For overland vehicles, a Carnet de Passage is required (category 1, also valid in India and Pakistan. € 3.000 deposit for motorbikes up to € 7.500 value, € 5.000 deposit for other vehicles up to € 7.500 value). Overlanders staying more than 10 days need to obtain a temporary registration plate at the border (according to the Embassy of Iran in the Netherlands).
Tourist visa application takes about 10 days and visitors must enter Iran within 3 months of the date of issue. A visa is usually valid for 30 days and can be extended twice, so the total stay may be up to 90 days. The cost of a tourist visa is € 50 for Dutch nationals (2024). Proof of valid travel insurance must be attached to the visa application, according to the embassy in the Netherlands, but this isn’t mentioned on the IR-Iran eVisa application website.
Border crossings
From Iran into Pakistan, the Gabd-Reemdan border has had foreigners crossing in 2022, and 2023. But not everyone has succeeded. Both the Mirjaveh-Taftan border and the Gabd-Reemdan border have police escorts on the Pakistani side, until you’re out of Bulchistan. The Mand-Pishin crossing is only open for pedestrians. The Mirjaveh-Taftan border seems the most used, and an elaborate story from 2017 was posted by Josephine and David on Home Is Where The Car Is. Some usefull tips from this report:
- Go on a monday or a friday, so you won’t get stuck in Quetta for the weekend. The office closes early on friday.
- Exchange money in Iran as the rate at the border is terrible.
- Leave early so you don’t have to sleep at the border.
- If you stay in a hotel in Zahedan, you will get an escort from there (in 2017 at least). Be sure not to stay there if you don’t want an escort on the Iranian side, as it will be quicker.
Entering Iran from Armenia, the Nordooz-Agarak has had many foreigners crossing without issues in 2022 and 2023.
Recommended stays near the border
Old Hossein
Hossein Ravanyar aka “Mr. Hossein” aka The Original
http://www.iranoverland.com/
