Iran Visa in Turkey
 

Hi there, Im currently on my way to Turkey and on to Iran, was wondering if anyone has any info on getting Iran visas in turkey, how long it takes and from where. Im a uk national and traveling round the world for charity. Heres my website if youre interested EarthTrek I already have a visa but its expires to early for me and really could do with either and extension to its end date or a new one. Thanks and many blessings to all of you out there. Jonny

Getting a new visa once you've been approved is easier than a net-new visa. Islamabad or Ankara are you best bets. As before, you'll get the number and you can get the visa in Dogubayazit (dog biscuit), near the Iranian border.

So are yiou saying that once youve got the visa its easy to get the end date changed. Mine runs out at the end of august and I really need it to run out at the end of september/october. All the best Jonny

Hello Jonny,

I hosted a few bikers from UK. You can get an Iran Visa in Turkey by using an agency without any problems. They will apply visa for you and you can get your visa from Erzurum in Turkey. I takes 1-2 weeks to be ready. I never asked the name of agency to the guys I hosted but I guess you may find it in a web search. A Spanish guy I hosted, said he found the agency from Iranian Embassy site.

Cheers,
Ozgur
P.S. If you need a space to stay in Ankara, PM me.

No, you get a new visa. New piece of paper, new dates, new visa fee. But since you have an old one, you have a much faster approval path.

In Ankara I got a transit visa (ten days) the next day. I was told a tourist visa would take three weeks.

Matt :)

Matt, I know you ended up changing your plans 1/2 way through but would 10 days enough to see/get through Iran?

Hi Mike,

Yes, you could comfortably cross Iran in ten days, assuming you had no major breakdowns or anything. It doesn't really give you any time to relax and see the country though.

Matt

If you only have 10 days, make sure you are in Zahedan 2 days before your visa runs out. Spend some time in Esfahan, it's the nicest place in Iran.

I need to get an Iranian visa, and have heard that Erzerum is a good place to get one.All I need is a transit visa, so is Ankara a better bet?I have a NZ and a British passport, is the NZ one a better bet?

Validity of Iranian visa
 

Hi,

I'm afraid I can't help in regard to where one can get an Iranian visa in Turkey, but I have general question relating to the length of validity. On the visa it says for example "validity from 1.07.2008 until 30.09.2008" a three month time period. It also says "duration of stay 30 days" . This may be a silly question, but does that mean that you can enter Iran at any time during the period of validity (for example on 30.09.2008) and then stay for 30 days or that you have to leave Iran on 30.09.2008 at the latest?

I am particulary interested to be clear about this because I have just received my authorisation number from Tehran and must apply for my visa soon. Naturally I don't want to find out at the border that due to a "misunderstanding" on my part the visa is either no longer valid or only valid for a few days.

Thanks in advance!

Chris

Andy,

I don't think it matters where you apply, as they will refer your application to HO in Tehran anyway. I applied in Istanbul and was told it would take 14 days. They said I could pick it up in Ankara (which wasn't on my itinerary), but they weren't keen to let me pick it up in Erzurum. It took two days longer than they said, but they treated me and 3 waiting hitchhikers very nicely in the embassy.

Don't tell them you have UK citizenship, use your NZ passport.

If you are heading for Pak do you have your visa already?

Cheers,
Peter ('adopted' Kiwi).

Pete, thanks for the answer.It seems that getting the Iranian visa is something of a lottery.Some have waited weeks, other have got it in days.I only need a transit visa,and someone on this site said they got theirs the next day.I already have my Pakistan and Indian visas,so the Iranian one is the last one i need.Itwould suit me to be able to apply for one in istanbul, and pick it up in Erzerum, but you say they don't like you doing that.It would be a pain to have to go to Ankara,as I was hoping to stay along the Med for most of the trip through Turkey.I'lljust have tosee when I get there what bthe best bet is.

Give it a try. I had the feeling that they didn't want to do it for my benefit, perhaps they had problems with the folks in the consulate there.

I didn't press the matter, as Erzurum was even further off my route than Ankara. I went through Kurdistan and crossed at Sero.

Iran / Pakistan visas
 

Hi y'al,

Slghtly of the thread but I need two visas for the above countries and have been told that I need a letter of invite for both? any clue guy's

We travel on the 27 /08/08 from the UK for an RTW and would hate to miss these countries, Anybody know a doable route from India to Thailand without need of an aircraft?

just asking ok!

Thanks Scav07:helpsmilie:

Germans aren't asked for the dreaded LOI any more (I crossed last year) but the Pakis routinely require it. See my separate post elsewhere.

The only route that is *maybe* possible overland is through Tibet and China. Count on compulsory guide, fixed itinerary, 2-4 months lead time and the cost will be 5 digits. However, with recent crackdowns in Xinjiang (East Turkestan) and Tibet it may not be possible at all.

Flying is cheaper, most people go Ktm-Bkk.

Burma is a no-go warzone with genocide still going on and many regions not under the control of the military.

I wasnt asked for a LOI at either the Pakistan or Indian embassies.The Pakistan visa is issued in 2 hours while you wait, the Indian one took a couple of days.There is an Indian visa office just opened in Birmingham which is a lot more relaxed and quicker than the London one.
Beddhist, I stayed a night with Jenny and her partner in france,very nice people.Jenny says to catch up with you somewhere along the way.Andy

I got my Pak visa in Kathmandu last week and unfortunately they did want the 'Letter of No Objection' from the UK consulate.

It was a rather expensive 4 line letter at 4,930Rs too!

Iran visa
 

I am sitting in a hotel in Erzurum, been here 4 days and will be here another 2 or 3 because I used iranianvisa.com to apply on line 16 days ago. They charge huge fees, they do not respond to any calls. they do not give you any information, they do not help, they just drive you mad ...... They say the correspond daily....yeah ! If I were doing it again I would apply in Erzurum, and wait. The guy in the Consulate is a very helpful chap. Istanbul will not accept over the counter applications. Applying on line to the Iran MFA is complex and does not allow as far as I can se a pick up other than at the airport. At least London would accept applications which in hindsight would have been smarter.....but London said apply in Istanbul and Istanbul said we do not accept applications. nzl04