Hi,

Just thought I'd give you an update on Iranian visas because I've just applied and the process was different from what was on the website at the time.
BTW - I am a UK National.

I was told that the Visa section is open Monday-Wednesday.

1) You need to get an authorisation code from the Ministry in Tehran.
Everyone I spoke to used an agency (I used Touran Zamin and paid £36.24 via nochex). I applied 2nd Feb and received it on the 14th Feb. You must specify an embassy for it to be notified to (SEE POINT 9 at this point)

2) Wait three days before going to the embassy (or so it says on the email). You could go and get an appointment after a day or two because you don't need to give authorisation code to get an appointment.

3) Go to the Consulate near High Street Kensington in London. (Don't turn up at 12pm because you'll probably be sent away.)
You need to turn up first thing in the morning and join the queue. At 8.30am a man will appear and hand out double-sided embassy application forms and a pre-printed appointment sheet. I thought it would be same day but it was actually 2days later and I was only 15th in the queue. This appointment sheet has an number and a time slot (say 03/03/11 13.30pm, number 7 - which was mine).

4) Turn up 5minutes before your appointment as it says on the form. You will not need to turn up any earlier and queue because they WILL NOT serve you unless you have the correct time and slot number!

5) Give the man your creditcard/debitcard/postalorder for £87, a completed application form, 1 passport photo, your passport and a PRE-PAID secure delivery envelope for them to return it to you. You cannot collect from the consulate anymore.

6) Put your hands on the fingerprint scanner - this is a must for UK Nationals now.

7) Get your receipt (with your secure envelope sticker on it) on a green piece of card.

8) Wait 5 working days and your passport should arrive back to your house to be signed-for.

9) Remember, if you can't make it to London you can have the authorisation number sent to an embassy of your choice (say Istanbul for Overlanders) and you can get a visa there.

Additional Notes on completing the form -
- Where it asks for contact details it is not sufficient to put "various hotels" as I was advised. You need to pick a random hotel and enter that. It doesn't matter. I wasn't able to proceed until I'd added a Hotel and Tel number.

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