Advice on an unescorted trip to Iran - U.S. female edition

June 7, 2019 8:18 AM

Basically what it says on the tin. I'm an American woman dating a Persian man. (He's a U.S. citizen but considered an Iranian by the government there.) Visiting Iran has been a dream for decades, there's an opportunity later this year, and I don't want an escorted tour. What are our options?

NB: I've traveled extensively in the Middle East (no Israel stamp in my passport) so no safety warnings, please. I have read them: there are risks. My question is how to travel independently with my guy. I'd prefer not to get married. We could hire a (preferably female) guide/chaperone if necessary. We're both late forties/early fifties and appear quite respectable ;-)

AFAIK, U.S. citizens are only granted visas as part of approved tour groups... but there's no mention of that on the visa application site. I've published several articles on archaeology and could possibly apply as press.

Hoping someone with actual knowledge of the best way to accomplish this trip can offer advice. Throwaway email: [e-mail]. Thank you!

posted by anonymous to Travel & Transportation (2 answers total)

As a Canadian the rules for me are the same for you, afaik. For the past few years I have tried multiple paths with different Iranian friends both inside and outside of Iran to obtain a visa, including attempts to find "creative" ways around the issue from a friend within Iran and including face to face embassy attempts while in Beirut. So many phone numbers, so many dead ends.

So far no luck, marriage appears to be the only way outside of an approved tour or foreign passport.

Up until a few years ago you could basically pay off a fake tour company to give you the required paperwork and fake travel docs once you arrive, unfortunately there has been a crackdown on these operators.

My Iranian SO also suggests caution about traveling there as press, real or not, as you will be much more suspect. A Canadian-Iranian friend of hers was arrested, tortured and killed two years ago in Tehran after he was arrested as a spy while he was in the country to count and track endangered Persian tigers. Remember that as our countries have no official relations with Iran you have nowhere to turn to if things go south.
posted by Cosine at 8:57 AM on June 7, 2019 [2 favorites]

Don't use your press credential.
posted by easy, lucky, free at 3:12 PM on June 7, 2019