Embassy Report: Iranian consulate Batumi

[steven]

Please read and post reports on the embassy of Iran in Batumi below.

We summarize all info in the embassy reports on the Iran visa page.

You can get a letter of invitation/visa authorisation code here.

[jackhine]

I'm traveling on an Australian passport and already had an MFA authorization code but for the Istanbul embassy.

I went to the consulate in batumi hoping to get my Iranian tourist visa.

When I first got there the guy said since a week ago they were no longer issuing visa for Australians without an authorization number (he said only Europeans). I told him I already had one but it was for the Istanbul embassy. After some humming and hawing he said if I got them to email him the number and my documents he might be able to give me a visa.

So I called the Istanbul embassy and they said they would send the information by the end of the day but if the batumi consulate called them they could confirm my details.

I went back to the consulate and after more humming and hawing he agreed to call them (I had to give him the number haha). After calling them he said he could do the visa and it would be 100 euro (5 days processing) or I could give him 150 euro and have it today. I chose the express process and it took less than half an hour after I filled out a form of basic information. Hooray!

A German guy I met also applied. He didn't have an authorization number and they said it would take five days and cost 50 euros.

Hopefully this information is helpful. I guess persistence pays off!

Jack

[samandsheenacycle]

When he said only Europeans without the MFA code, any idea if that included UK?

[jackhine]

I very much doubt it would include UK passport holders but that's all he said to me so I don't know for sure.

Jack

[steven]

Was it open on Friday? Did you get the closing time? I have it down as 9.30 - ?

[jackhine]

Yep Monday to Friday 9:30-1:30

[Christophe]

Hi there,

I obtained Iranian visa today in Batumi, so I give you updates:

Documents needed:
1 Passport photocopy (you keep your passport while waiting)
1 Picture colour, white background
1 Application Form, collected at the embassy, very easy questions
Cost in Euros only: 50€ French, Polish, Hungarian, Czech, Dutch, 40€ Japanese, 12€ Bielorussian
Friendly staff speaking basic english
NO Reference Number neither LOI required


What was said:
Things have changed, now they send the application form to Tehran, so 5 working day are necessary

Reality: 9 working days waiting (13 calendar day) But people that left their passport after us collected it the same day as us.

Important note:
The embassy guard outside like to not like his job, and sometimes says "Embassy closed, come back tomorrow", which is not always true!
So if this is not your first time at the embassy, try to insist !

Finaly, it looks like they don't do deep researches about your name on internet for any relations with israel though (which is crippling to obtain Iranian visa).


Good luck and thank you again Steven for gathering all the reports !

[ivars]

Christophe, did you need insurance?
Also, when exactly were you there to apply, 5th? As I've read in this report, situation in Batumi has changed to the worse - 11th November this guy reports that it has all gone bad - http://www.edvardas.info/iran-embassy-i ... y-anymore/

I'm now in Tbilisi and planning on getting the Iranian visa and wonder if it is worth a shot going to Batumi or maybe straight to Trabzon...

[Aymard]

I tried to get an iran visa in Batumi in late December 2015. The guy told me that the situation had changed: it was 'not really possible anymore' to get the visa without LOI. When I asked for precisions, he said that I had 5 % chance to get it this way here, and told me to go to Trabzon (which doesn't seem to be the perfect place anymore neither).

[argos]

Applied in the beginning of July 2016. Got there at 10.30. No one there, but still had to wait until 12.45 for them to give me the application form. Didn't need an authorisation number, LOI or proof of insurance as a citizen of the Netherlands. They told me I had to come back in 2 weeks. After 2 weeks it wasn't ready and they gave me their phone number so I could call them for more information. After 4 weeks they told me something went wrong and they would send my documents to Teheran again. After 6 weeks (!) they told me they didn't know why it was taking this long. I asked them to cancel my application. They recommended me to try again in Tbilisi or try a visa on arrival. No luck for me unfortunately...

You can keep your passport during the process. You pay only when your application is accepted, for me it would have been 50 euros.

Location: http://www.openstreetmap.org/node/4039005411
Opening hours Monday - Friday 9.30-13.00
Phone number: +995 422 22 86 02 (they will connect you to someone who speaks English