iranian visa for americans

September 7, 2006 1:05 AM

have any americans here ever gotten an iranian tourist visa without signing up for a package tour? how?
posted by lgyre to Travel & Transportation around Iran (5 answers total)

My friend (US national) got one from a visa agent in London. So that can definitely work if you're willing to spend some time in London first.
posted by Mayor Curley at 5:42 AM on September 7, 2006

I know that MIR in Seattle organizes trips for small groups. If you get in touch with them, they might be able to help you out. I have known people who used MIR a few years ago to go to Iran, and I remember hearing that MIR got their visas through the Palestinian Embassy in the US. I could be wrong, but it is worth a shot.
posted by toddst at 8:02 AM on September 7, 2006

I know people that have gotten a visa at the border crossing with Armenia, but through bribes.
posted by k8t at 8:29 AM on September 7, 2006

You might want to read this article from the Washington Post dated Sunday 3rd. The writer doesn't say if he went as a journalist or as a "tourist", but as toddst said, he got his visa from the Iranian interests section of the Pakistani embassy in DC. I would have thought that if he went as a journalist he would have had an official 'guide' to keep him away from people and places he shouldn't have contact with.

If the link goes screwy, the article is titled "A Different Face of Iran" and the write is Steven Knipp.
posted by 543DoublePlay at 9:53 AM on September 7, 2006

Here's an article saying even a hotel can sponsor you for a visa:

http://www.sitara.com/iran/visa.html
posted by Jahaza at 6:21 AM on September 8, 2006