Embassy report: Iran Visa in Erzurum

[Joanna Kaszewiak]

The whole process is very straight forward.You need two photos (no headscarf for girls), your passport and a copy of your passport. They'll give you an application form to fill and send you to the bank nearby (75€). Once I came back with the receipt and handed all the papers, they told me to wait for ten minutes and gave me my visa the same morning. The whole procedure took about an hour. (January 2017)
All the best
Joanna
www.onbyways.com

[Solo2ruedas]

Hi guys,

We requested the RN with the agency and asked to pick up the visas in erzurum (three travelers). Erzurum is not in our route and we will have to take a bus to get there. Does anybody know if it is compulsory for the three of us to go to the embassy or can just one of us bring all the passports and papers and fill all the forms and pick up the three visas?

Thank you

[juliandraa]

Hello fellows, we are a couple traveling by bicycle from Barcelona to Tokio. Here is our review for the Iranian visa in Erzurum, we hope it will help you.

1. RN NUMBER
We applied with Key2Persia for two Iranian visas. It took 6 working days to get the RN, we called Erzurum consulate 2 days after (+904423159983) to make sure the system had registered our application. Everything ran smoothly.

2. ERZURUM CONSULATE
We had 30 days to get to Erzurum consulate, we arrived 6 days after confirmation from the consulate.
The doors opened before official time (8h10 instead of 08h30) thanks to the friendly officers.
We presented our passports and they recovered our RN number from the system.
They gave us the paperwork and told us we should come back with 2 pictures for each Visa (no scarf needed for women, this is a legend, no matter what the photographer tells you), and to go to the bank.
The officer refused to offer us the 2 days procedure (normally 50€), we were only able to do the urgent procedure (75€). We tried to persuade him but no way... maybe you will have more luck !
We came back (careful, the bank opens at 9:00) with all the documentation, and it took 30 mn for the officer to make our visas.

Everything great, we have 3 months to enter the country and 30 days in the country.
We will probably extend the visa in Ispahan.
More details to come on our blog Viajando y no tanto

[benviatte]

I'm a Swiss citizen, and here's my update to keep the flow of positive news, as of July 2017.

The procedure is still smooth, with a minor difference.

I came there at 2:30 pm, and though I was the only customer, I was still told to come back in the morning, and that it would then be done in 10 minutes. Conclusion: don't bother coming in the afternoon

I came back next morning, and was told to pay 75 euros. I asked if there was a cheaper option that took longer. But no, only one option, and it's 75 euros, full stop.

After making the payment and coming back to the office, and providing 2 passport-sized photos as well as one passport photocopy, it did indeed take 10 minutes. From start to finish, the whole thing took about one hour. Oh, I was given coffee at the embassy and even offered food.

I now have a 3 month window to enter Iran, after which my visa will last for 30 days.

[KaYe]

Quick update from the Visa process end of September 2017:
We (are a couple with German and Swiss Passport) went to the Iranian Erzurum Embassy on a Monday at 8.20am. Gate was open at 8.30am. We were the first customers (and maybe only ones) and everything went very smooth as described in previous post. No headscarf pictures for women needed and please note that the bank doesn't open before 9am but it's good to be there before since lots of people waiting to get in. We paid the 75Euro in TL btw, no problem. Keep the Euros for Iran
The whole process took two hours (incl Bank and we filled out the forms in a Cafe afterwards). Friendly security guide and embassy staff.

[Tandemvagamonde]

Update from 02-09-2017 about visa process in Iranian Consulate Erzurum.
We are both French citizens; we arrived at the consulate at 08:15 and waited 15 minutes before they opened. The staff was very friendly, we've been offered a tea and an Iranian pastry. They gave us the form to complete as well as the payment document to remit to their bank. We filled the form at the consulate and then went to the bank which is at 10 minutes walk.
For women no need to give pictures with headscarf.
Despite the israelian visa in our passports (back dated from September 2014) we faced no issue to get the Iranian visa. Note that we asked the Iranian embassy in Paris, Key2Persia and the consulate in Erzurum and each time the answer was: no problem to get the visa.
We paid each euros 75 for express visa as in Erzurum you cannot do the normal visa process at euros 50.
You can withdraw dollars or euros at the TEB bank (subsidiary of BNP) , by the way don't forget to withdraw money for your entire stay in Iran as you cannot use international credit card in Iran. TEB bank is located in the same street as the bank where you have to go for paying your Iranian visa, i.e. Erzurum's main road.
The whole process took about 2 hours.

[hitchhikable]

Report as of 13 November 2017

Just for the record. The procedure was exactly as Tandemvagamonde explained in the post above.

Key made with the agency Mystery of Iran (website: https://www.mysteryofiran.com), cost: 29 EUR. The agency told me the key would be valid 25 days from the date of issue - not sure if this is true or not. Actually I ended up hurrying and coming to the embassy on the 25th day exactly.

Visa fee for Ukraine passport was 90 EUR. I tried to argue about this being way too high but to no avail. The consulate decides the price and you have nothing to say about it. For my friends, France and Luxembourg citizens, visa fee 75 EUR. I paid my fee in Turkish Liras at the ZiraatBank, 90 EUR amounted to 407 TRY.

I believe this fee is lower in other Iran consulates, so don't do it in Erzurum unless you have to, maybe try Batumi, Tbilisi, Yerevan instead, people reported lower fees. As other people wrote, the Erzurum consulate does only express (same-day) visas while other consulates might take a lower fee for a few days of waiting.

Visa back in 20 minutes.

The consulate closes for a break 11 to 14 I believe, check the schedule on door. The staff were not particularly friendly but no problems with them either.

Summary (citizenship: Ukraine)
Visa: 30 days duration of stay, valid 90 days from the date of issue (it does not matter which dates you'll write on their application)
Total cost: 120 EUR (29 EUR key + 90 EUR visa fee)
Waiting: half-day, from morning until around 3 pm after payment and etc. done

[radellos]

Austrian Couple

Requirements:
Passport and Passport Copy
One Picture
Reference Number Document Print

It was very fast and friendly, the whole process, including walking to the bank took less than one hour. We did not have to fill out any other document.
Cost was 75€ per person.

Same procedure for solo Italian female traveler.

Please note: during Novruz holiday, this year from March 17th until April 3rd the MFA does not give out Reference Numbers

[Bisiklet]

I'd like to share my experience as well.
Nationality: The Netherlands
Single, with bicycle. Have never traveled to Israel or USA or Saudi Arabia (just to mention a few 'enemies' of Iran)

1ste attempt: 27 April. Went there early (arrived at 8.50, but it was closed). No problem because I had to get copies and picture taken. Both can be done in the same street (go down, copy on the right, passport photo on the left corner). Price for 6 photos 15 TL (takes 5 min). Price for copies about 3 TL.
Went to the open embassy and was told I needed a Reference Code. (I've been kinda lazy and thought I didn't need one, but I guess this is only for VOA).
So I applied to get an e-visa. Filled in 60 days and occupation doctor (which I am, kinda).

2nd of May I checked the site and it said accepted. It's strange because in the online form you don't see anything like Reference Number, only Tracking Number. I didn't receive an email.
Went to embassy to ask whether this tracking number was the same. He took the passport and checked it. It was! Next he gave me the bank info for Zaraati Bankasi. Went there, no card accepted, only cash. Either Turkish Lira or Euro or Dollar. Got some TL from the ATM and had to pay 375 TL (1 EUR =5.02922TRY according to XE). Took me like 5 minutes in the bank, you show your passport and give the money. Get the receipt and back to the embassy. (I had to wait in the copy room to get my E-visa result printed).
10 minutes in the embassy and I was given a 60 day visit.
Only questions asked: single entry or transit? Car? (bike was no problem)
No other documents were necessary and didn't have to fill in other information like itinerary.

Got 300 euro from the TEB bank. Right now (2 hours after withdrawal, my bank account says 300 euro (reserved) but I think it will cost me some more). I tried to call them and went inside some banks to ask the rate. It seems only TEB bank offers foreign money. ING bank (Dutch bank, I'm their costumer) said so as well. Only the girl at Zaraati Bankasi spoke some English, other bankworkers don't!

In short:
Needed Reference Number Document / Tracking Code document printed (took 5 days including weekend and national holiday to get accepted)
Passport + 1 copy of passport
One photo
75 euro or the equivalent in USD or TL.
Received: 60 days visa in Iran (which I applied for).

[Lionel]

Hi,
I'm now in Erzurum, went to the Iranian Consulate with the authorisation code i got through Caravanistan.
It seems they lost their internet connection, so no possibility to get the visa. I'll have to wait until Tuesday if it is repaired...
Anybody else encountered this weird problem, now in Erzurum ?