Iran

Government advisories

• ☐ United States: level 4/4 — Level 4: Do Not Travel
• ☐ United Kingdom: level 4/4
• ☐ Canada: level 4/4 — Avoid all travel

Health notices

• ☐ Global Measles (level 1)

Entry requirements

☐ Most visitors to Iran must obtain an electronic visa (e-Visa) prior to their arrival in Iran, unless they are a citizen of one of the visa-exempt countries or countries that are ineligible for an e-Visa, in which case they must obtain a visa in advance from one of the Iranian diplomatic missions around the world.

☐ Passport valid 6+ months beyond your stay

Practical

• ☐ Plug type C/F, 220V — bring an adapter if yours differs
• ☐ Drives on the right
• ☐ Emergency (police): 110
• ☐ Emergency (ambulance): 115
• ☐ Emergency (fire): 125
• ☐ Money: The rial, denoted by the symbol "﷼", "IR" or "R" (ISO code: IRR) is the currency of Iran. Wikivoyage articles will use rials to denote the currency. In Iran, prices may be shown in toman (تومان), where 1 toman = 10 rials.
• ☐ Tipping: Tipping is generally not expected, but locals will generally round up the bill in taxis and add around 10% in restaurants. Porters and bellboys will expect 20,000 rials. A discreet gift of a few thousand tomāns may help grease the wheels of Iranian society and serve to thank an extraordinarily helpful local.

Laws that could get a tourist arrested

• ☐ Restricted Photography — Photography of military, government, jails, harbors, telecommunications, or airports is strictly prohibited. Transgressions can lead to detention and espionage charges.
• ☐ Espionage Accusations — Foreigners, particularly Iranian-Americans, face risks of detention and accusations of espionage. Avoid politically-oriented conversations to minimize this risk.
• ☐ Illegal Substances — Alcohol and drugs are illegal. Consuming or obtaining them carries dire consequences if caught.
• ☐ Public Smoking Bans — Smoking qalyan and cigarettes is banned in public places. Use only recommended qahvekhane locations to avoid legal issues.
• ☐ Dress Code — Female travelers must obey local laws regarding dress to avoid problems.

Before you go

General trip-prep, not specific to Iran — the same short list applies anywhere.

• ☐ Register with your embassy's traveler program if one exists
• ☐ Check your passport's validity and blank-page requirements on your destination's official entry-rules page
• ☐ Photograph/screenshot your passport, visa, and travel insurance documents
• ☐ Download offline maps for your destination
• ☐ Confirm your bank/card issuer knows you're traveling
• ☐ Check whether your phone plan needs a travel add-on or a local SIM