Over the past year Iran has implemented some changes for tourists wishing to visit the country. In August of 2025, they completely changed the rules and made it so that everyone wishing to visit the country must be on a guided tour. This has once again changed so we are here to clear a few things up.
Who needs to be on a tour?
Currently, the system has gone back to how it was and now citizens of the USA, Canada and UK must be on a guided tour. All other nationalities are able to travel in Iran without going on a tour.
Who needs a visa?
Iran has quite varying rules on the visa front so to make it simple, USA, Canada and UK will need to get a visa beforehand. Most European nations, Australia, New Zealand and most of Africa are able to get an e-visa/ visa on arrival and several other countries such as China, Mexico and many places in South America are visa free.
Is it easy to get a visa?
Yes, however it can take some time depending on your nationality. For US, UK and Canadian citizens you will have to visit an Iranian embassy or consulate that you nominate during your application. Once you have your documents in check from the tour company you are organising with you will have to go in person to get the visa. This is a very quick process and usually is a same-day service at the embassy if you have all your documents in check. Note that for citizens of the USA and Canada there is no Iranian embassy in either country so most applications will go through the Iranian interest section at the Pakistani embassy in Washington DC. It is possible to nominate any of the consulates or embassy worldwide though.
For others you will get your e-visa document beforehand and you can present this at the airport where you will pay for your visa fee.
Why should I still join a group?
If you don’t need to be on a tour, we still recommend it as Iran is such a huge country and logistics can be quite difficult. Particularly due to sanctions buying tickets beforehand can be very tricky as there are no options to book online. We have been travelling to Iran for many years now and so if you join one of our group tours we will also show you all of our favourite places in Iran for food and more!
Group tours of Iran are a great way to see a lot in a short amount of time and you don’t have to worry about the logistics of how it’s been done.
Is it currently safe to visit Iran?
Yes, Iran is definitely safe to visit. Iranian people are incredibly friendly and travelling around Iran is absolutely safe as long as you follow local rules and laws. It is not advisable at all to bring someone back to your hotel as this could get you and them both in trouble.
Independent travel is definitely safe in Iran as well. The biggest obstacle you will probably run into is a language barrier or finding too much delicious food and gaining a billion kilos before you leave the country. If you wanting to know what to try while in Iran, check out our blog about the best foods in Iran here.
Who can’t go to Iran?
Everyone can visit Iran except of course Israeli citizens, for obvious reasons.
When is the best time to visit?
Honestly there is something good in this country all year round depending on what you’re looking for. Iran is huge and has so many different climates so you can go for a beach trip, a ski trip or to explore cities at different times of the year. We run our Iran group tours in April and October as we think this is the best combination of cooler weather for walking around historical sites.
Remember Iran is a huge country (in fact it is the 17
th
largest country in the world) so just because it’s 45 C in Bandar Abass doesn’t mean that Tabriz or Mashhad will be anything like that at the same time.
How to join a Saiga Iran group tour?
Send us an email to [email protected] to secure your place. Further if you are from Canada, UK or USA best to get in early so we have as much time as possible to deal with the visa for you.
Where can I find more information on travel to Iran?
We have been to Iran countless times and have written in-depth destination guides for travel to Iran on our website which you can find here.
Check out all our Iran tour dates here and we will see you in Iran!
