Iran has lately launched a visa-waiver initiative for Indian vacationers in a bid to spice up tourism. Efficient February 4, Indian residents can now take pleasure in visa-free entry into Iran for tourism functions, though topic to 4 particular circumstances.

Because the native media experiences, people in search of to enter Iran should meet the next 4 circumstances:

• Indian vacationers holding strange passports can keep in Iran visa-free for a most of 15 days per go to. Nevertheless, this length can’t be prolonged past the required interval.
• The visa-free privilege is solely reserved for people coming into Iran for tourism-related actions. Different functions of the go to require the usual visa software course of.
• If Indian vacationers want to lengthen their keep past 15 days or make a number of visits inside six months, they need to get hold of a visa accordingly.
• The visa waiver program applies explicitly to Indian vacationers coming into Iran by means of air journey. Different modes of entry would require compliance with normal visa laws.

In keeping with the VisaGuide Passport Index, the Indian passport at the moment ranks 132nd globally. The index signifies that residents holding Indian passports can take pleasure in visa-free journey to 29 nations, VisaGuide.World experiences.

Nevertheless, for journey to a different 130 nations, Indian passport holders should apply for a visa earlier than their journey.

Along with India, as of February 4, Iran has additionally lifted entry necessities for 32 nations, together with:

• Saudi Arabia
• Qatar
• United Arab Emirates
• Bahrain
• Kuwait
• Uzbekistan
• Kyrgyzstan
• Tunisia
• Tanzania
• Mauritania
• Zimbabwe
• Mauritius
• Seychelles
• Japan
• Indonesia
• Singapore
• Cuba
• Vietnam
• Cambodia
• Brunei
• Brazil
• Mexico
• Peru
• Croatia
• Serbia
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Belarus
• Argentina
• South Africa
• Jordan
• Uruguay
• Estonia
• Slovakia

Plans for Iran to drop the visa necessities for residents of the nations above had been made final 12 months. Nevertheless, solely in December 2023 the Iranian authorities introduced that they had been shifting on with the plan, marking a big change in worldwide relations, particularly with nations within the Gulf area, corresponding to Saudi Arabia. The choice has successfully expanded the listing to incorporate 45 nations or territories the place vacationers can journey to Iran and not using a visa.

Such a diplomatic breakthrough has resulted in restoring diplomatic relations that had been severed in 2016. On this regard, residents from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Bahrain will now additionally take pleasure in visa exemption privileges when visiting Iran.

The announcement adopted a proposal offered by the Ministry of Tourism indicating the Iranian authorities’s resolution to get rid of visa necessities for passport holders from a complete of 68 nations.