i see this info is long out dated. hopefully some of things have changed since 2003, especially the three month expiration date before you can use the visa... i just applied to the consulate in Ottawa, Canada and I won't be leaving on the trip for another four months!

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Jeremy Kroeker
www.MotorcycleTherapy.com

Thee months expiration date before you can use the visa? Hm, no, you can enter immediately but no later than three months after the visa is issued.

By the way, unless that book of yours is a follow-up to the Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie I'm 100% sure you can get a visa. Why would an Iranian consulate in Ottawa have a visa service if it was impossible to get a visa? That would be a pretty stupid office, wouldn't it? Almost everybody except Israelis can get the visa. It's just a whole lot more difficult for some nationalities such as Americans and Brits. I got mine at first attempt. Very easy. Applicants from more "provoking" countries often have to try several times and have to pay more. If you get a no at first attempt, just apply again. Pump in applications. Funnily it has worked for many. A no is a no to one specific application, and there are plenty of stories of identical applications getting a yes at second or third attempt. Remember that the application form has a trick question, that is: What countries have you visited before? You will make your success more likely if "Israel" or "USA" is not written on that line. I wrote Namibia. Just think about it - when did Namibia annoy Iran?

If still no, try applying through an agent. If still no, try another agent.

If still no success you can try to apply at Iranian consulates as you're getting closer to Iran. E.g. this is the story about your three options in Turkey: In Istanbul you will have a 10% chance, in Ankara 50%, and in Erzurum 90%. The closer to the border the better. Also consider what kind of visa you are applying. You would hope for a tourist visa, but a last resort alternative with a generally better prospect for a yes is a transit visa. As soon as you cross the border you can extend your visa (though double check if this is possible with a transit visa, there are mixed feedbacks on that topic). The rumor is that a visa is especially easy to extend in Esfahan.

In the end I say to you as the Iranian border officer said to me: "Have good time in Iran." Yep Jeremy, you're going for sure.

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RTW 2005-2007
www.eriksaue.com

As a Canadian it is nearly impossible these days to get a visa for Iran. I tried 5 times in 3 countries and ended up using a European passport with diplomatic help from the Belgian government in Theran, from Damascus. It's not easy for Canadians at all. US etc. have no problem. Israelis ... well, no :-)

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http://www.nohorizons.net

Crap. Reading this forum is an emotional roller-coaster. First, "you'll get the visa for sure," then "there's no hope for you." (I'm inclined to believe the negative reports. They are, after all, from a Canadian!) Sigh. Well, I'm still waiting for the consulate, and if I get rejected I'll try again (using a service, I think). Anyway, I'm optimistic. But the part that really gets me is the the three month deadline before I have to use the visa. That could be a problem because I don't plan to cross the border until late October. Anyway, soon I'll be exploring shipping options and the paperwork required (besides the carnet... I have that covered) to do the trip.

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Jeremy Kroeker
www.MotorcycleTherapy.com

Transit visas can no longer be extended.

You can apply in one place and collect in another place, which you specify at the time of application. So you can collect it at an embassy closer to Iran and the 3 months start from the day it is stuck into your pp.

Many people report success with iranianvisa.com.

I found Pakistan a lot more difficult once outside Germany (my homecountry). See separate topic.

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Cheers,
Peter.

Europe to NZ 2006-10

Check with these guys: www.enduroreisende.de
I ran into them in Pakistan and they only had a transit visa for Iran. They managed to extend their visa in Esfahan quite easily if I recall correctly. They speak english, so maybe email reisefritze@googlemail.com directly.

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http://www.nohorizons.net

Thanks to everyone who's given such helpful advice regarding Iranian Visas. I intend to contact some of you when I get my passport back from the Embassy in Ottawa, but it seems premature to do so until then. Here's the latest development in my journey to collect an Iranian visa (it's taken directly from my website, where I usually update a bit more).

"After weeks of waiting (including a lovely week of “waiting” while vacationing in beautiful Prince Edward Island) I’m finally getting serious with the Iranian embassy regarding my visa and passport issue. (They’ve had my passport for nearly two months and they won’t return my phone calls or e-mails.) I had a friend in Ottawa physically visit the embassy to verify that it exists. She said it did. I asked if it consisted of a dark room up a rickety flight of stairs in an abandoned building down by the docks. She said Ottawa is more of a white collar town than a shipping hub… it doesn’t really have docks. In fact, she said, the Iranian embassy is quite nice and, yes, people do work there. Fine. So I contacted Foreign Affairs. They told me to contact my MP. I called him, filled out some forms and now he’s making inquiries on my behalf. I’m told that my passport should be back in my hands shortly, though, probably, sans Iranian visa… which puts me back at square one."

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Jeremy Kroeker
www.MotorcycleTherapy.com