Two-week Iran visa available on arrival

Abu Dhabi: Emiratis who wish to visit Iran can obtain a visa at the airport on their arrival in the country.
 
That's if they wish to stay less than two weeks, a diplomatic official at the Iranian Embassy in Abu Dhabi has clarified.

According to Saleh Najidi, who is in charge of the Iranian Ambassador's office in Abu Dhabi, all Emiratis, GCC nationals and nationals of other Arab countries who wish to visit Iran for one or two weeks can obtain a visa on arrival in the country.

Advance visa

However, Najidi told Gulf News that those who wish to stay for more than two weeks need to obtain a visa in advance from the Iranian Embassy or Consulate.

"Such rules were implemented a year ago," he said.

He said earlier Emiratis could visit Iran and stay for as long as they wished without the need to obtain a visit visa.

British nationals, however, need to send their applications to Tehran first to get an approval for a visit visa, he said.

"If the request is approved by the authorities in Tehran, then the Briton could apply for a visa at the Iranian Embassy or Consulate," said Najidi.

He said that Iran deals with issuing visas to British nationals on a reciprocity basis.

No matter how long a Briton wants to stay in Iran, the visa request has to be approved by the Iranian authorities first, he added.