Iran entry requirements for British passport holders (2026): visa and passport validity
Passport validity (FCDO rule): At least 6 months after the day you arrive
Visa (FCDO): Read the official visa text below
Official source: GOV.UK – Iran travel advice, Entry requirements (FCDO) · page last updated 13 August 2026 · checked on 17 October 2026
Whether you need a visa and how long your British passport must be valid to enter Iran, as published by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), quoted word for word, with a checker for your dates.
Other passports: Canadian passport · Australian passport · Italian citizens: documenti per italiani
Do I need a visa for Iran with a British passport?
We quote the FCDO text word for word and do not summarise it: its first sentence has conditions or a wording we do not turn into a one-line answer.
You must have a visa to visit Iran unless you hold an Iranian passport.
Check the expiry date of your visa before travelling. If you overstay your visa, you may have to stay in Iran until this is resolved and you may be detained.
If you’re travelling through an Iranian airport, check visa requirements with your airline and the Iranian Embassy in the UK.
Applying for a visa
If you choose to travel to Iran against FCDO advice, apply for a visa well in advance of your travel. The application process for an Iranian visa can be long and unpredictable.
If you want to travel to Iran with a British passport, the Iranian Embassy has told FCDO you must either apply as part of an organised tour or have a sponsor in Iran to get a visa. Check with the Iranian Embassy in the UK for more information.
Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the date you submit your visa application.
Women and girls aged 10 or over should wear a headscarf in their visa application photos.
Some British nationals have had problems getting visas from private online visa agencies.
Official source: GOV.UK – Iran travel advice, Entry requirements (FCDO), section “Visa requirements” · page last updated 13 August 2026 · checked on 17 October 2026
Passport validity: official text “Passport validity requirements”
If you choose to enter Iran against FCDO advice, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the date you arrive. It’s not possible to apply for a British passport from Iran.
Previous travel to Israel
If your passport has stamps from Israel or other countries’ border crossing points with Israel, you may be refused entry to Iran.
Overseas British passport applications
You cannot apply for a British passport from Iran.
You can apply in a neighbouring country. Choose from the list of countries and follow the application process for that country.
For help with your passport application, contact HM Passport Office.
Official source: GOV.UK – Iran travel advice, Entry requirements (FCDO) · page last updated 13 August 2026 · checked on 17 October 2026
Check your passport for Iran
Schengen rules count your whole trip in the Schengen area: if you visit several Schengen countries, enter the day you first enter the area and the day you leave the last Schengen country.
The check runs in your browser: your dates are not sent anywhere. It applies the FCDO sentence literally (for example “6 months” is counted as the same day of the month 6 months later).
For British passport holders only. These are the rules published by the UK government (FCDO) for British citizens. If you hold another passport, check your own government's advice. The airline and the border officials of the destination decide whether you can travel or enter: this site is information, not legal advice.
Recent FCDO updates to the entry requirements
- 10 December 2025: “New information about dual nationals returning to the UK (‘ Entry requirements’ page) and update to the ‘Political situation in Iran’ (‘Warnings and insurance’ page).”
- 3 January 2024: “Removal of information that Emergency Travel Documents cannot be applied for in Iran (‘Entry requirements’ page).”
- 25 May 2023: “Information on safety for mono and dual British nationals in Iran and rewritten advice to aid readability ('Summary', 'Safety and security', 'Local laws and customs' and 'Entry requirements' pages).”
- 22 February 2023: “Updated information on protesting in Iran and COVID-19 entry requirements and additional information on difficulties with exchanging GBP (‘Summary’, ‘Coronavirus’, ‘Safety and security’ and ‘Money’ pages).”
- 23 December 2020: “New information on Iranian Government suspension of direct flights to and from UK, following the emergence of a new strain of COVID-19 ('Coronavirus' and 'Entry requirements' pages).”
Read the full FCDO travel advice for Iran (safety, visas, health) before you travel.
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Same FCDO rule (6 months after arrival)
and 79 more destinations with the same rule: see all
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