Visitors from Turkey and some other countries holding valid passports are given a three-month visitors' visa in entry. But this is subject to change; so, please ask your travel agents for current requirements when booking. All other nationalities must obtain the necessary visas from one of the diplomatic missions of Iran before entering the country. Applicants are advised to submit their visa applications well in advance of their entry, leaving adequate time for Iranian authorities to consider their applications.

Visas can be granted to foreign businessmen or experts with a valid invitation acceptable to Iranian authorities extended to them by their Iranian partners. If a foreign visitor wishes to stay longer than the period for which his visa is valid, he must obtain extension of visa or resident permit through the Foreign Citizens Affairs Department. Diplomats require diplomatic visas. Tour organizers and travel agents such as Iran Air-Tours can provide all tourist visas, international and domestic flights, 5-star hotel accommodation, deluxe coaches and guided sightseeing. They also ensure well-planned itineraries all arranged in advance.

ARRIVAL: Tourists are allowed to bring in all the paraphernalia they normally carry with them. Certain high-value items, however, will be entered in your passport by the Customs officials: Upon departure, if you are thinking of coming back to Iran on the same passport, insist that the Customs officials cancel these entries. Items written onto passports cannot be sold and have to be shown on departure. In case of loss or theft you will need to have a public document proving that you have reported the incident.

Fire-arms, alcoholic drinks, habit-forming drugs and pornographic material are banned and so are gold bullion and electronic item for commercial purposes.

DEPARTURE: When leaving Iran, you are allowed to take with you all kinds of souvenirs, provided they are not recognized antiques (it is always best to keep your sales receipts to show to the Customs officers). You may export carpets (check on the spot), and there are certain arrangements for sending out newly purchased carpets (or even take one or two of them with you). Consult the dealer and your Iranian friends to take care of this after your departure. Exportation of gold and jeweleries is allowed only to a fair amount (personal belongings).

CURRENCY RESTRICTIONS: It is forbidden to take more than 200, 000 Iranian Rials into or out of the country. There is no limit to the amount of foreign currency you can bring into Iran, providing you declare amounts exceeding US $1,000 on arrival. You may even open "Foreign Currency Accounts" with Iranian banks. Foreign currencies up to the amount imported and declared may be exported. Every passport bearer is entitled to carry 500 US dollars. Passengers in possession of foreign currency in excess of the permissible amount should hold the Foreign Exchange Declaration or a Bank Transfer Certificate. For security reasons, you are recommended to sell your foreign currency to authorized banks (Melli, Tejarat, Sepah, Mellat, Saderat) or authorized exchange centers, and obtain a receipt for it. This receipt must be represented to the relevant official at the time of departure.

Every passenger, when departing the country, may in addition to personal belongings, carry various Iranian products, handicrafts, and manufactured goods without limitation as to their value, as well as a maximum of 150, 000 rials of non Iranian goods, provided that they are not intended for trade purposes.

Every passenger may have one hand-woven carpet or two rugs of a maximum size of 12 square meters.

Passengers may not take antiques, works of art, historic manuscripts, or different valuable coins or gems.

Every passenger may, when departing the country carry 150 grams of wrought gold without gems and up to 3 kg of wrought silverware without gems.

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