Iran insisting you have a guide...True or False
 

I'm visiting Iran in July. I have visa and Carnet but I contacted an agent to arrange a side trip from Teheran to Shiraz
She advises me that there is a NEW RULE that private vehicles have to be accompanied by a guide. (Like China and Tourist Visa in Turkmenistan)
I travel from Turkmenistan to Turkey...Do I now have to arrange a guide or not.


How can I find out the truth!

Steph jeavons has just crossed. She said she was one of the lucky ones. As her visa was granted before the deadline she does not require a guide. It's that new that no one knows what's going on

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Do you reckon if she was lucky, anyone, particularly British, doesn't stand a chance of being there without a guide in say July/Aug or September this year?
Or just too early to tell?

The 2 of us don't have visas yet and I'm British.

We were hoping to enter from Turkmenistan in the summer in our car. It's sounding like we might have problems if we're in Turkmenistan on a transit visa then aren't allowed into Iran....

But maybe we wouldn't even get passed the visa issue?



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Hey

Well. What I heard (I'm in the process of getting the visa to enter by motorbike in June), is that this story comes from travel agencies.. I haven't seen it confirmed by embassies or people actually passing the borser or so (a few weeks ago the ambassador in Belgium didn't know anything about the 'new rule')..
BUT, thats only what I heard.. I'll be f****d if it would be true.. Following this thread from close by...


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Ask the embassy they should be able to clarify the situation

I only heard this from a travel agent but I wouldn't think they would concoct a story like this if there was no substance in it

As for asking the embassy...I sent our embassy 3 email and tried several times to call on the phone all without success

I just don't know what to do as I enter Iran in July and currently have no guide. I've already spent $950 on a carnet and not to have the cost of a guide!!!!!

Does anybody know anybody that can cut through on this???? it really is a major issue

I applied for an Iranian visa code on February-10th this year. I’m British btw.

As far as I am aware the rules were changed, without notice, by the Iranian government around February-15th prohibiting independent travel for Brits and Canadians in-and-around Iran (the restriction already applied to US citizens). I just sneeked-in under the old unrestrictive rules - more by luck than judgement.

Aussies shouldn't have a problem, unless they hold dual citizenship. That is, a Brit (or Canuk) passport alongside an aussie pp. See, I don’t think Iran recognizes dual citizenship; I believe it's your father's nationality that prevails under such circumstances and in turn determines your citizenship.

I got my Iran visa from the Iranian Consulate in Dublin, Ireland, on March-24th. That’s six weeks from the time I applied for my code through Persian Voyages on Feb-10th, mainly because of the confusion concerning the new ruling. Nasrin, at Persian Voyages, also wasn’t sure what the new deal was at the time, but she persisted and got me 'in' under the old [unrestricted] travel rules.

Fact is, to this day, it all seems to be still as clear as mud. I suggest you contact Nasrin at Persian Voyages who by now should be able to give you a positively definitive answer over this whole vexed issue.

Another good, but expensive, Iranian visa agency is Magic Carpet Travel. Worth a shot contacting Zohreh at MCT who, so I am led to believe, is also very knowlegeable and helpful.

All the best

Keith

There are two different issues here

US, UK and Canadian passport holders need a guide when visiting Iran on a tourist visa. Regardless of transport.

For non US, UK and Canadian passport holders, your travel agency will tell you you need a guide when entering by vehicle IF (yes, IF hint hint) you tell them. If you are just a regular backpacker say, you will not be assigned a guide. There is no indication so far of anyone trying to enter Iran with their vehicle and being refused for not having a guide arranged. This could change of course, but I am 95% certain that the rule is only known to the travel agents who arrange the visa. I suspect that nobody at any Iranian border knows about the rule.

This is purely speculation, and may not be useful, but I imagine that recently some tourist got in some kind of trouble whilst driving their own car, got arrested say, and someone at the government contacted the visa issuing agency and told them that they are responsible as they invited that person. Then all the agencies get scared and make this rule. There are other topics on this forum where member FLH80, a member resident in Iran and evidently very well connected, assures us that there is in fact no such rule.

So it is up to you. Tell the agency and pay for a guide (or give up), or don't tell them and approach the border in complete ignorance of the guide regulation. I seriously doubt one will have problem doing the latter.

Daniel

you usually have to ring or visit embassies to get a response, many do not reply to emails..

Thanks

I'm an Aussie/pom....ie. I am English who now lives in Aus and has both passports. The visa form asks for fathers nationality so they know I'm duel

The thought of a guide is a nuisance and expensive but the thought of being stuck at the border is worse,

What do you folks think of getting a guide for the border just in case and waving them goodbye at some convenient spot like Teheran? Ie not for ALL the journey

That won't work. If you have a guide, they will not leave you until you leave the country. They are an escort as well as a guide.

I am also a dual national. I visited Iran many times on my UK passport. Now I have another passport and will be travelling on that. No problem to also be a UK national.

Great clear guidance Daniel, thanks for those posts.

As I won't get a dual nat. passport until we return fri this trip, we'll now start looking into the guide situation.
Unless anyone knows the costs already?
Anyone reading this post interested in joining in September or early October? Will start separate thread, but you could always PM me in the meantime to stop this one getting confusing.

Have to say, the thought of our ideal route through china with a guide then after Tajikistan in Iran with a guide is not quite what we had in mind :-(


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Hi there,

me and my girlfriend are going to enter Iran on 6th of may with our vehicle.
And as far as we know no guide is needed, that is what they told us in iranian ambasy in slovenia. Maybe in your country the terms are different, you should ask that on your embasy in england and go there personaly during their opening time like we did.
Good luck!

the Iranian Embassy in UK is still closed as far as I know... so would check before making a personal visit!

UK and Iran agree to re-establish direct diplomatic relations | World news | theguardian.com

Hi All
Quick response via Iphone
1. Now in Iran entered via Taf Tan (pakistan) No guide required.
Drive with Escort (army) till Zahadan.
2. From zahadan on your own
3. Diesel pass, did not purchase and was never asked. At fuels stations eitehr use truck driver pass 250 rial or fuel station proprietor card 500 Rial.
4. Where diesel is sold long lines of trucks. Super friendly many times you may go first.
5. Will cross into Turkey shortly have heard require Visa for Turkey but available at the border.

As they say
YOU NEVER NEVER KNOW IF YOU NEVER NEVER GO

Cheers
Fearless