The process to get an Iranian visa for my travel companion and me was relatively simple. We got it on arrival at Tehran International Airport. Most nationalities can qualify for visa on arrival, except for citizens of USA, UK, Canada, Colombia, Somalia, Bangladesh, Jordan, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India, who have to apply for an Iranian visa at their home embassy.

Before the flight, we had filled in our details online and printed a copy of the visa application form. Singapore passport holders can qualify for a visa on arrival at any of the Iranian international airports. The filling in of the visa form online was to speed up the process.

Tourists who wish to visit Iran can apply for a visa through the following link by entering all the required information and receive a visa application reference number. Since the visa application process is online, your email address will be required and authenticated throughout the process.

I had heard about horrible queues and a long wait time to get the Iranian visa on arrival, so I was mentally prepared for it. Once our plane landed at the airport, the Iranian women and the female passengers started putting on their headscarves. They had enjoyed their freedom back in Bangkok, but now they had to behave themselves again once they arrive in Iran.

We walked towards the Visa on arrival counter in the airport and luckily there were not many people in the queue. A Chinese couple cut our queue but we glared at them and they stepped back. We first had to pay 14 euros for the compulsory traveler’s insurance, before getting a receipt. Most insurance policies bought elsewhere are not valid in Iran, unless your insurance company has offices in Iran, so that excludes almost every global policy. Anyway, the local policy from Bimeh costs 14 euros, covering medical treatment and it is compulsory for all foreigners to get it on the spot at the airport.

We then submitted our visa printout form to the visa counter, where a guy who spoke English write down our visa fees to be paid (2x 75 euros). We went to the bank counter on the left to pay the visa fees. It is quite expensive for a visa so we were determined to spend two full weeks in Iran to make use of the tourist visa. After handing over the receipt for the visa fees back to the same guy at the visa counter, we waited patiently for our visa.

There were not many foreigners on our Thai Airways flight, though we have some Chinese, Koreans, Japanese, Singaporeans, Malaysians and other nationalities. To our amazement, the guy called out our names after 15 minutes and we got the Iranian visa stuck in our passport! It was a simple process and owing to not many flights landing at that hour, we did not wait long to get our visa. We proceeded to immigration who did not ask any question about where we are going to stay in Tehran and soon we went to the carousel where our luggage was already waiting for us. Then our Couchsurfing host from Tehran also happened to be at the airport and he welcomed us with wide smiles. We are so glad to be finally in Iran!

To change your first Rial, you can go to the money exchange kiosk in the departure hall instead of the bank in arrivals. It is on the same side of the airport as the visa office. They have a limit of 200 US dollars or 200 euros per person.

If you don’t have a driver waiting for you, go down to the escalators next to the money exchange and exit the terminal. Ignore all the taxi touts and go straight to the airport taxi office just 30 metres to the right. The ride from the airport will be around 650 000 – 800 000 rials depending on your bargaining skills. The drive to Tehran takes at least 30 minutes. For those who want to save more money, ask a local to help you book a taxi on the Snapp app (most Iranians have it on their phone) which will cost you around 400 000 rials to the city.

Note: If you plan to visit the USA after going to Iran, then you would need to apply for a US visa at the embassy as Singapore passport holders don’t get the ESTA if they are found to have the Iranian visa in the passport. Or you could choose to renew your passport and visit the US on a fresh passport.