Tehran: In a welcome move for Indian travellers, Iran on Tuesday announced that the country would not be needing visa from Indian tourists starting from February 4, although this waiver is subject to certain conditions. Last year, Iran announced the removal of visa requirements for Indian citizens and tourists from 32 other countries to boost global tourism and counter negative perceptions.
The decision by Iranian authorities follows similar decisions by countries like Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam to waive visa requirements for Indian tourists. The surge in outbound Indian tourists, reaching 13 million in 2022, has prompted nations to facilitate travel.
The Iranian Embassy in New Delhi on Tuesday announced the government's decision to waive visa requirements for Indian tourists starting from February 4 subject to certain conditions, in a development that is testament to growing India-Iran ties despite significant disruptions in the geopolitical order.
What are the conditions for Indians travelling to Iran?
- According to the Iranian embassy, individuals (Indian tourists) holding ordinary passports will be allowed to enter the country without a visa once every six months, with a maximum stay of 15 days, which is non-extendable.
- The visa abolition only applies to individuals entering Iran for tourism purposes, added the embassy.
- Additionally, if Indian nationals wish to stay for a longer period, need to make multiple entries within six months or require other types of visas, they have to obtain the necessary visas through the respective representations of the Islamic Republic of Iran in India.
- Lastly, the visa abolition outlined in this approval specifically applies to Indian nationals who enter the country just through the air border.
Iran's visa waiver
Apart from India, visa requirements are cancelled for travellers from Russia, United Arab Emirates, 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., IRNA news reported. Iran already had visa waivers for Turkey, Azerbaijan, Oman, China, Armenia, Lebanon and Syria.
Iranian Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Ezzatollah Zarghami said that efforts to boost tourism can neutralize Iranophobia campaigns. According to the latest statistics, the number of foreign arrivals in Iran reached 4.4 million during the first eight months of the current Iranian year (started on March 21), an increase of 48.5% compared to the same period last year.
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