๐ฎ๐ท Iran visa requirements for American citizens
Yes โ American citizens need a visa to enter Iran, normally arranged through an embassy or consulate before traveling.
Entry rules for United States passport holders
American citizens must obtain a visa before traveling to Iran. Applications generally go through a Iran embassy or consulate and require a completed form, passport photos, proof of accommodation and onward travel, and sometimes travel insurance. Start the process several weeks before your planned trip, as processing times vary.
Entry rules can change at short notice. Always confirm current requirements with the official Iran immigration authority or your nearest embassy before booking.
How this compares
The American passport ranks #32 worldwide, opening 159 destinations without a visa arranged in advance (116 visa-free, 36 with a visa on arrival and 7 with an eTA). Iran is not among them โ it is one of the 19 destinations that still require an embassy visa or an application before departure.
The arrangement is reciprocal: Iranian citizens traveling to United States face the same requirement (visa required).
Across Southern Asia as a whole, 5 of 9 destinations are open to American travelers without arranging a visa in advance.
About Iran
- Capital
- Tehran
- Region
- Southern Asia
- Currency
- Iranian rial (๏ทผ)
- Languages
- Persian (Farsi)
Planning a trip to Iran?
- Compare flights โ
- Tours and activities โ
- Airport transfers โ
- Claim flight compensation โ
- Rent a car locally โ
- City attraction passes โ
Some links above are affiliate links โ booking through them supports this site at no extra cost to you.
Frequently asked questions
Do American citizens need a visa for Iran?
Yes โ American citizens need a visa to enter Iran, normally arranged through an embassy or consulate before traveling.
What currency is used in Iran?
The currency in Iran is the Iranian rial (๏ทผ). The capital city is Tehran.
Is this information up to date?
Current status: Visa required for American citizens traveling to Iran. This page is built from the open Passport Index dataset, which was last updated on 2025-01-12. Visa rules can change between dataset updates, so always confirm with the Iran embassy or immigration authority before booking.
More of Asia for American passport holders
- ๐ฆ๐ซ Afghanistan โ visa required
- ๐ฆ๐ฒ Armenia โ visa-free ยท 180 days
- ๐ฆ๐ฟ Azerbaijan โ e-visa
- ๐ง๐ญ Bahrain โ visa on arrival
- ๐ง๐ฉ Bangladesh โ visa on arrival
- ๐ง๐น Bhutan โ e-visa
- ๐ง๐ณ Brunei โ visa-free ยท 90 days
- ๐ฐ๐ญ Cambodia โ visa on arrival
- ๐จ๐ณ China โ e-visa
Popular destinations for American travelers
- ๐ฆ๐บ Australia โ eta required
- ๐ง๐ท Brazil โ visa-free ยท 90 days
- ๐จ๐ฆ Canada โ visa-free ยท 180 days
- ๐จ๐ณ China โ e-visa
- ๐ซ๐ท France โ visa-free ยท 90 days
- ๐ฉ๐ช Germany โ visa-free ยท 90 days
- ๐ฎ๐ณ India โ e-visa
- ๐ฎ๐ฉ Indonesia โ visa on arrival
- ๐ฎ๐น Italy โ visa-free ยท 90 days
Going the other way? United States visa requirements for Iranian citizens โ
Source data last updated 2025-01-12.