New Delhi: Iran has announced a visa-waiver programme for Indian tourists visiting the country. The visa-free entry is applicable to Indian citizens starting from February 4, subject to four conditions, as stated by the Iranian embassy.
The conditions are –
1) Individuals holding ordinary Indian passports will be permitted to enter the country sans a visa once every six months, with a maximum stay of 15 days. The duration of this stay cannot be extended beyond 15 days. The visa-free regulation is applicable to individuals traveling to Iran solely for tourism purposes.
2) The visa exemption rule is exclusively for individuals entering Iran for tourism-related purposes.
3) If Indian nationals intend to extend their stay beyond the permitted period of 15 days or make multiple entries within a six-month timeframe, they are required to obtain a visa.
4) The visa-free policy specifically pertains to Indian citizens entering the country via air travel.
With this, Iran has joined the list of countries granting visa-free access to Indian tourists. Vietnam, Thailand, and Sri Lanka have already relaxed their visa regulations for travellers from India.
Iran has approved its updated visa-waiver programme for 33 nations – India, Russian, 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.
Earlier, Iran had lifted visa requirements for the citizens of Türkiye, Azerbaijan, Oman, China, Armenia, Lebanon, and Syria.
Iranian culture minister Ezzatollah Zarghami had said the move is aimed at boosting tourism and neutralising “Iranophobia campaigns”.
