How should you apply for an Iran pilgrimage visa? 

• Imam Reza Shrine in Mashhad
• Fatima Masumeh Shrine in Qom
• Imamzadeh Saleh and Shah Abdol-Azim Shrine in Tehran

So the government introduced the Iran pilgrimage visa so Muslims living abroad could visit the holy places.

Muslim visitors have peace of mind and can enjoy a religious trip safely. Although security is not that high in the Middle East, Iran enjoys a high level of safety and security.

Attractions and info structure are good in religious cities, and you can visit a modern country.

Who doesn’t need an Iran visa?

Iran has signed a visa waiver program with a few countries. The nationals of the following countries do not need an Iran tourist visa or pilgrimage visa:

• Azerbaijan
• Bolivia
• Turkey
• Syria
• Lebanon
• Georgia
• Armenia
• Venezuela
• Egypt
• Malaysia
• China

If you have a valid passport from the above countries, you do not need an Iran tourist visa. You may stay in the country with your passport for 30 days. The same is true with the pilgrimage visa.

Iran pilgrimage visa requirements

The list of requirements or supporting documents for a pilgrimage visa is as follows:

Application form

You need to visit the MFA website, the official E-visa of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website. Applicants must complete the online application form with their personal information and receive a confirmation code.

Passport

Your passport must be valid for at least six months after the date you want to leave Iran. Having one or two blank pages is necessary.

Proof of accommodation

Provide the receipt of the hotel reservation.

Insurance

You need insurance to cover all of your expenses during the trip and in Iran. The insurance company needs to have a representative in Iran and support all accidents and incidents.

Submit the following for your insurance:

• name and surname
• date of issue
• validity period
• duration of travel

Personal information

If the applicant is a woman, the name and birthplace of her father and husband are needed.

Guardian permission

In case the applicant is under 18 years old, a guardian letter signed by both parents is needed.

Photo

A passport-sized photo in while clear background.

Travel plan

Tour leader card, hotel voucher, airplane ticket (only for Uk & Us citizenship)

Vaccination

Provide the Covid-19 vaccination certificate and a negative PCR test 72 hours before entering Iran.

The list of requirements is not complete, and the Iranian embassy could require further documents.

Iran pilgrimage visa application process

The application process is as follows:

Step 1. Do you need a visa to enter Iran?

Nationals of a few countries can visit Iran without receiving a visa. You can know the list of them in the above section. Look at the list and see if you are among them or not. If yes, you don’t need a visa and can enter Iran with your passport.

Also, you can visit the country’s holy sites with an Iran tourist visa. The application process is easier, and you don’t have to provide further supporting documents. Iran also provides visa on arrival, but it has been stopped after the Covid-19 pandemic.

Step 2. Complete the online application form

The first step to applying for a pilgrimage visa is to complete the online application form. Visit the MFA website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Complete the form with your personal information:

• Full name
• Passport number
• Nationality
• Email address

Be careful the information you ut must be compatible with your documents. For instance, you might write the wrong spelling of your names, but they must be according to your passport.

You will receive a confirmation code from your email address. Include it on the website and reach the verification page. You need to print it and submit the form with the rest of the documents to the embassy.

The code you receive in the letter is only valid for a month. You have to visit the embassy during that time to receive your visa.

You also need to pay a fee while completing the application form. Bear in mind that it’s different from the fee you pay in the Iranian embassy or consulate.

Step 3. Gather the requirements

There is a list of required supporting documents to apply for a pilgrimage visa. You need to gather all of them and submit them to the Iranian embassy or consulate in your home country.

Applicants can get familiar with the requirements in the above section.

You would better visit the Iranian embassy’s website in your home country to know their special requirements.

Step 4. Visit the Iranian embassy in-person

Schedule a visa meeting with the Iranian embassy in your home country. If there is no one, you can visit one in a neighboring country. There is no Iranian embassy or consulate in the US and Canada. But they can visit the Pakistani embassy or Swiss embassy for visa processing.

Do not forget to bring all the gathered requirements. Also, you need to pay the fee for visa processing. The embassies often accept cash.

Then, they will ask about the purpose of your visit and the places you will visit.

Step 5. Enter Iran

After finishing the procedures with the embassy, you can move to Iran. Your visa is valid for 90 days, but you can stay in the country for a month.

Can you extend the Iran pilgrimage visa?

Yes. The point to reverb is that a pilgrimage visa allows you to stay in Iran for only 30 days. If you need to stay longer, you have to visit the Mistry of Foreign Affairs office and ask for an extension. You need to give convincing reasons so they agree to extend your visa.

The officials are a bit strict over an extension, but you might extend your visa if you explain your plan coherently and convincingly.

Let’s sum up…

Muslims can visit Iran’s holy and religious sites with an Iran pilgrimage visa.

This article explained whatever you need to know about a pilgrimage visa, requirements, who don’t need to apply, and the application process. You don’t need to visit any other page.

If you have questions regarding a pilgrimage visa or any other visa types, write them down in the comment section. The Visa Library team will respond right away.

Visit the left sidebar to get familiar with the rest of the Iran visa types.

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