Visa for Iran

[greatam]

American citizen doing business in Asia and the Middle East. Just signed a one year contract for logistics planning in the Middle East (Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan, Qatar). So will be spending quite a lot of time in the area.

 

I recently spent 3 months traveling all over the Mid East. There were places I would like to go that I was not able to, Iran being one of them. Happened upon this cruise next Spring. http://www.crystalcruises.com/cruise_itinerary.aspx?CID=0305

 

A little vacation and a trip into Iran + lodging/good food and BOOZE (which is hard to come by in certain parts of the MidEast. What do you think-am I going to be able to get the visa into Iran??? Visa's for American's are only available for "escorted" tours. Crystal can't answer the question-told me to contact their visa agency. Zierer is a joke, IMHO. Any thoughts???

[paul929207]

Looks tempting. Would Crystal sell it if they weren't confident people could get a visa? In keeping with the "escorted" tours part, they may not let people get off independently as many do in other ports.

[greatam]

Looks tempting. Would Crystal sell it if they weren't confident people could get a visa? In keeping with the "escorted" tours part, they may not let people get off independently as many do in other ports.

 

I thoroughly understand about independent travel. But Crystal has few plans as yet for Iran, at least as far as a very reputable TA and Crystal customer service could tell me. The shore excursions posted look VERY boring. MAYBE an Iranian travel agent??? Anyone know where to find one???

 

This is a segment of the World cruise and you will have a lot of different nationalities who are NOT subjected to the stringent visa restrictions. Maybe Americans just have to stay onboard??? Crystal can't answer the question and I have absolutely NO faith in Zierer.

 

The shore excursions for Kuwait City (where I spent at least 4 weeks in the last 3 months) look VERY boring. Only the most expensive one even goes to the Kuwaiti Towers. And the Souk and fish market + the "hookah" restaurant in the market are worth a stop, are totally free and about a $15.00 cab ride from the pier. The pier off Arab Gulf Road leaves a lot to be desired as far as a port (just not developed-the Kuwaiti's have just too much money and really don't care much about their country so long as the oil money keeps rolling in) The country is absolutely FILTHY with trash (except around the US military bases). Americans will freak out when they see all the trash .

 

And all the "desert complexes"-tents out in the desert that Kuwaitis put up to "get back to their roots" and spend lots of nights in during the cooler months are totally missed. Camels are thick right outside Kuwait City. Falconry and pearl diving have a great history in Kuwait but were not even mentioned in the shore excursions. They still have public hangings in Kuwait and they are as big an event as the Middle East soccer matches were recently. Not that I want to see a hanging, but it is a very sobering experience to stand at the edge of the grounds.

[Keith1010]

GreatamI am not sure I am following all of this but I want to try to help.

 

If you are talking about Crystal Cruises their first visit to Iran will be part of the 2010 World Cruise. We will be on that cruise.

 

Crystal does not use Zieirer. They have not used them for several years. They use Pinnacle Travel Docuement Systems. I would recommend contacting them since they will be taking care of the visas for the Crystal World Cruise. Not sure if this will be a visa we will need ahead of time or if it will be obtained for us on board the ship as many are.

 

Keith

[greatam]

GreatamI am not sure I am following all of this but I want to try to help.

 

If you are talking about Crystal Cruises their first visit to Iran will be part of the 2010 World Cruise. We will be on that cruise.

 

Crystal does not use Zieirer. They have not used them for several years. They use Pinnacle Travel Docuement Systems. I would recommend contacting them since they will be taking care of the visas for the Crystal World Cruise. Not sure if this will be a visa we will need ahead of time or if it will be obtained for us on board the ship as many are.

 

Keith

 

Thanks, Keith for the post

 

When I called Crystal customer service to inquire about the cruise, I asked about the Iranian visa and what was planned for Iran. The customer service rep didn't know much and pointed me to Zierer visa service. So at that point I was stuck because I have absolutely NO faith in Zierer.

 

I will be in the Gulf during that time period. Since I will be mostly in Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan, I though it might be nice to schedule a little vacation to get away from the dust, have a drink and just relax from the hectic life that is a war zone.

 

I will call Pinnacle Document systems and see what they say. Of course, a lot depends on whether I will be readmitted to Iraq with an Iranian visa. Lots to check out.

 

Thanks again.

[Keith1010]

Greatam, good luck with the call to Pinnacle. Hopefully, they will have an idea on this one. I know that many of the details will not be finalized until late this summer based on our experiences on the 2007 and 2008 world cruise but they may have a sense now.

 

Keith

[greatam]

Greatam, good luck with the call to Pinnacle. Hopefully, they will have an idea on this one. I know that many of the details will not be finalized until late this summer based on our experiences on the 2007 and 2008 world cruise but they may have a sense now.

 

Keith

 

Finally got a firm answer IN WRITING from the US State Dept and US DOD. Can't post the response as it was written to me because it came hard copy under government clearance. But to paraphrase what was written:

 

Americans will be allowed either group or individual visa. It will be up to Crystal to get the group visa. HOWEVER:

1. the Iranians DO NOT have to allow anyone entry, even if you have the visa. Most likely, the Iranians will not allow me entry, due to my entries into Iraq.

 

2.IF you get an individual visa, you MUST take a "group" tour, either a ship excursion or a group tour through an Iranian travel agent. You cannot go wandering off by yourself in a taxi, rental car or whatever public transportation may be available.

 

3. IF you have an Israeli stamp in your passport, you WILL NOT get an Iranian visa. So if you have the Israeli stamp, you should get a new US passport. The State Dept understands if you need to get a new passport for this reason.

 

4. Women need to wear a headscarf, long sleeves and long pants/skirt. NO SHORTS, no halter tops, no bare skin. Women also MAY be asked to put on a chador (covers everything but the face) or even a burqua (covers EVERYTHING). You can be fined, imprisoned, flogged-all kinds of nasty stuff-for not being properly dressed.

 

5. You CANNOT use credit or debit cards. No travelers checks. You MUST have hard currency-you can exchange US dollars for Rials at currency exchangers. KEEP the receipts if you exchange currency.

 

6. DON'T use your camera or binoculars (same in Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan-you must be VERY discreet other than at strictly tourist sites in Kuwait-the Kuwaiti towers, etc). Evidently, Iran confiscates cameras and binoculars can get you in trouble with the security services.

 

7. Your personal possessions can be searched at any time by either the police or Iranian security forces. DO NOT carry your US passport on shore-carry a copy. I was also told not to carry ANY of my government ID cards, so anyone with prior military CAC cards (for entry into PX's worldwide) should NOT carry that either.

 

5. Warning from the State Dept: There have been roving gangs that have preyed on Westerners in the VERY area (Bandar Abbas) that the ship is going to dock in. THAT warning is public info on the State Dept website:

 

"U.S. citizens who travel to Iran despite the Travel Warning should exercise caution throughout the country, but especially in the southeastern region where westerners have been victims of criminal gangs often involved in the smuggling of drugs and other contraband. American citizens should avoid travel to areas within 100 kilometers of the border with Afghanistan, within 10 kilometers of the border with Iraq, and generally anywhere east of the line from Bam and Bandar Abbas toward the Pakistan border."

 

After reading the letter I got from DOD and reading the info on the public info section of the State Dept website, I guess I will not be going on this cruise as much as I wanted to. I will probably NOT be allowed entry into Iran anyhow, so it would be a waste of my time. I really wander how much Crystal has checked all this out, especially about Israeli stamps in passports. Pinnacle was not aware of that-but again, they have issued very few Iranian visas. The humungous dust storms that hit the Northern Arabian peninsula are primarily late February through April.

 

I guess I will have to find something else to give me a break away from the war zones.

[Keith1010]

Finally got a firm answer IN WRITING from the US State Dept and US DOD. Can't post the response as it was written to me because it came hard copy under government clearance. But to paraphrase what was written:

 

Americans will be allowed either group or individual visa. It will be up to Crystal to get the group visa. HOWEVER:

1. the Iranians DO NOT have to allow anyone entry, even if you have the visa. Most likely, the Iranians will not allow me entry, due to my entries into Iraq.

 

2.IF you get an individual visa, you MUST take a "group" tour, either a ship excursion or a group tour through an Iranian travel agent. You cannot go wandering off by yourself in a taxi, rental car or whatever public transportation may be available.

 

3. IF you have an Israeli stamp in your passport, you WILL NOT get an Iranian visa. So if you have the Israeli stamp, you should get a new US passport. The State Dept understands if you need to get a new passport for this reason.

 

4. Women need to wear a headscarf, long sleeves and long pants/skirt. NO SHORTS, no halter tops, no bare skin. Women also MAY be asked to put on a chador (covers everything but the face) or even a burqua (covers EVERYTHING). You can be fined, imprisoned, flogged-all kinds of nasty stuff-for not being properly dressed.

 

5. You CANNOT use credit or debit cards. No travelers checks. You MUST have hard currency-you can exchange US dollars for Rials at currency exchangers. KEEP the receipts if you exchange currency.

 

6. DON'T use your camera or binoculars (same in Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan-you must be VERY discreet other than at strictly tourist sites in Kuwait-the Kuwaiti towers, etc). Evidently, Iran confiscates cameras and binoculars can get you in trouble with the security services.

 

7. Your personal possessions can be searched at any time by either the police or Iranian security forces. DO NOT carry your US passport on shore-carry a copy. I was also told not to carry ANY of my government ID cards, so anyone with prior military CAC cards (for entry into PX's worldwide) should NOT carry that either.

 

5. Warning from the State Dept: There have been roving gangs that have preyed on Westerners in the VERY area (Bandar Abbas) that the ship is going to dock in. THAT warning is public info on the State Dept website:

 

"U.S. citizens who travel to Iran despite the Travel Warning should exercise caution throughout the country, but especially in the southeastern region where westerners have been victims of criminal gangs often involved in the smuggling of drugs and other contraband. American citizens should avoid travel to areas within 100 kilometers of the border with Afghanistan, within 10 kilometers of the border with Iraq, and generally anywhere east of the line from Bam and Bandar Abbas toward the Pakistan border."

 

After reading the letter I got from DOD and reading the info on the public info section of the State Dept website, I guess I will not be going on this cruise as much as I wanted to. I will probably NOT be allowed entry into Iran anyhow, so it would be a waste of my time. I really wander how much Crystal has checked all this out, especially about Israeli stamps in passports. Pinnacle was not aware of that-but again, they have issued very few Iranian visas. The humungous dust storms that hit the Northern Arabian peninsula are primarily late February through April.

 

I guess I will have to find something else to give me a break away from the war zones.

 

Thanks for all of the additional information. It is greatly appreciated.

 

In our case, we'll definitely do a group tour. I would not want to go out on my own there.

 

Some people will likely have a problem with the Israel stamp. In our case, we when we were to Israel last with our fairly new passports was a couple of years ago on another Crystal cruise. There were personnel from Israel who came on board a few days before we arrived and we had to meet with them one on one. Recognizing that stamping the passport can be an issue they put a card into the passport and stamped that and at the end of our time there we have to turn in the card.

 

Thanks again for all of this very useful information.

 

We will be doing the entire world cruise. This part of the cruise should be interesting with all of the other countries on that itinerary some of which are not often visited by cruise ship (eg., Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, etc.)

 

Keith