How does a US citizen visit his Iranian friend?

Question

I am a male U.S. citizen (a health care aide) never

off the continent and strongly interested in visiting

an Iranian friend living near Shiraz. She and I have been talking online for the last four years. We are both single, and I worry that this might be one more obstacle in the many I'll be encountering to obtaining a visa. As I

understand it, only visas connected to very strict

tourist packages are available to U.S. natives with

single citizenships.

What I need to find is a visa to safely allow me to

visit the young woman and, if possible, stay with her

and her family. She or a male member of her family will certainly provide an invitation letter, and I could get invitations from other Iranian friends if that's needed to bolster my "welcomeness."

Could you suggest anything? Loopholes? People who've

done something similar successfully? A particularly

helpful branch of the Iranian embassy?

Thanks enormously!

Stephen

Answer 1

First of all there are no loopholes as you suggest. Secondly go to the state department web site www.travel. state. gov and they have all the requirements for the countries.

Answer 2

Real world experience. Pick a country close to Iran that you can meet up in. Otherwise do not go as it is not a good idea for a US citizen to visit..... period. Should you have an issue you will have little recourse.

Answer 3

I strongly disagree with the above statement. Lot of good and fun things can come out off going to Iran.

Unfortunately, some people in this part of the world are so narrow/closed minded and they don't consider the facts when giving some statement or worse, they just believe what they hear! really sad!!

Sorry about that. It always frustrates me to see an unjust and untrue assertion or behaviour.

I'm Persian/Canadian and like to tell you about my experience travelling to Iran. It may help you.

As you probably know, time has changed, so is Iran and be sure that, no harm will come to you by taking a trip to Iran.

You will have lots of fun and you get to see, how different Iran is unlike peoples perceptions. LIKE, there's no sheep or cow marching on the streets or nonsense like that!!!!

Tehran, Shiraz and other cities are modern and beautiful. Heavy traffic on some parts of Tehran and it's polluted.

I went to Iran 3 years ago. Had not been there since 1983, the year i escaped. I'm sure you know the story back then. I was really scared going back specially being Canadian citizen and escaped from Iran.

Even though many of my friends took the trip to Iran with their Canadian wives, returned happier than ever with lot of good news. But i still was concerned!!

I went to Iranian embassy( they treated me really nice BTW), got my new ID's and Passport and wallah!!

Stayed in Tehran for 3 months, had tones of fun, bought a house over there and returned. NO PROBLEM, what so ever.

Make sure, you check every thing with the embassy and their requirements. There shouldn't be any problems and they'll taken care of you.

I promise, you'll have a good and memorable time.

Take lot of pictures!

Hope this helped you. HAVE FUN.

Answer 4

It's amazing, how ignorant people are!!!

I went to Iran with my husband in /05 and had wonderful time.

PS. I'm Danish and didn't received any thing but great respect and good time.

That's what Persians are all about, respect.

And YES, I'm still ""alive""!!!

Across.......I believe, Ive already gave my response. There're way too many ignorant people in America!! who have their arms open for racism and prejudice!! AND about my columnists, they're nothing but IDIOTS.

Answer 5

Quite sincerely and honestly I plead you do not go to Iran.  I pray you put your time and energies in to getting your friend out of Iran and too the United States to visit you.  Nothing - nearly nothing - good can come of you going to Iran.

Answer 6

Parachute out of a B2 when we start bombing

next year.

Answer 7

Iranian tourist visa application procedure - American passport holders

# # At present the Iranian Foreign Ministry does not allow American passport holders to travel to Iran independently. ##

Americans are required to travel on escorted tours; either as part of a tour group, or a tailor made individual tour. An exact itinerary, to which you must adhere, is compulsory.

To obtain a visa and to satisfy the Iranian Foreign Ministry's (FM) requirement, we need to make your all travel arrangements including accommodation, internal flights, and/or a private car & guide/driver throughout the trip.

The maximum duration of a visa is 30 days. However, this is at the discretion of the FM. At times they may only grant 12-day visas, even if we ask for 4 weeks.

In order to proceed with the visa application, you need to complete the visa questions & return them to us.

It takes around two weeks for the visa to be issued in the form of a reference number. Once you have this reference number, you need to have your passport stamped with the visa. In the States, you have to go to the Iranian interest section at the Pakistani embassy in Washington. You will need to complete their local visa application form, which can be downloaded from the embassy's, website: www.daftar.org

Visas can be collected at any Iranian consulate around the world or in the U.S.A. Please note, you need to inform us at the time of application, which country you wish to collect your visa.

Consular visa stamp fees for Americans is around $60.

go to this page if you wish?

http://www.magic-carpet-travel.com/visa_...

Answer 8

I suggest finding a new girlfriend!

And Lilly, I would not suggest that you return to Iran now that one of your columnists has outraged the Islamic communities of the Middle East - your visit would not be nearly so pleasant as before.

Note:  So the columnists are IDIOTS, then what about the people (and governments) that boycotted/banned Danish products in the stores, rioted, and burned Danish flags, all because of a cartoon?  Also, I realize you are living in the past, but please note, there are no more Persians, just as there are no more Vikings or Prussians ...

Answer 9

You should look into Kish Island, Iran, as a tourist destination - they are a little more relaxed there.  Otherwise, your best recourse is to find a nearby third country that both of you can visit together - Bahrian, or UAE, or Egypt, for example.

http://www.kishisland.com/