Iran Visa for US Citizens: Documents, Fees and Application Steps
Tourist applications and Washington consular requirements
U.S. passport holders applying for an Iranian tourist visa need to distinguish the online application, its assessment and final visa issuance. This guide focuses on tourist applications and the published Washington consular procedure. Family, work, study and dual-nationality cases require their own instructions.
Start with the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs e-visa portal and the Washington Interests Section’s Form 101 instructions. The latter is revised October 2025 and was reviewed for this article on 7 November 2026. It is a specific office’s procedure, not a guarantee that a visa will be issued.
Application route: Washington’s instructions require U.S., British and Canadian passport applications through a travel agency or an Iranian host. They cover applicants residing in the USA or Canada. The general portal’s individual application link does not override that passport-specific instruction.
Contents
Step 1: Arrange the Application and Supporting Information
Tell your Iranian agency or host which passport you will use, where you live, your travel purpose and proposed dates. Agree who will submit the application and which office will handle issuance. If you are arranging a tour, discuss the itinerary and guide arrangements at the same time. A tour enquiry, an online reference and an issued visa are different stages.
Information to Prepare
- Passport: the MFA portal specifies at least six months’ validity beyond the actual travel date.
- Proposed itinerary: give your agency or host the places and dates you intend to include. Keep the version used in your application.
- Personal details: use the same spelling, passport number and contact email throughout the application and correspondence.
- Additional supporting documents: obtain the checklist for your own application. A résumé, photo or itinerary requested by an agency is separate from the Washington mailing checklist below.
Step 2: Separate Online Assessment from Visa Issuance
The MFA explains that submitting an online application is the first step, and that an interview may be required. A reference or submission notice therefore should not be treated as the visa itself. Keep the notice and correspondence together and track the current stage of the application. Washington’s Form 101 states that incomplete e-visa applications are rejected and that applications left inactive for one month are declined. Follow requests for missing information promptly.
Step 3: Submit the Washington Application Package
For the Washington route, follow Form 101’s package instructions. Its published mailing checklist calls for the submission or grant notice, the Visa Request Form, the original passport and a U.S.-dollar money order payable to the Embassy of Pakistan. Prepaid return envelopes are not accepted.
Mailing Checklist and Published Fees
- Check the packet: compare the passport details, notice and signed form before sealing it. Retain copies and the courier tracking information.
- Fee calculation: Form 101 lists U.S. tourist fees of $75 standard or $113 expedited, plus $13 insurance per application and $40 processing/postage per package. One standard tourist application in its own package totals $128; the expedited equivalent is $166. Agency charges are separate. Form 101 states that fees paid to the office are non-refundable and non-transferable, including when an application is rejected.
- Destination: Interests Section of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 1250 23rd Street N.W., Suite 200, Washington, DC 20037. Mark the package “VISA SECTION”. Use the form’s current payment instructions when preparing the money order.
If You Live Near Washington, DC
Living near the office does not establish a separate visa fee or a guaranteed walk-in service. Form 101 describes mailing. Before making an in-person trip, ask the office whether it will accept your documents that way, what appointment arrangements apply and how payment and return of the passport will be handled.
The office lists visa@daftar.org and +1 202 965 4990 for visa enquiries. Include your application reference when asking about an existing file, and distinguish a question about submission from a request to follow up an application.
Step 4: Receive and Read the Issued Visa
Form 101 gives average issuance times of 10 business days, or 2 for urgent processing, from document receipt; this is not the whole application timeline. It describes electronic delivery by email, entry within 45 days of issuance and a stay for the period printed on the visa. Read those dates separately: the deadline to enter is different from the permitted duration of stay.
SURFIRAN
Apply for Iran Visa
Iran Visa For US Citizens: FAQs
Do U.S. passport holders need to apply before travel?
Arrange the tourist application before travel through the passport-specific route described above. An application reference is not an issued visa.
Which visa category covers tourism?
The MFA identifies category B for tourism. Work, study, media and family visits have separate categories and supporting requirements.
What should I prepare before applying?
Prepare your passport details, proposed dates, itinerary and contact email. Obtain the supporting-document checklist for your own file from the agency or host.
What is the sequence of the application?
Agree the application route, complete the online stage, follow the issuing office’s document instructions, and read the final visa before arranging travel around it.
Which fees should I budget for?
Use the tourist-fee calculation in Step 3. Consular charges and agency service charges are different items; request an itemised quote.
Does the published processing time cover the whole application?
No. The issuance estimate in Step 4 starts with receipt of the documents. It is not a promised deadline for the earlier application assessment.
Can I use an Iranian consulate outside the United States?
Ask the proposed issuing office whether it accepts your application, including any residence requirements. Agree the issuing location before the file is submitted; do not assume every consulate follows Washington’s procedure.
Can I enter Iran through a land border?
Form 101 covers the consular application; it does not specify eligibility for a particular land crossing. Resolve the approved entry route for your own itinerary before making overland arrangements.
Can I bring my own car or motorcycle?
Permission for a particular entry route and vehicle import are separate from visa issuance. Obtain written confirmation covering both from your Iranian agency or host and the competent authorities before committing to a vehicle journey.
Is the entry deadline the same as the duration of stay?
No. Read the deadline for arrival and the permitted stay as separate conditions on the issued visa. Do not assume a fixed 30-day stay or an automatic extension.
Can I use the general individual application link independently?
Use the passport-specific agency-or-host route explained above. The general portal link does not establish an exception for U.S. passport holders.
What should I agree with an Iranian tour agency?
Ask for the itinerary, guide arrangements, application responsibilities, service charges and cancellation terms in writing. Visa issuance and a tour booking are separate decisions.
Official references: MFA e-visa portal, MFA visa categories and Washington Form 101, revision October 2025. Requirements and charges above are attributed to these published instructions, reviewed 7 November 2026.
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