Iran
IRNIran is a large republic in Western Asia bordered by Iraq, Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the Persian Gulf states. Iran operates under comprehensive multilateral sanctions regimes imposed by the United States (OFAC), the European Union, and the United Nations Security Council, primarily relating to its nuclear programme and ballistic missile activities. These sanctions severely restrict access to the SWIFT banking network, international wire transfers, and most Western financial services for Iranian nationals.
The Iranian passport currently provides visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to around 38 destinations. Iranian law does not formally recognise dual citizenship, and Iranian-born dual nationals have in practice been subject to exit bans and detention. Foreign nationals wishing to visit Iran generally require a visa obtained in advance; US, UK, and Canadian passport holders face additional restrictions and currently cannot obtain tourist visas without an approved tour operator.
- Naturalisation
- 5 years
- Tax system
- Residence Based
- Currency
- Iranian Rial (IRR)
- Dual citizenship
- Not allowed
- Capital
- Tehran
- Region
- middle east
- Population
- 87,923,432
- Cost-of-living
- 22 /100
Passport Rank
#101
Visa-Free
38
destinations
Visa-free travel
A Iran passport has visa-free access to 38 destinations. See the full Iran passport breakdown →
Passports that enter Iran without a prior visa (184)
Visa-free, visa on arrival, or on an eTA.
Community-sourced (passport-index, synced 2026-08-18) — verify with the embassy before travel.
Immigrating to Canada from Iran
Current IRCC processing times for Iran nationals, by application type.
| Visitor visa (outside Canada) | 95 days |
| Super visa | 265 days |
| Study permit | 14 weeks |
| Work permit | 36 weeks |
| Sponsor a dependent child | No processing time available |
| Adopted child (citizenship) | Not enough data |
| Government-assisted refugees | Not enough data |
| Privately sponsored refugees | sponsor: Not enough data / refugee: Not enough data |
Your application may take longer than the times shown here. They’re not a maximum or a guarantee.
As of 2026-09-22 (IRCC). See all Canada processing times →
Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada — “Check processing times”. This is a copy of the version available at https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/check-processing-times.html. Reproduced under the Government of Canada’s non-commercial reproduction terms; not endorsed by or affiliated with IRCC.
Sources & last verified
Government of Canada — non-commercial reproduction (canada.ca Terms and conditions)
Country Details
- Capital
- Tehran
- Currency
- Iranian Rial (IRR)
- Languages
- Persian (Farsi), Azerbaijani, Kurdish, Arabic
- Population
- 87,923,432
- Tax System
- Residence Based
- Dual Citizenship
- Not allowed
- Naturalisation
- 5 years
- Schengen / EU
- No
- Climate
- Mostly arid and semi-arid; subtropical along the Caspian coast; cold winters in the northwest and mountainous regions
- GDP per capita
- $3,924
- Life expectancy
- 77.85 yrs
- Population growth
- 0.92%/yr
GDP per capita, life expectancy, and population growth: World Bank (2025).
Indices
Cost of Living
22
Safety
38
Healthcare
45
Quality of Life
30
Tax Summary
- Tax System
- Residence Based
- Territorial Taxation
- No — worldwide income taxed for residents
- Naturalisation
- 5 years of legal residency
- Dual Citizenship
- Not allowed
Cost of Living by City
← scroll the table →
| City | Rent 1BR centre | Rent outside | Groceries | Utilities | Transit pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tehran | — | — | — | — | — |
| Mashhad | — | — | — | — | — |
| Isfahan | — | — | — | — | — |
Monthly USD figures. Typical central 1-bedroom rent, grocery basket for one, household utilities, monthly transit pass.
Climate
Tehran
Rainfall range: 2–40 mm/month · Daylight 10h (winter) to 14h (summer)
Mashhad
Rainfall range: 2–34 mm/month · Daylight 10h (winter) to 14h (summer)
Isfahan
Rainfall range: 1–25 mm/month · Daylight 10h (winter) to 14h (summer)
Visa Categories & Immigration Authority
Major Visa Categories
- Tourist
- Business
- Work
- Investor (Pickup)
- Student
- Family
- Religious Pilgrimage
- Medical
- Authority
- Police Immigration & Passport Bureau
- Official Portal
- www.police.ir
- Phone
- +98-21-8707
Naturalisation Details
- Residence Years
- 5
- Language Test
- Yes (Persian (Farsi))
- Civic Test
- No
- Oath Required
- Yes
- Dual Allowed
- No
- Fee
- $150
- Processing
- ~24 months
Safety
GPI Rank
#143
Global Peace Index ranking (lower is safer)
Common Risks
- ⚠Carpet shop overpricing where tourists are guided to shops by 'friendly' locals receiving commissions
- ⚠Currency exchange fraud involving unofficial money changers offering misleading rates then shortchanging
- ⚠Fake tour guides charging inflated fees for unsolicited assistance at major historical sites
Examples of areas to avoid: Shush district (south Tehran) — higher crime and social deprivation indicators, Border regions near Afghanistan and Pakistan (Sistan-Baluchestan province) — armed smuggling activity and occasional militant incidents, Khuzestan province border areas near Iraq — periodic civil unrest and security incidents
Regulators & official sources
Bodies that regulate immigration advice in Iran, and the official sources indexed for it by Visa Atlas. Descriptions are verbatim; each links to its source.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran
MFAOfficial eVisa portal for Iran visa information, visa-waiver notes and online filing links.
Iran MFA eVisa Traveller
EVISAOfficial traveller guidance for Iran non-immigrant visa types, evidence, application status and document image rules.
Iranian missions and places of issue
MISSIONSOfficial MFA application workflow where applicants select the place of issue, mission or airport route shown by the portal.
Related Guides
Related on The Citizenship Desk
Visa routes
Official visa and residence routes for Iran, indexed from Visa Atlas. Each links to its government source. This is a licensed external index, distinct from our own curated visa guides.
Short-term / business
Entry Visa
Short-term / businessIran MFA Entry Visa (A) for invited visits such as business negotiations, academic contacts, sport, official meetings and family visits by relatives of foreign residents.
Media Visa
Short-term / businessIran MFA Media Visa (H), labelled “Press” in the public application selector, for foreign media professionals with a Media and Public Diplomacy Center permit.
Medical Visa
Short-term / businessIran MFA Medical Visa (T) for foreign citizens travelling for treatment with approval from an authorised Iranian medical centre.
Pilgrimage Visa
Short-term / businessIran MFA Pilgrimage Visa (C) for foreign Muslim pilgrims travelling to holy places in Iran.
Tourist Visa
Short-term / businessIran MFA tourist visa category for foreign citizens travelling to Iran for tourism, including ordinary eVisa and place-of-issue workflows shown by the portal.
Transit Visa
Short-term / businessIran MFA Transit Visa (G) for foreign citizens passing through Iran with no purpose of stay.
Visa-Waiver Tourism Entry
Short-term / businessVisa-free tourism entry note for nationalities covered by Iran MFA waiver arrangements, including the listed 15-day ordinary-passport tourism waiver.
Work (sponsored)
Temporary Work Visa
Work (sponsored)Iran MFA Temporary Work Visa (F) for skilled workers, specialists in fields such as medical and industrial work, and engineers with a sponsor employer and approved labour certificate.
Family
Marital Visa
FamilyIran MFA Marital Visa (M) for foreign men married to Iranian women and their offspring, with family permission evidence where required.
Study
Education Visa
StudyIran MFA Education Visa (E) for foreign students, religious scholars and researchers with eligibility certification from an Iranian authority or accredited institution.
Investor
Investment Visa
InvestorIran MFA Investment Visa (I) for foreign investors with an approval letter from the Organization for Investment Economic and Technical Assistance of Iran.
Sources & last verified
Route index from Visa Atlas (CC BY 4.0), as of 2026-09-12. Each route links to its official government source.
Sources & last verified
- Last verified