Iran
Visa
In the Netherlands a pre-clearance is required for a visa for Iran. We obtained it from an Iranian travel agency; it took about 10 days and € 40 per person. We picked up our visas in Istanbul. The application process took about two hours. We could retrieve the visa two days later. We heard from Germans that they get a visa in Germany without pre-clearance and that the Iran consulate in Trabson in Turkey also provides visa without pre-clearance. We extended our visas in Shiraz; this is basically possible in every bigger town with the foreigners police. It took in total about three-quarters of a day and about € 15 per person. The process: submit the application, go to a bank elsewhere in town to pay, return with proof of payment to the police and retrieve the visa extension a few hours later.
Arrival
From Turkey, Essendere border crossing
Only Passports and CdP were checked. We heard from others that at the northern border of Turkey to Iran, where also all trucks pass, people were forced to buy a fuel card of € 150 and had to get Iranian license plates.
Departure
Boat from Bandar Lengeh to Dubai
The exit from Iran was much tougher than the entry. We departed at 22:00 from Bandar Lengeh , but had to be at 8:00 at the shipping company and have been busy almost all day with paperwork. Reservation of the boat via the internet or a travel agent was not possible, it could only be done with the shipping company in Bander Lengeh itself. That appeared not to be a problem because there was much excess capacity
Carnet
For Iran a carnet is needed, with a guaranteed amount of 60% of the value of the car.
Diesel
Fueling diesel nearly always went smoothly without a pass: the attendant had a pass of we could use the pass of a truck. Diesel was always less than € 0.10 per liter. In the south, fueling was sometimes more difficult.
Insurance
Iran was on our green card.
Money
ATMs do not work for foreigners and you can't pay anywhere with a credit card. Exchange must be done at exchange offices, banks do not change. Shopping around somewhat pays off .
Communication
Restrictions in internet access.
In the Netherlands a pre-clearance is required for a visa for Iran. We obtained it from an Iranian travel agency; it took about 10 days and € 40 per person. We picked up our visas in Istanbul. The application process took about two hours. We could retrieve the visa two days later. We heard from Germans that they get a visa in Germany without pre-clearance and that the Iran consulate in Trabson in Turkey also provides visa without pre-clearance. We extended our visas in Shiraz; this is basically possible in every bigger town with the foreigners police. It took in total about three-quarters of a day and about € 15 per person. The process: submit the application, go to a bank elsewhere in town to pay, return with proof of payment to the police and retrieve the visa extension a few hours later.
Arrival
From Turkey, Essendere border crossing
Only Passports and CdP were checked. We heard from others that at the northern border of Turkey to Iran, where also all trucks pass, people were forced to buy a fuel card of € 150 and had to get Iranian license plates.
Departure
Boat from Bandar Lengeh to Dubai
The exit from Iran was much tougher than the entry. We departed at 22:00 from Bandar Lengeh , but had to be at 8:00 at the shipping company and have been busy almost all day with paperwork. Reservation of the boat via the internet or a travel agent was not possible, it could only be done with the shipping company in Bander Lengeh itself. That appeared not to be a problem because there was much excess capacity
Carnet
For Iran a carnet is needed, with a guaranteed amount of 60% of the value of the car.
Diesel
Fueling diesel nearly always went smoothly without a pass: the attendant had a pass of we could use the pass of a truck. Diesel was always less than € 0.10 per liter. In the south, fueling was sometimes more difficult.
Insurance
Iran was on our green card.
Money
ATMs do not work for foreigners and you can't pay anywhere with a credit card. Exchange must be done at exchange offices, banks do not change. Shopping around somewhat pays off .
Communication
Restrictions in internet access.
