Indians can now travel to Iran without a visa, as long as they meet a few conditions. While the announcement for this had been made in December last year, the conditions have been announced now, and the relaxation has come into effect from February 4.
Indians holding ordinary passports can go to Iran without a visa, as long as they are visiting the country for tourism purposes. Also, they must enter Iran via air. The relaxation does not apply to those travelling for other purposes, like work or study.
How long can you stay in Iran?
Those entering Iran without a visa can stay for a maximum of 15 days. They can re-enter the country after six months.
“If Indian nationals wish to stay for a longer period or make multiple entries within a six-month period or require other types of visas, they must obtain the necessary visas through the respective representations of the Islamic Republic of Iran in India,” an official release said.
Why has Iran lifted visa requirements?
In December 2023, Iran had announced the relaxation for India as well as 32 other countries.
The move was aimed at boosting tourism and attracting more visitors from across the world, Ezzatollah Zarghami, Iranian minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, had then said.
The decision aimed to showcase Iran’s commitment to global interaction, Zarghami had said, adding, “Iran aims to counter negative perceptions and rumours with this move, while combating the phenomenon of ‘Iranophobia perpetuated by the global arrogance system’.”
The 32 other countries included Russia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Lebanon, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Mauritania, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Mauritius, Seychelles, Indonesia, Darussalam, Japan, Singapore, Cambodia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brazil, Peru, Cuba, Mexico, Venezuela, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Croatia, and Belarus.
Earlier, Iran had lifted visa requirements for the citizens of Türkiye, Azerbaijan, Oman, China, Armenia, Lebanon, and Syria.
Which other countries allow visa-free travel for India?
Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam have also recently waived visa requirements for the citizens of India.
In December 2023, Thailand — another neighbouring country whose economy relies heavily on tourism — had announced a visa exemption for Indian citizens, from November 10 that year to May 10, 2024.
In October 2023, Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Sabry lifted visa requirements for the citizens of seven countries including India, China, and Russia under a pilot project, with the exemption to continue till March 31, 2024. According to a statement issued by the Sri Lankan government, the move was part of the crisis-hit country’s efforts to boost tourism and hit a target of 50,00,000 visitors by 2026.
At present, 27 countries provide visa-free entry to the citizens of India. These include Kenya, Indonesia, Barbados, Bhutan, Dominica, Haiti, Maldives, Mauritius, Nepal, Samoa, and Trinidad and Tobago, among others.
