Getting an Iranian visa at the Embassy of Iran in the Netherlands

A 2019 guide to getting an Iran visa in The Hague, the Netherlands. Includes fees, a document checklist, directions to the Iranian Embassy in The Hague (Den Haag), and information on getting a visa on arrival.

Note: This post was updated in early 2019 to reflect the new visa policy of Iran. The information pertains to Dutch citizens and residents. If you have a British, American, or Canadian passport, you always have to travel as part of a tour. If  this is the case, we suggest you contact 1stQuest for more information (use code LWP-QST for a 5% discount). The information below pertains to tourist visas only.

Getting a visa for Iran is no walk in the park. After making it easier after our first trip, the new E-visa system and visa policy have made it harder to get a visa for Iran if you’re not entering by air. Below you can find more information about the visa on arrival process, and about getting a visa at the embassy in The Hague.

Visa on arrival for Iran: only when you’re flying

If you’re entering by air, you can get a visa on arrival at the airport, unless you’re from one of the following countries:

• Afghanistan
• Bangladesh
• Canada
• Colombia
• India
• Iraq
• Jordan
• Nepal
• Pakistan
• Somalia
• Sri Lanka
• Israel
• UK
• US

If you are from any other country, you can get a visa on arrival at any international airport. Just head on over to the VOA page, fill out the required forms, and choose the airport you want to receive your VOA from. Once you’re done, print out the confirmation and bring it with you when you fly to Iran.

A visa on arrival costs the same as getting a visa at the embassy. For Dutch citizens the price is €50, to be paid at the VOA counter at the airport in either euro or US dollar. Please note that you also need to show proof of valid health insurance that covers Iran (it needs to say this). If you cannot prove this, you have to buy health insurance at the border (€14/$18). However, we’ve been told that they don’t always check.

For more information about getting the visa on arrival, you can check out this guide.

Before applying at the embassy in The Hague: the online E-visa form

Important: the below information pertains to people who have not visited Iran before. If you have been to Iran before, you cannot apply for a visa yourself and have to go through a tour company to get a visa authorization code. If this is the case, we recommend using 1stQuest for this service.

Before applying for a visa for Iran at the embassy of The Hague, you need to complete the online e-visa application. The form is pretty straightforward, but make sure to choose the right pick-up location for the visa. To complete the application, you need a copy of your passport and a digital passport photo that complies with the guidelines set out by the application portal. Once you’ve completed the application form, make sure to print out the confirmation, as you need this when you go to the embassy.

Now that you’ve completed the first step, you technically have to make an appointment with the Iranian embassy in The Hague. However, since the embassy is somewhat unorganized, you could just go to the embassy with the relevant documents, take a number, and wait your turn. If you want to make an appointment, you can do that on the website of the Iranian embassy in The Hague. The consular section is open on Tuesday and Friday from 14:00 to 16:00 hours.

Heading to Iran and need some inspiration? Check out our two-week Iran itinerary!

Applying for an Iran visa in The Hague

The embassy is about 20 minutes’ travel from The Hague Central Station. You take tram 9 towards Scheveningen to Nieuwe Duinweg, then walk for 10 minutes down the road. The embassy is in a posh residential area but is well marked with a flag and signs, and can be found on Google Maps. Make sure to come with plenty of time on your hands. Even if you have an appointment it can take about an hour before it’s your turn, depending on how busy the visa section is. Bring a book or magazine to kill the time.

Checklist for visa applicants in The Hague:

• Original passport (valid for at least 6 months)
• Passport photo
• Print out of the visa submission form from the e-visa website
• For foreign passport holders, proof of living in the Netherlands
• Valid travel insurance for Iran (should be in English and have the word Iran in it, but they might not check)

Once you’re at the consular section, get your number and wait your turn. Once your turn is up, give all the documents to the clerk, and pay the visa fee with PIN. Cash is not accepted. If you don’t want to come back later to pick up your passport, you have to pay the mailing cost separately.

Visa fees

• Netherlands: €50 (double for same-day service)
• Mailing passport: €10

The actual interactions at the counter shouldn’t take more than five minutes. After the clerk checks your documents he or she will tell you when you can expect your passport back. It will usually take five working days. Tourist visas are generally valid for 30 days, and you have three months to enter Iran from the day it is issued.

Visa rejections at the Iran embassy in The Hague

Visa rejections have become more common in 2018, as Sebastiaan found out himself (his visa was rejected when he applied in early 2019). This is most likely due to overzealous embassy staff afraid of somehow breaking the new US sanctions on Iran and a rule that people who have visited Iran before have to apply through a tour operator. If your visa is rejected, don’t despair: use a  reliable tour operator and try again. We recommend 1stQuest.

Iran visas in the bag!

So there you have it, an updated guide on getting an Iran visa in The Hague. Let us know in the comments if anything changes.