World News Updates : Significant steps have been taken by the Islamic Republic of Iran to promote tourism and cultural interactions. As of February 4, 2024, Indian citizens will no longer need a visa to enter the country.
According to sources, 33 countries—including Russia, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Brazil, and Mexico—have been added to the visa exemption program, which is a part of a larger campaign. Iranian authorities gave it its approval in December. The goal, according to Iranian Culture Minister Ezzatollah Zarghami, is to increase tourism.
The visa free Indian nationals traveling to Iran via air and is intended primarily for travel. As per the recently implemented policy, individuals with regular passports are permitted entry into Iran without a visa once every six months, for a maximum stay of fifteen days. It’s crucial to remember that the 15-day window cannot be extended.
For anyone planning to travel for non-tourism reasons, like business or education, the usual visa application procedure is still in place. Furthermore, Indian nationals must get the requisite visas through the Iranian representations in India if they intend to remain longer, make numerous entries within six months, or require various categories of visas.
Only air travel is immune from the need for a visa; anyone entering Iran by other means of transportation can still need one.
It is anticipated that the introduction of this visa-free program will promote tourism and improve ties between Iran and India.
Iran has seen a significant growth in foreign visitor numbers, with over 4.1 million visitors in 2022 (up 315% from the year before). 31,000 Indian travelers visited Iran in the first half of 2023, according to Moslem Shojai, head of the Iranian Tourism Ministry’s foreign tourism marketing and development office. This represents a notable increase in the number of Indian visitors visiting Iran in 2023. Compared to the same period in 2022, this represented a 25% increase.
[…] The visa free Indian nationals traveling to Iran via air and is intended primarily for travel. As per the recently implemented policy, individuals with regular passports are permitted entry into Iran without a visa once every six months, for a maximum stay of fifteen days. It’s crucial to remember that the 15-day window cannot be extended. […]