and also lots of nice people who commented positive thoughts about my country.
As Chris Brown says:
Every where everywhere I go , I see beautiful people.
We will be so pleased to have you here again.
March 1st, 2013 at 12:40 pm
Dear Hossein,
I know of your province, Mazandaran. The husband of my student is from Rostam Kola and I had hoped to visit his parents there. It is a very beautiful province and similar to the area where I have come from, Washington State. It is very wet, but very green. You see I think that Iran is one of the great nations of the world, and that Iranian people are one of the worlds great peoples. I have always wanted to visit Iran. Even as a child I was fascinated by the history and culture of Iran. But it seems that my childhood dream of visiting Iran will never come true. For that I am truly sorry. My mother was German, my father’s family was German and German’s have always had a great love of things Iranian. The last two years I have been working with Iranian students on a language learning website called Livemocha. I have over 150 Iranian students who I have come to know. They come from all over Iran, from Kerman to Shiraz, from Arak to Tehran, From Tabriz to Mashhad, and many places between these cities. I had hoped one day to conduct research in Iran, because I study global change, and Iran will be one of those nations, like the semi-arid West where I live, that will adversely effected by raised temperature, and lower rainfall. We will see changes in our environment here in the Great Basin where I live that cannot be imagined by the average person. I had hoped that the knowledge that I had gained here in the West might be of help in Iran. Many of my best friends are Iranian. My student is actually the hardest working student that I have ever had. She is not only hard-working, but very intelligent, and dedicated. She was one of the top Master’s students in Iran a couple of years ago. I am incredibly impressed by Iranian students. I have even tried to learn some Farsi…so that I don’t seem the complete idiot. At least I will be able to say, “Salam! Shoma chetur hastin?” And if they ask me, I will be able to say, “Man khoobam, Mamnoon!” And of course “Man gom shodam.” Which will happen often. I have learned other phrases as well, “Bebakhshid, aya shoma Engilisi harf mizanid” The most useful of all phrases. But the main point is that all this is for nothing. I will never get that visa. Hossein, your country IS a beautiful country from green shores of the Caspian to Maharlu Lake by Shiraz with nearby Persepolis, to Mashhad, a beautifully designed city lying at over 9,200 feet. Even Tehran with its air pollution problems lies in a beautiful broad valley surrounded by mountains. You see, so many Americans forget that because the US is so big they forget that there are other beautiful nations around the world. Iran with it’s 75+ million people has a diversity of landscape that is as dramatic as that of the US. One other thing that Americans are not aware of is that Iran has some of the most beautiful and diverse people in the world too. There are over 19 languages with 53 dialects spoken in Iran. In your province, for example, Mazanderani (مازِرونی) or Tabari (تبری) is spoken. As a trained anthropologist, I could spend the rest of my life exploring the wonders of Iran, but I never will have that chance.
March 2nd, 2013 at 9:37 am
HI, I am an Iranian. thanks for your real expressions about Iran.I am happy that you enjoy visiting Iran.
March 2nd, 2013 at 1:51 pm
Dear Zahra,
Unfortunately I never have, and never will. The closest I will ever get to Iran is to look over the border into Iran from Turkey, Azerbaijan, or Kurdistan.
March 2nd, 2013 at 3:48 pm
OK but why?Do you believe that Iran is insecure? Or why ?
March 2nd, 2013 at 5:22 pm
Come on Ernest ,what would you do when you’re supposed to be lost? Just kidding.I hope I’m not offending .You’ll get your visa if my application for green card works.Someday both of us reach our dreams.
You’re quite an Iranian I suppose .You got a lot of information .You learned a lot.That’s fair enough.But what would I do if I were lost in the Washington forests? Maybe I would face a huge BIG FOOT.Definitely I would run for my life.
I love to see huge trees of California . Canada is my dream.Every time I see a movie which is made in the jungles of Vancouver or Alberta I imagine myself in there camping & enjoying the pure nature.For instance the movie The Edge(Antony Hopkins & Alec Baldwin ) is one of my favorites .
You said about a fact that rain falls are much lower than before.Here in my place we’ve got less rainfalls these years.Climate change is global.No place can be away from it.
Washington And Oregon ,I believe very beautiful amazing and breath taking.I love to see Montana.Some quiet and endless landscapes .I remember one of the scenes of the movie Dances with wolves(Kevin Costner)in which large numbers of Buffaloes were grazing endlessly.(maybe that was CGI)
You said very good things about Iran & Iranians .That shows you got the heart and good feelings about everything around you.
I do hope someday you can come to my country and enjoy what you were waiting for.If there’s anything I could do to make it happen I would be so glad to do it.
Sorry , Do it , do it , reminds me of a movie by Burt Reynolds always saying it.
Actually Our family is quite an Iran by itself.I was born in Tehran.My wife was born in Khorasan . My daughter was in Isfahan .And finally my little son was born in Mazandaran. You see we’re strange enough to show you Iran!!! I believe Adventure is good for living.I try to show my kids the beauty of nature and respecting it.
Don’t get me wrong , my website is about my fancies about Hollywood.I’m a family man.I love The Earth and all it’s people.
Thanks . We listen and appreciate all you say about us even about our dark sides.It’s true.Nobody’s perfect.
I’m sure you’ll get that chance.For me? Far far away.
March 3rd, 2013 at 2:14 pm
Dear Hossein and Zahra,
First of all, dear Zahra, when I travel I have traveled I have never worried about anything except meeting new people and become friends. I have traveled in many nations. I have cycled with a bicycle over 3,000 miles through Europe, I have traveled in Brazil, and Mexico and Canada. I have worked over 6 months in Egypt both in Cairo and the Western Desert. I have lectured in Syria at Damascus University, and at the Baath University in Hamah on global climate change. I was a Senior Fulbright Scholar in Jordan and lived there for ten months, and taught in the Geology and Biology Departments at Yarmouk University. I was the only American in nothern Jordan at the time. I traveled all over Jordan by myself and was never concerned that something might happen to me. I have spent evenings in coffee houses drinking coffee and talking about every subject under the sun with the others who were there. On many of my trips I was alone, but I have never been concerned about my safety. Zahra I certainly would not be concerned about my safety in your beautiful country of Iran.
I mentioned about climate change, it effects us all. My city of Reno depends upon the snowfall in the Sierra Nevada mountains to our west. This year the snowfall has only been 50% of the average. That means we will have drought for the seventh year in a row now!
I mentioned part of the reason that I am interested in Iran is because two years ago in a hospital emergency room, it was a young Iranian volunteer in the hospital who saved my life! Her gentle demeanor and warm smile calmed me and brought me back from the verge of a heart attack. So I owe my life to a beautiful Iranian woman. This meeting renewed my desire to visit the country where she had come from. I had to see the country with such a wonderful people came from. That is how my desire to come to Iran was reawakened.
March 4th, 2013 at 6:41 pm
Hello. Marvin or other. I’m from Canada. My son is getting married in a few weeks in Iran. None of us has any experience with Iran. We have gov’t approval for entry. Can I get a visa during a stopover in Istanbul? I need to have it for some other travel in the next 2 weeks, so I can’t send it to Washington.
Also, apparently, the husband’s family is expected to pay for the celebration, but we have no idea or control over it. If so, is it not dangerous to take large amounts of cash for something like this? Is there no other way of transferring money to the family?
March 4th, 2013 at 11:31 pm
@Ron,
Congrats on your son’s up coming wedding in Iran!I am not realy sure what you mean by you have Government approval for entry. I have picked up Visas for Iran in Kuala Lumpur, Dubai, and in Washington D.C. In order to pick up my visa in different places, I had my mother in law let the forien minister’s office in Iran know where I would go to pick up my visa. When I got married, as you know that the groom has to pay, I brought 5,000 USD. I would assume that you could bring as much as 10,000 USD. But do not quote me on that. Because I am not sure how much you can bring. What I do know, is that the price a wedding is a lot more expensive now than it was when I got married. Something else that you should look into before traveling to Iran is maybe have your son buy the wedding rings in Canada if he has not already done so. Also, I remember when I got married, I had to buy my wife a jewlery set. This included a necklace, braclet, and ear rings. That is also something that should be bought outside of Iran. I tell you this to where what money you do bring to Iran can be used better and help out more for the wedding.
With all the sanctions, this is the only way that I know of to get money into the country is by bringing it with you. Just remember to not exchange money in the street. Your future daughter-in-law’s family should know where you can exchange your money.
I hope that you have a great time in Iran! If the wedding is anything like mine was, it will be one for the books!
I will be traveling back to Iran in June and August.
March 5th, 2013 at 2:18 pm
Hi. It’s me again. By “it”, I meant my passport. If I send it to Washington, I won’t have it back in time for my trip to Europe before Iran.
Can anybody help?
March 5th, 2013 at 7:41 pm
@Ernest: I’m really sorry to hear that your visa application was rejected. Have you tried to apply as a regular tourist instead of for academic reasons? Although as a tourist you wouldn’t be able to overtly do research in Iran, you could still travel around the country and have a good experience. Depending upon the Iranian tour company you work with you can also arrange to spend time with your friends. There is no guarantees, but it seems that it would be easier to get into Iran as a tourist rather than an academic.
@Ron: We picked up our Iranian visa in Istanbul at the Iranian embassy. If you have the authorization number it is pretty straightforward process (2 photos, pay the fee at the bank across the street). But, I believe it took 2-3 working days so you’d have to factor that time when booking flights.
As for receiving money in Iran or taking money out of a foreign account while in Iran, that would be tricky. It was tough when we were there (Nov. 11), but it’s even more difficult now with sanctions. I think Marvin is right on in his advice.
@Marvin: Thanks so much for such thoughtful and helpful advice. I agree that it’s even more difficult than ever to get money into the country because of the recent sanctions.
March 5th, 2013 at 9:01 pm
@Marvin
The gov’t authorization, I believe, was obtained by the lady’s family, meaning it’s OK to apply for a visa.
Thanks for the tips on rings and jewellery set. So jewellery is more expensive in Iran then? And I’ll tell him about the money exchange.
Thanks again. I might have more questions later if it’s OK with you.
@Audrey
I really appreciate your suggestions. This is an amazing way of obtaining information on travel sites.
March 5th, 2013 at 11:26 pm
@Ron,
Actually the gold and jewlery was cheaper in Iran for me and my wife in the past. I just suggested that you migt think about buying that stuff outside of Iran. That way you do not waste what limited money that you can bring into Iran on stuff that you can bring into the country plus the money.
@Audrey it is always a pleasure to try and help out. I just love this site so much! I wish that I could have met you and your husband years ago when I traveled the world even more that I do now.
March 6th, 2013 at 10:46 am
Thanks dear Ernest I hope you will come Iran.its my plesasure it is my pleasure.
March 6th, 2013 at 10:47 am
Thanks dear Ernest I hope you will come Iran. It is my pleasure.
March 6th, 2013 at 12:10 pm
Dear Zahra,
Thank you! I pray for it. I am not Muslim, but my dearest friend in Iran is. Last Summer she was very ill, and could not fast during Ramazan. So instead I fasted for her, from before sunrise to after sunset every day of Ramazan. I never broke the fast. I did not eat or drink during the day throughout that whole time. I lost five kilos during that time, it was the hottest Summer here where I live, so it was not easy. She regained her health, and I was able to help an Iranian student who I didn’t think that I could as well. Maybe my fasting was rewarded. I have never seen my dear Iranian friend, I have talked to her on the mob, and chatted with her by typing. I have her picture, but I have never seen her with a cam, and yet she is the dearest person in my life. But I don’t know if I will ever see her smile in anything but a photo. That is why I am heart-broken that I cannot get a visa. She does not have enough money to travel outside of Iran either, and because of the sanctions, I cannot get money to her. I will die before I can see her.
March 6th, 2013 at 12:52 pm
@Marvin
Thanks again, Marvin.
March 6th, 2013 at 12:57 pm
Dear Audrey, I will try that. Thanks. Are there any businessmen out there? What is your experience with going to Iran?
March 7th, 2013 at 3:44 am
Good for her that have a sweetheart friend like you.
March 7th, 2013 at 3:57 am
@Ernest: We spent three weeks in Iran in November 2011 – two weeks with a G Adventures tour and one week on our own with a private guide. Although we were with a guide for a lot of the time, we also had a lot of independent time and met lots of people. As for businessmen, Iran is full of them! It’s a very entrepreneurial place even with sanctions and challenges.
March 7th, 2013 at 1:18 pm
Dear Zahra, Thank you. My friend is a miracle. She is unique, and I would fast as long as it would take to help her.
March 14th, 2013 at 9:05 am
@marvin or anyone else who knows.
Are you able to tell me how much cash you can bring in to the country?
Thanks, Ron
March 15th, 2013 at 9:00 am
[...] Traditional news allows us to believe that Iran is unsafe and a bad travel choice, but if you read this article by Uncornered Market you will see an entirely different view, and I’m betting many of you [...]
March 16th, 2013 at 8:42 pm
I guess that all I can do is to try again. I don’t have much hope though. You know what was strange is that in the visa rejection the introduction said…
“Dear Sir or Madame” as if they didn’t even really know.
March 17th, 2013 at 6:20 am
@Ron,
You will probably need to call the Iranin Intrest Section in D.C. or another Iranian Embassy. I searched and searched for you on the internet and could not find anything. I also tried to call the Iranian Intrest Section in D.C. for you, but was on hold forever.
March 17th, 2013 at 9:32 am
@Marvin,
Thanks for your help, Marvin. I’ll try that.
March 27th, 2013 at 10:30 pm
What a fantastic post.
I’ve been searching on the web for several days and now I got my answers.
I am very excited about visiting Iran.
Wigder Frota
March 27th, 2013 at 10:40 pm
@Everyone:
I hold dual citizenship (Brazilian and American) and live in the USA.
Would you recommend to apply for a visa as an American although Brazil has great diplomatic relationship with Iran?
Thanks in advance for any tips on that matter.
Best,
Wigder
March 28th, 2013 at 3:26 am
@Wigder
That is a tricky question, mostly because you plan on returning to the U.S. afterwards. In general Iran (and other countries in that region) either don’t recognize dual citizenship or frown on it (i.e. carrying two passports can get you into some serious ‘waiting time’ depending on use). If I was going to Iran, I would go on the Brazilian passport (less hassle, no required tour, etc) and you are eligible for a visa on arrival (though I personally wouldn’t bank on that; go through an embassy if you can or at least give the one in D.C. a call about the VOA). I would not bring your US passport with you and only travel through countries were your Brazilian passport does not require you getting a visa.
Your comment reminded me of a time I crossed the Jordan/Syrian border in 2008 and as I waited for my visa ($16!) I started talking to a couple who were being held by the border guards. They were Iranians living in San Francisco who entered Jordan on their U.S. passport (‘great diplomatic relationship’) and wanted to enter Syria on their Iranian one (‘great diplomatic relationship’). When the Syrian border guards asked where their Jordanian visa stamps were it led to some serious wait time. Not saying it would be the same in Tehran, but something to consider.
March 28th, 2013 at 11:25 pm
@John
Thanks for your suggestion.
I think I will do the whole trip using only the American passport (easier to enter other countries in the area.
Best,
March 29th, 2013 at 9:41 am
@Wigder: Thanks for stopping by and commenting. So glad that this article and the advice of other commenters helped you sort through your questions. Although getting a visa to Iran for your American passport is more of a pain, it’s not impossible and you’ll not have the problems that John mentioned above.
@John: Thanks for giving your advice here. Spot on. Just yesterday we were talking with someone in Berlin whose wife had a similar problem in the Middle East by trying to use two passports. The border guards really do check those passport stamps.
March 29th, 2013 at 1:48 pm
[...] Traditional news allows us to believe that Iran is unsafe and a bad travel choice, but if you read this article by Uncornered Market you will see an entirely different view, and I’m betting many of you [...]
April 11th, 2013 at 3:35 am
If travel to US was easy as Americans come Iran. I like to visit US but it’s hard to get VISA for Iranians.
April 11th, 2013 at 10:03 am
I was hesitant about visiting Iran before reading this article, not because of safety concerns but because of the fact that it is required to travel with an organized tour, but it really doesn’t seem that bad! Now I really wanna go! I experienced the same sort of “rock star” status traveling in the West Bank. However I do have a question, I have several Iranian American friends who hold dual citizenship with Iran and the United States. Is it possible to go with them as guests?
April 11th, 2013 at 12:15 pm
@Audrey: Please accept my special thanks for your really nice trip report. Through the full of bad news from Media of Iran, It was the first time which I could read a report with different point of view. Most of the Iranian People have friendly relations with the tourists like you from all around the world but because of the heavy sanctions over Iran by the United States and some other Western Countries, the number of tourists became so low during these years but there is no limit for any right tourist to visit the country. The most famous and beautiful cities are Isfahan, Shiraz, Tabriz and somehow Tehran. They are specially famous for their ancient places and the nature. I kindly invite you and the other people from the United States to visit Iran and view the real subjects.
April 11th, 2013 at 1:50 pm
I feel that you are siding with terrorists. Yes, the people may have been nice to you, but you are aware of what they stand for and what they believe in. We all know that it is NOT the typical greetings that American receive in this country. You are making this OK, and therefore siding with peole who commit terrible crimes against human beings. You are promoting crimes against women and the poor treatment of their own people. Shame on you.
April 11th, 2013 at 2:02 pm
Jules,
I don’t understand what you are saying. Are you American or what? I am not going to get into a political argument here, but governments seldom represent their peoples. On a person to person level you or anyone else could be friends with most people from other countries, even those that our government has an ax to grind with. I know Iranians. I know Palestinians. And they are good people. They have been my students for years. I am an American of German ancestry. Part of my family has been here since the 1670s. How long has your family been here Jules? I have taught in the Middle East, and I never found hate. The only place that I have found hate and misunderstanding is here in the US. And in case you are wondering…I am a former Veteran. I did my thing…even though I was sick of the propaganda that I was fed on a daily bases by our Army Chaplin. Attitudes that were not Christian in the least. So look at your statement and clean it up…and if it is hate you are pitching…take it elsewhere.
April 11th, 2013 at 5:47 pm
@Babak: Yes, it it very difficult for Iranians to get visas to the United States. We met quite a few people on our train from Iran to Turkey who were applying at the American consulate in Ankara. It is perhaps a bit easier for students from what they told us.
@Steven: Honestly, having a guide (either in a group or private tour) did not keep us from exploring and engaging with people. We also had lots more free time to explore on our own than we had expected (which we loved). As for your question about going with your dual-passport friends, I don’t know the answer. My suggestion would be to call the Iranian interest section in Washington DC and ask them. Otherwise, you can ask a tour company in Tehran as they should know the requirements.
@Hossein: Thank you for your kind comment and we’re glad we could provide a first hand account of our experience over three weeks in Iran. You might be interested in reading some of our other stories from Iran: http://www.uncorneredmarket.com/category/middle-east/iran/
@Jules: In our group there were four Americans and we spoke to quite a few other Americans who traveled in Iran before and after us. We all had very similar experiences of being surprised by the welcome we received. What we found from talking with Iranian people is that many of them do not agree with their government and its views on many issues, including human rights issues. As we travel, we often find there is a big difference between the views and actions of a people vs. those of the government. And engagement and communication is usually the best way to understand to work together against human issues.
@Ernest: I agree that often governments do not represent their people, yet this is often the view that is shown on the news. The challenge is having that opportunity to make that first connection as human to human.
April 12th, 2013 at 9:38 am
@Steven
It is very possible for you to get a visa to travel with your Iranian friends, sometimes even easier as you are being approved/invited by an Iranian national. I’m presuming that your friends have relatives in Iran. If so they can ask their relatives to make inquiries at a reputable travel agency in Iran the best way to go about it. These agencies often charge a small fee (insignificant amount when converted to $) and do all the work for you. That’s how I got a visa for my then English girlfriend about fifteen years ago.
If they struggle to find a good travel agent, let me know and I’ll ask my cousin. He was a resident in LA for over thirty years and now travels with Iranian national Judo team as an interpreter, he may be able to help. Good luck.
April 13th, 2013 at 1:58 pm
Thanks for the post. I’m an Iranian and as an Iranian it makes feel really good when foreigners visit our country an enjoy it (unlike the fake things most people say about us).
20 days is not enough t visit Iran. Every part of it is full of landmarks. I’ve been to trips for 60 days and trust me, I’m no even halfway there.
April 13th, 2013 at 4:23 pm
@Jules
I’m really surprised that you associate these wonderful people with terrorism. Governments support terrorism, most people don’t. I’m Canadian and I totally disagree with our government’s approach to Iran. They do not speak for me, but I’m stuck with them for now.
My son, who was is Christian and Canadian, found the love of his life in Iran. He just went there and got married. He was treated like a prince and welcomed with open arms. They are warm and friendly people.
Both your country and mine harbour terrorists unknowingly, and many are home grown, but as Americans and Canadians, we’re not all labelled that way.
Open your mind. Get to know them.
Ron.
April 13th, 2013 at 11:48 pm
Right on Ron!
April 14th, 2013 at 12:45 am
Right on Ron!
April 14th, 2013 at 9:01 pm
Very informative. It’s a dream of mine to go to Iran. Canadian and Iranian relations have been a bit complicated recently. Iran is also on the “Avoid at all costs” advisory list, but I don’t think it is at all dangerous. Too much politics is involved.
April 15th, 2013 at 4:40 pm
@Natalia: You are right that there are a lot politics involved, but I do say that it is easier for Canadians to get visas to Iran than Americans. You can also travel independently if you’d like – we met lots of people who couchsurfed in Iran with great fun. Good luck!
April 18th, 2013 at 4:46 pm
My father escaped during the time of Revolution. The goverment seized my Grandfathers Hotels in Shiraz. Since my father fled during the time of war and is most likely wanted (if records show) do you think it is possible for them to know IF I AM RELATED to him and if they would hold me for that reason. My uncle was a GOVERMENT ENGINEER AND WELL KNOWN FOR HIS GREAT WORKS. MOHAMMAD KHAKI. Unfortunately, SAVAK used him for a project to build an underground trail for SPYS TO EXCHANGE INFORMATION in SWEDEN and after his project, he became part of an experiment to clear all of his memory away. It failed. He slowly became Schizophrenic. My Father still says to this day he was one of the brightest people he has encountered. The same thing was said by numerous of my moms family which met him later in life when he was brought to the united states thru Mexico. Yes Mexico. My father had No fear after what THE REVOLUTION in Iran took away from our families hard work. There is so much more to this story. My Grandfather, his ties, My father’s travel to America while discovering the TRUTH of what happen to my INTELLIGENT UNCLE. In whom saved my life as a kid, putting out the fire on my head that would of killed me because no one else was around but HIM. He passed away 2 years ago but he loved me so much. Even though he was not fully himself all the time, he put the effort to be in Control sometimes, especially in my early years to share me a story or walk me to the store to buy me a candy. He was a good man out of Iran with an high IQ but was part of an failed experiment. So my reason to go to IRAN is to travel to FINALLY MEET my FAMILY in SHIRAZ and speak with them these stories of truth. They have been dying to see me and my DIRECT family, but the FEAR (planted by my father)has always been there for OUR family. The FEAR of finding out whose son I am and what they will do to me if they do know. I will go regardless because I need to see where MY BLOOD LINE STARTED.
April 22nd, 2013 at 6:43 am
@Daniel: Your family has a fascinating story. It must have been so difficult to leave Iran and all that they had after the revolution. As for your question about whether the Iranian government will figure out your family ties and if this will be a problem, I don’t have any first-hand experience in this. My advice would be to talk with a tour company in Iran as they may have better information on this and could advise you on whether you might have problems with a visa because of your family relations. Good luck and hope you have a chance to meet the rest of your family in Shiraz soon.