Iran tourist visa only valid for 14 days from date of issue?

[wbpura]

The Iranian embassy in Bishkek told me today that tourist visas are only valid for 14 days from date of issue. Not 90 days anymore. They said that this is a general rule for all tourist visas issued by all embassies.

Anybody else heard of this rule?

Anybody who recently got an Iranian tourist visa with 90 days validity?

[steven]

This sounds very odd indeed. Best to double-check with an Iranian tour operator. I reckon they would say something else.

[wbpura]

Thanks for your reply. My travel agency said that it should be back to 90 days after the elections. But the Bishkek embassy stays with the 14 day policy with no plans to change it.

They offered to forward my MFA number to another embassy, but to my knowledge the MFA number expires after 30 days. I have visas with fixed dates for the surrounding countries and cannot go to Dushanbe/Tashkent/Almaty within the next 30 days.

Since there is apparently no official policy, the consul in Bishkek could just give me 90 days validity. Could anybody please give me advice how to convince embassy staff? Should I be polite and submissive or demanding and insistent? Focus on rational reasoning or emotional pleading?

My argument that I cannot go to Iran on 14 days validity can be invalidated by the embassy that I could just fly from Bishkek and not go to the other Central Asian countries, for which I have fixed-date visas that would overlap with the Iranian one. I'm not sure how to prepare for that discussion.

[steven]

This is a shitty situation indeed. The elections have caused a lot of havoc in people's travel plans. Best to prepare a plan B.

Thank you for keeping us up to date. Iran is a bit removed from our core region, so not sure what to answer you. Hope you can work something out.

[al warda]

Iran embassy in trabzon, turkey is the same. You are given 15days to enter the country from date of issue. Normal 30 day visa applies after this.
And whatever you do, do not do as i did and get an urgent visa, it will cost you 270euros, 24 hr turnover.!!!!!!!!! For brits normal process time is 170 euros!!! And that may take 3 days?
And make sure you arrive on a monday, iran embassy shuts on fridays, on iran time, then shuts saturday and sunday, and will probably noy operate on thursday either.
Be warned

[steven]

Wow, seems like the good times are over in Trabzon. I will update the article accordingly.

[brax401gbz]

That would ruin our whole plan,! We just applied for the number and wanted to get the visa in bishkek but then travel the pamir highway and Uzbekistan before going to Iran.
How will it be possible to get an Iran visa coming from East without flying or travelling super fast from bishkek to the Iran border....

[julien]

Just got a month visa (3months validity) issued the same day. No Loi, no number from agency required. 75euros for french.
Thank you for this great website Steven.

[steven]

Welcome. Thanks for the update! Is this Trabzon you are talking about?