Quick note as of 20th July 2009:

Nasrin of persianvoyages.com just wrote:

"The ministry do not issue multi entry at the moment, it has to be two singles one for your first entry and the second one for your second entry"

I reckon I'll get a single entry for my way TO India, and figure out the return when/if I need it.

Alexandros

__________________
2011-2012: 5 months in Chile
2009-2010: 5 months in Turkey-Iran-Pakistan-India

Have you actually applied? I've phoned Persian Voyages a couple of times this month and their advice has been (not unreasonably) to wait until the last minute before applying. I had the impression that the Tehran wasn't too impressed with Brits applying at the moment so the less inflamed the situation, the better.

The last minute for me is the end of July so it'd be nice to know if Authorisation Numbers are being issued.

Cheers,

Ian

I applied for an authorisation number yesterday - or at least sent the instruction to persianvoyages.com - I haven't heard back from them since.

I need to be on the move in 6 weeks' time so I figured I better get this rolling... but I'm hoping that my Greek passport will have a decent treatment.

Will keep you posted.

Alexandros

__________________
2011-2012: 5 months in Chile
2009-2010: 5 months in Turkey-Iran-Pakistan-India

Keep us posted about the Authorization Number.

On a related note, have you got a carnet?

Cheers,

Ian

No carnet yet - bike's registered in Greece and I'll issue the carnet there (it's on my way :-)

Got told it's a 3000 EUR flat deposit (plus I'm sure some "processing fees" they don't mention on the phone...)

Will keep you posted on the visa - I got confirmation by email last night that the visa application has been submitted.

I hope my Greek passport makes that relatively painless, even though a Greek photo journalist was detained for a couple of weeks (and, I hear, beaten) in Iran while covering the latest unpleasantness in Tehran...

Where is the "fingers crossed" smiley? :-)

Alexandros

__________________
2011-2012: 5 months in Chile
2009-2010: 5 months in Turkey-Iran-Pakistan-India

Hi,

An addendum to apapadop's quick note: I phoned persianvoyages.com today (4th August 2009) and they said that it's OK for Britons to apply for a visa. She quite rightly made it quite clear that the situation might change tomorrow but a nod's as good as a wink to a blind man and my application is on its way.

On the subject of carnets, I had an update from Paul Gowan at the RAC who indicated that they require a month's notice to process carnet applications. He did say that when I did fill in the forms they would reply with a no-obligation quote but it wasn't clear where in the one month that occurs (or whether it's included in the one month at all!).

All part of the joy of travel!

Cheers,

Ian

FYI, 2+ weeks since application and am still waiting. Got told by the travel agents they haven't heard back from authorities.

-A

__________________
2011-2012: 5 months in Chile
2009-2010: 5 months in Turkey-Iran-Pakistan-India

Hi,

Well, what do you know? One week we Brits are banned, the next week we're OK and what's more everything happens in double quick time! I have an authorization number to pick up my Iranian visa in Istanbul in under a week.

apapadop, we've not heard you for a while. How's it going?

Cheers,

Ian

Hello!

Got my authorisation number with a dodgy email on Monday, still trying to figure out if it's legit through the travel agency (persianvoyages.com)

But, it looks like we're ready to roll!

-A

__________________
2011-2012: 5 months in Chile
2009-2010: 5 months in Turkey-Iran-Pakistan-India

Good news, apapadop, not so for me:


My application originally had me picking up the visa in Istanbul but I checked that the visa number was valid for three months and they came back saying it was only valid for one month. Yikes! I asked them if they could extend it or shift it back to London. The validity was fixed for one month but Hamideh was trying to shift it to London and the next thing I heard was as above. You would have thought that being British would be the reason for being rejected not that I wanted to pick the visa up in London. But you never know with these things.

Cheers,

Ian

Sorry to hear that Ian, this seriously sucks.

I'm not too sure about my authorisation number as well - I'm supposed to be picking up the visa from Athens, but I called the Iranian embassy in Athens today and they haven't received anything.

So I called persianvoyages.com again, went through the "leave your details and we'll call you" routine (I am beginning to suspect an interesting business model...) and a few hours later got a ring from Nasrin who said she would check with Tehran to see what happened to the authorisation letter that was supposed to have been sent to the embassy in Athens.

She's supposed to ring me with news of this as soon as she knows... Will update you on what happens.

Alexandros

__________________
2011-2012: 5 months in Chile
2009-2010: 5 months in Turkey-Iran-Pakistan-India

Yes, though to be honest, given the current situation, I wasn't really expecting to get in. It's more annoying because they raised my hopes for a day!

For those following with interest, I've just had an update from Nasrin that

So, not so good for independent (British?) travelers but on the plus side at least it wasn't personal!

In the meanwhile, the time won't go to waste as I'm planning a rumble around Syria and Jordan instead. Just to keep the eye in.

Cheers,

Ian

Just had a word with the Iranian Embassy in Athens and they confirmed they have the authorisation letter.

I'm not too happy with the responsiveness of PersianVoyages.com (I always had to chase them with phone calls that always had to be returned because the relevant agent was "not on their desk right now"), but they did deliver.

So after a few phone calls and £80 here in the UK, it'll be pictures + applications + EUR60 deposit in a Greek bank account in Athens and *hopefully* I'll have the visa.

Alexandros

__________________
2011-2012: 5 months in Chile
2009-2010: 5 months in Turkey-Iran-Pakistan-India

That's welcome news, apapadop, I hope you have a great trip!

Cheers,

Ian

We are currently in Esfahan and have today obtained visa exensions, it works like this.
Go to the visa renewals office, any hotel will tell you where this is. Take with you two passport photos two photocopies of your passport and the most important thing - two copies of your original visa.

Go to the first office where the police will write down (hopefully - they did for us) the numbers you need to fill in on the sheet at the bank.
The bank is the Meli bank around the block - a taxi ride away.

Go upstairs and go to the front of the queue and show this piece of paper. With any luck someone will help you fill it in, Iranians are extremely kind. The cost for this is 20,000RR per person, make sure you fill a form in each!
Take this back to the visa office and he will direct you across the yard to a cubicle where the guy will sell you for 600rr (less than a dollar) a pink folder with two visa application forms in. When you have filled these in he will direct you up the stairs to the visa office. They will take the forms off you and tell you to come back in an hour.

The whole process took four hours with some pretty brisk taxi rides across town! We now have the additional 10days we asked for. Hope this is of some use to someone! Ladies - make sure your headscarf covers hair, cheeks and neck - the soldiers reprimanded me because I didn't look enough like Widow Twanky