Before putting Iran as your future destination, it is good to know about the Iran visa policy for different nationalities. Getting an Iran visa as the UK, U.S., and Canadian nationals has a different procedure from citizens of other countries.

Citizens of the three countries, the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada, will be able to obtain Iranian tourist visas if they travel to Iran as part of a tour. In the meantime, they must be accompanied by an approved tour leader. The itinerary of the citizens of these three countries must be clear, such as accommodation, attractions to be visited, the exact date of arrival and departure, and in some cases the routes of travel must be mentioned.

No worries as we are here to make things easy.

What is the process to get an Iran visa for the UK, U.S., and Canadian citizens?

First, you need an authorized travel agency in order to apply for a visa authorization number (visa grant notice).

What is Iran Visa Authorization Code? The authorized travel agency will apply Authorization Code on behalf of you to Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and once the code is received, the agency will ask you to go and pick up your Iran visa paper from the nearest embassy in your country. In fact, having the Iran visa authorization code means your Iran visa is approved in principle and you need to pay the visa fee and provide additional hard copy of documents to an Iran Embassy to pick up your Iran visa paper.

The following documents you need to provide for an authorized travel agency to apply for Visa Authorization Code: visa application form, a copy of your passport, official photo, your CV for the last ten years and detailed itineraries + tour guide. Usually the travel agency will support you regarding detailed itineraries and tour guide. Remember that as a citizen of these three countries, a tour guide from authorized travel companies should accompany you during your trip to Iran.

It may take about six working weeks for the travel agency to get authorization code. So if you apply for your visa during the Nowruz holiday in Iran, it takes you more time.


On Exotigo, you can apply for your visa with UK, U.S. and Canadian nationality. We provide your favorite tour as well as your visa to Iran in shortest time and with the most reasonable price. You just need to apply for it online!

Second, After getting your authorization code, you need to provide some extra hardcopy of documents to the nearest Iran embassy and pick up your Iran visa paper. These are the document you need to provide to collect your Iran visa:

  • Passport with a minimum of 6-months’ validity
  • A copy of the passport
  • Two passport-size personal photos
  •  Visa application form
  • Visa grant notice (authorization code)

You can pick up the visa from the embassy near you, personally or you can also post/mail the documents to the embassy as well. You should post the mentioned documents and return envelope to the embassy.

Finally, you can get your visa in two or three weeks. So it is better to apply for a visa about two to three months earlier.

Iran visa for US, UK and Canadian citizens
Iran visa for US, UK and Canadian citizens – Exotigo, infographic team

Where can you collect your Iran visa?

Unfortunately, Iran has no embassy or interest section in Canada. So if you are in Canada or U.S. the best option for you is the Iranian interest section in Washington which is located at the Pakistan embassy. In the United Kingdom, you can go to Iran embassy in London.

What about the Iran visa-free zone?

kish island
Kish Island

Iran boasts some free trade zones near the borders. With a normal passport traveling as tourists can enter these zones without a visa with a maximum stay of two weeks, which is extendable. However, the case is different for Britons, Americans, and Canadians. The free-zones are:

  • Kish Free Zone (Hormozgan Province, southern Iran)
  • Qeshm free zone
  • Arvand Free Zone (Khuzestan Province, southwestern Iran)
  • Aras Free Zone (East Azarbaijan Province, northwestern Iran)
  • Chabahar Free Trade-Industrial Zone (Sistan & Baluchestan Province, southeastern Iran)
  • Maku (West Azarbaijan Province, northwestern Iran)
  • Anzali (Guilan Province, northern Iran)

Citizens of the UK, U.S., and Canada should have an eligible escort guide waiting for them upon their arrival. The guide should announce the arrival of the passenger 48 hours before and hold the passenger’s hotel reservation letter.

Where are UK, U.S. and Canada embassies in Tehran?

 Italy embassy is the protecting power for the Interest Section of Canada. The U.S. has Interest Sections and Switzerland is their protecting power. The British embassy is on Jomhouri and Ferdowsi intersection in Tehran.

Where to extend an Iran visa?

The visa is valid for 30 days, however, you can extend it for more than one month. Remember that as a citizen of these three countries, you can only extend your visa at Migration Police Department in Tehran. It is found on Shahr Ara Street, Tehran.

Remember that you should provide a good reason and detailed plan for your visa extension. Otherwise, it may be declined. The visa extension fee is around 345,000 rials.

With an Iranian debit card, you can pay it at the department. Otherwise, you should go to the nearest bank in order to pay the fee. You can book your debit card online on Exotigo in no time as well!

So Iran visa for the UK, U.S., and Canadian citizens have a special process, which is different than other countries. You should give exact details about your sojourn in Iran and complete your documents. In this way, you can collect your Iran visa without any problem!

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