Iran has announced a significant move aimed at promoting tourism and fostering global connections by granting visa-free entry to Indian citizens, effective from February 4, 2024. This decision is part of Iran's broader initiative to attract more visitors from around the world and extends to 27 other countries as well.
Under the new regulations, Indian citizens holding ordinary passports will be permitted to enter Iran without a visa once every six months, with a maximum stay of 15 days per visit. Notably, the 15-day duration cannot be extended, and the visa waiver is exclusively for tourism purposes.
However, if Indian nationals wish to extend their stay, make multiple entries within a six-month period, or require different types of visas, they must obtain the necessary visas through the appropriate Iranian representations in India.
It's important to highlight that the visa waiver applies specifically to Indian nationals entering Iran via air borders. In a previous development in December 2023, Iran had already lifted visa requirements for citizens from 33 countries, reflecting positive advancements in its diplomatic engagements.
This move follows similar actions by other countries, such as Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam, which have also waived visa requirements for Indian visitors. Iran had previously implemented visa waiver programs for visitors from several countries, including Turkiye, Republic of Azerbaijan, Oman, China, Armenia, Lebanon, and Syria.
The countries covered under Iran's new visa-waiver program encompass a diverse range of nations, including India, Russia, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Lebanon, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Mauritania, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Mauritius, Seychelles, Indonesia, Brunei Darussalam, Japan, Singapore, Cambodia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brazil, Peru, Cuba, Mexico, Venezuela, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Croatia, and Belarus.