F.A.Q
Getting Acquainted
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- Public Holidays
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Iranian Names |
- Time Difference |
- Weights and Measures |
Pre-Trip
Planning |
- Entry |
- Insurance |
- Health |
- Money Matters |
- What To Bring |
- Group Travel |
- Passport & Visa |
- Exit |
- When to Come |
- Clothing |
-
Customs |
-
Individual Travel |
When Traveling
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Business Hour |
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Safety |
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Useful Telephone Numbers
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Travel with Children |
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Accessible/Disabled Travel
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- Post and Telecom
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- Medical service
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- Photography
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Getting
Acquainted
Public Holidays:
The
official weekend holiday in Iran is Friday although many organizations are open
half-day on Thursday. Generally we can divide Persian holidays into religious
and national, while both are banking and legal holidays too. There are also
holidays for Christian, Jewish, and Zoroastrian minorities, but they are not
countrywide ones.
1.Religious Holidays: Iranian religious holidays are based on lunar system
while the Persian calendar is based on Solar system, both launched from the
exodus of Prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Medina. Hence, within one solar
year some religious holidays are observed twice. Religious holidays are subject
to change depending upon the official sighting of the moon. The new moon is seen
in Arab countries one day earlier, thus there is a difference of one day in
important religious days in Iran and the Arab states. Here are the most commonly
observed religious holidays:
Eyd-e-Ghorban (happy holiday)
Eyd-e-Ghadir (happy holiday)
Tasooa (mourning holiday)
Ashoora (mourning holiday)
Demise of Prophet & Martyrdom of
Emam-Hassan (mourning holiday)
Martyrdom of Emam Reza (mourning
holiday)
Birthday of Prophet & Emam Ja'far
(happy holiday)
Martyrdom of Hazrat-e-Fatemeh
(mourning holiday)
Birthday of Hazrat-e-Ali (happy
holiday)
Mission of Prophet (happy holiday)
Birthday of Hazrat-e-Ghaem (happy
holiday)
Martyrdom of Hazrat-e-Ali (mourning
holiday)
Eyd-e-Fetr (end of Ramadan) (happy
holiday)
Martyrdom of Emam Ja'far (mourning
holiday)
2.National holidays: Iranian National holidays are based on Persian solar
calendar and they are always fixed. The solar year consists of the
duration of one full orbit of the Earth around the Sun.
Owing to this difference the days in the lunar and solar calendars do not
overlap and there are 32 solar years in every 33 lunar years. A solar year
consists of 365 days while there are only 354 days in every lunar year.
Here are the most commonly observed national holidays:
11 February, Glorious Victory of
Islamic Revolution of Iran
20 March, Oil Industry
Nationalization
21 March, Iranian New Year (Norooz)
22 March, Iranian New Year
23 March, Iranian New Year
1 April, Iranian National Day
2 April, 13 of Norooz (Nature Day)
4 June, Demise of Emam Khomeini
5 June, 15th Khordad Uprising
Iranian Names:
A complete Iranian name is composed of two parts; a
family name (surname) and a given name. The surname is usually passed down from
father to children. Some are named after their birth place, while others are
named after natural sights or virtues. The women still kept their surname after
marriage. The given name is often composed of one or two characters that some
are Arabic and some old Persian.
We usually address an Iranian person by his or her
family name. Otherwise it can be considered impolite; unless you are longtime,
good friends. Following the surname, use "Aghaye" (Mr.) for men, and "Khanume" (Mrs. ,
Ms.) for women. Using the same western custom, we suggest that you please add
professional title after his or her family names when addressing a very
important person.
Time Difference:
Time in Tehran is three and a half
hours ahead of GMT. After you have set your watch to the local time ,you should
bear in mind that when you are having your breakfast in Tehran, people in
western Europe are sound asleep. Consider this when making long distance phone
calls. Depending from where you have come, it may be too late or too early for
making a phone call or expecting one.
Weights and Measures:
Like most of the countries of the
world ,Iran uses the well known metric system in which length is measured by
meters and weight by kilograms. To convert metric system quantities into British
or American measures you may use the conversion tables which usually appear at
the end of dictionaries, calendars, etc.
As far as electrical power supply
is concerned, the owner supply in Iran is 220 V but in some hotels conversion to
110 V may also be available.
Pre-Trip
Planning
Entry:
What may not be taken into Iran?
On the basis of
rules and regulation of I.R.Iran , entrance of some goods and or its export is
totally prohibited . some of those goods are as follows:
1-
Alcoholic
drinks
2-
Gambling
tools
3-
Weapons,
ammunition and explosive goods
4-
Narcotic
drugs
5-
Magazines,
photos, film and snaps and those goods which is against religious and national
dignity of the country.
6-
Any type
of writings against the official region of the country and or discipline
disturbance and public purity and national dignity.
The export goods
is exempted of paying customs duties and taxes but paying the loading ,
unloading and warehousing is included .
Who will be denied the entry ?
Anyone without the valid passport, Iranian visa or other valid entry certificate
Anyone with a counterfeit or altered passport or anyone holding another person's
passport or certificate
Anyone who refuses to accept the checks
Anyone who is deported from the country by the Iranian government with an
entry-deny period
Anyone who is considered to be related to any activities of terror, violence and
other antisocial behavior
Anyone who is drunk while entering the country
Insurance:
Whether you travel outside your home country on
business or pleasure, any international trip may have some unforeseen factors,
which may result in an accident. We suggest that all travelers take out travel
insurance or any other insurance providing cover for your international travel.
This will definitely protect you against any accidental events happening on your
travels, including illness, injury, theft or other losses. The category of
insurance you choose is dependant on your personal financial condition and
requirements of course.
Pars Tourist agency can insure the travelers up to
......... EURO while charging you ..... EURO per day. This may not be
enough to cover any sudden problems that may arise during a tour. Therefore,
some other kind of personal accidence insurance, purchased in your own country,
is also necessary.
Health:
Pay attention to both your hands and mouth. They
are two sources of bacterial infection. Better to wash your hands after
returning from the outside, before eating anything and after sneezing or
coughing. All the food you eat is suggested to be well cooked or heated. The
fruits you eat should be fresh and peeled. Be careful when you eat any cold
dishes and salads. Do not eat these at street food stalls. It is better to use
drinkable bottled mineral water. Do not drink tap water as much as possible!
In Iran there is a variety of dishes, but eating
some together may be problematic. While you don't know about the food you want
to eat, try to ask an Iranian fellow.
Money Matters:
The Iranian official currency is the Rial. Rials
are available in coins (50, 100, 250, 500 Rls.) and notes (1.000, 2.000, 5.000,
10.000 and 20.000 Rls.). Coins are marked just in Persian but papers are marked
in Persian and English script and numerals.
Not any kind of credit card or traveler's cheques
is accepted in Iran. Most of the tourists coming to Iran encounter this problem
with their payments. So bringing cash is recommended!
The exchange rates may change quite often. Currency
exchange costs are same both in Bazaars and exchange offices. One can exchange
money in reputable exchange offices easier and sooner. Most of the valid
exchange offices in the main cities are as follow:
Tehran: on Istanbul Ave.
Shiraz: on Zand Ave.
Isfahan: around Imam Square
In order to be updated about the currency rate, you
can refer to the website of Iran Melli Bank
www.bmi.ir
The following currencies can easily be exchanged at
any money exchanger's:
US Dollars, British Pounds, Japanese Yen (hard
currencies) and Euros. There are also other currencies available.
What To Bring:
Money: Just cash
Files and Documents: Passport, Visa, air/train
ticket, ID certificate, destination map (if you have one), travel itinerary,
address list
Personal Articles for Use: personal tooth brush, towels, bathing articles,
contact lens solution, daily toiletries, comb, sun glasses, suntan oil, shaving
items, disinfectant tissues and bandage
Others: camera, films, batteries, electrical
converter, alarm clock (if needed), a pen and memo pad (to write down something
important during your travel), necessary cold, indigestive and anti- allergic
medicines, umbrella, etc.
Group Travel:
The simplest and most comfortable way of traveling
to Iran at a reasonable price is in a group. Participants will have their
itinerary, hotel accommodation and meals, and sightseeing program booked in
advance. The price offered by Pars tourist agency will cover nearly all the
expense occurring during the trip, so you will not have any additional costs
except shopping.
As soon as you arrive in Iran, a tour guide
supplied by the local travel agency will pick up you at the airport. He/she will
accompany you in the future days and is in charge of taking you to the scenic
spots.
All these guides are very competent, both in terms
of organizing the trip and in their knowledge of the country and its sights, and
their ability to communicate. They could deal with all kinds of situations and
help you to avoid many difficulties, greatly enriching your trip in Iran.
Passport & Visa:
It does not matter how you intend to come to Iran,
alone or in a group, we can get the Iran visa for you, only for 35 USD per
person.
Obtaining an Iranian visa for either an individual or a group is a
three-part process:
-First, you will need to fill out our online visa request form Within 48 hours
of submitting the form, we will confirm that we can secure a visa for you.
-Second, we will inform you when your visa has been granted and provide a
reference number for you. This process usually takes 7 business days. You may
then proceed to the consulate, complete some additional paperwork listed below
and collect your visa.
-Third, confirm your arrival date in Iran with PARS and make payment for our
service in our Shiraz office.
Pars Tourist Agency (P.T.A)
Zand Street 71358
Next to Iran Cinema
Shiraz, Iran
Necessary documents and fees required at the time
you collect your Iranian visa at the Consulate:
1. You will need to fill out the standard visa
application form at the consulate where you want to collect your visa.
2. You will need to bring two passport-sized photos
of each applicant to the consulate (Women need to have a photo in which their
hair and neck should be covered with a headscarf) Here is a sample photo:
3. You will need to pay the standard visa
application fee to the consulate where you collect your visa (this fee varies
depending on your nationality). The payment is usually made to a local bank near
the consulate.
4. Your passport and visa will generally be
available the afternoon of the same day you or the next day.
Note: PARS Tourist agency charges a separate $35
fee for our service in securing the visa.
Important Notes:
1. Some countries have more than one Iranian
consulate while others have none. Please specify the exact consulate in which
you would like to pick up your visa. You may click on the link above to find a
list of consulates.
2. We will take appropriate actions in order to
extend your visa if it will expire during your visit, once you are in Iran.
3. Visas for Malaysia & Singapore nationals will be
issued upon entering Iranian.
4. Visas for all C.I.S countries, except for Russia
& Armenia, will only be issued at the Iranian consulates in their respective
C.I.S countries.
5. We will do our best to secure your visa and take
care of all the necessary details; however the final decision rest with the
government of Iran therefore we cannot guarantee when and if a visa will be
granted.
6. Your passport should be valid for at least 6
months.
Exit:
Again you are required to present the valid
passport and Iranian visa when exiting from the country. All travelers should
leave the country within the allotted stay-period marked on their visas.
The international airports in Iran are as follow:
1.Imam Khumeini International Airport (Tehran)
2.Mehrabad International Airport (Tehran)
3.Shiraz Airport: It has flights to many Arab
countries
4.Mashhad Airport: It has flights to countries
north of Iran.
5.Isfahan Airport: It has flights to some Arab
countries.
6.Tabriz Airport: It has flights to countries north
of Iran.
For more information go to
www.cao.ir.
On surface, you can go from Iran to Turkey through
Bazargan and Seru, to Armenia through Julfa, to Azerbaijan through Astara, to
Turkmenistan through Bajgiran, to Afghanistan through Sarakhs and to Pakistan
through Mirjaveh.
When to Come:
The best travel time is determined on which part of
the country you are going to visit and on which months your itinerary is
falling. Generally we can divide the region into 4 categories:
Spring: All parts of the country
Summer: West and Northwest
Fall: All parts of the country
Winter: Center, East, South and South west
Clothing:
Perhaps the most visible mark of Iran's Islamic
leanings is the conservative dress expected of its citizens. Although normal,
Western style clothing is acceptable in private homes, when in public women
are required to cover everything but their face, hands and feet.
The most common uniform consists of a head scarf (roo-sari,
روسری) to conceal the head and neck, a formless, knee-length coat known as a
roo-poosh (روپوش) and a long dress or pair of pants. In and around holy
sites, you will be expected to dress even more modestly in a chādor, a
full-length swathe of black cloth designed to cloak everything but your face
from view.
The dress code can be daunting during your
preparation, but roo-saris, roo-pooshes and chādors can be
bought cheaply in Iran. Watch or ask friendly Iranian women for guidance and
marvel at how young women are pushing the boundaries of modesty with colorful
head scarves that cover only a fraction of their hair and figure-hugging
roo-pooshes that reveal every curve of their bodies.
Men have a slightly easier time of things.
Short-sleeved shirts and t-shirts are acceptable for daily wear, but long
sleeved shirts are still required for holy sites and formal occasions. Shorts
and three-quarter length pants are only acceptable on the beach.
Customs:
Customs green /
red channels
green Channel
Those
passengers can pass the green channel who:
A) Do not have
the following goods:
1- Arms
and ammunitions
2- Disks,
audio / video tapes
3- Books
and magazines against the Islamic and national believes of the country.
4- Wireless
telephone and sender
5- Seed
and cutting, flower bulb
6- Gambling
tools
7- Alcoholic
drinks
8- Narcotics
B) Have the first
trip in the current year or do not use the passenger exemption in their previous
trips.
C) Do not have
business goods and the value of their new goods do not exceed 80 dollars for
each person.
Red Channel
Those passengers
pass the red channel who:
1-
Have had
more than one trip to other countries in the current year.
2-
Have goods
which aren�t considered as business goods or their goods cost more than legal
level.
3-
Or have
one of the eight above mentioned goods ( in green channel )
note 1
The green
channel dose not mean than the customs do not perform the investigation of
goods .
The customs
officers can select some of the passengers of green channel and investigate
their goods. If they do not have the requirements for passing through this
channel, their declaration will be illegal and their goods will be considered as
smudging.
note 2
If a passenger do
not have any goods or his / her goods cost less than 80 dollars, in order to be
able to use the remain of his / her exemption in his / her other trips, he/she
should pass through red channel. The customs officers should pass through red
channel. The customs officers will mention the case in his/her passport.
note 3
In the case
of no items mentioned in the passenger�s passport, he / she can use the
passenger exemption.
Customs can
urge the passengers to complete the declaration presented to them at the gate of
entry/exit, in order to investigate the passengers� goods according to their
written declaration.
In the case
of any difference between the passenger�s goods and his/her declaration, the
goods not mentioned in declaration or declared illegally supposed as smuggled
goods.
Individual Travel:
For those individual travelers, three ways could be
chosen:
The first, also the most comfortable but,
accordingly, the most expensive way is to book a full package tour through a
travel agency. Everything is pre-booked, including the flights, journey,
accommodation, meals and transfers. Like group travel, a qualified tour guide
from Pars Tourist Agency is available in each town to help with putting together
and arranging a sightseeing program.
The second way is booking a mini-package tour. The
travel agency is only responsible for booking flights, accommodation and
transfers while the travelers have to plan the sightseeing program themselves.
Normally, the traveler is met at the airport or Bus Terminal of each town. He/
she then is taken to the hotel. Traveler could discuss their plans for
sightseeing there and have them arranged for a fee.
The last one is a completely independent travel,
without any pre-booking. This form of traveling in Iran has increased in recent
years since it seems to be more flexible and freely. The travelers of this kind
have to arrange everything, the flights, accommodation, meals, transfers and
sightseeing program themselves. Difficult as these things are, they provide you
a good chance to contact Iranian people and practice your ability to deal with
various unexpected events. In order to make the travel smooth, you are
recommended to book your air tickets and accommodation as soon as you arrive.
When Traveling
Business Hour:
Banks, hospitals, and post offices are usually open
every day with an opening hour from 7:30 or 8:30 a.m. to 14:00 p.m. or 16:00
p.m. except public holidays. On Thursdays they close earlier.
Safety:
Useful Telephone Numbers:
Police: 110, Medical emergency: 115, Fire: 125
Travel with Children:
Since Iran is a very young country, it is really
safe to travel with children. Just if you decide to travel in hot season don't
choose hot areas.
Hotels and Restaurants:
Most hotels and restaurants in Iran do not provide childcare
facilities; it is advisable to bring your own. Some objects in the hotel room
such as ashtrays, shampoo and tables may injure children by accident; keep an
eye on your children.
Traveling:
While traveling, it might be difficult to feed infants. Take
additional water and food when traveling in rural and remote areas; in addition,
bring extra diapers and toilet paper.
Accessible/Disabled Travel:
Iran is trying to improve the facilities for
disabled travelers. The following are some tips:
- Before traveling, inform your
agent of the physical condition so that they can make proper arrangements.
- Consult your doctors about the trip. Make sure to
bring enough medicines and your adaptive aids such as a wheelchair.
- Note the telephone number of the hospital in the
place you are planning to visit.
- Make sure your health insurance provides cover
for your overseas visit. Alternatively, will your travel insurance will cover
it.
- Most airlines and airports in Iran can provide
facilities for disabled travelers. Ask the staffs for assistance if you are in
difficulty.
Post and Telecom:
Postal Service
Please check:
http://www.post.ir
Telephone,
Telegram and Fax
While traveling in Iran, you can easily find a telephone in hotels, post offices
and street kiosks. If you want to make a domestic long-distance call, you have
to dial the area code with a prefix 0 first. You can also make international
calls in post offices and hotels. Generally, local calls are free when you make
them in hotel rooms. You can also buy IP cards in post offices, which can make
long-distance calls cheaper.
Internet
Cyber cafes are readily available in most cities. Most hotels and some
restaurants also provide Internet services. Generally, you can surf the Internet
quickly and smoothly, but the fees do vary.
Medical service:
Most hospitals in big
cities provide a high standard of medical care in Iran. However, in some remote
areas, the medical service may not be to such a standard. Ensure your physical
condition is good prior traveling. Bring some medicines with you, such as
aspirin, anti-histamines and so on.
Photography:
- Never take photos in sensitive areas such as
military base, airfield, etc. and other sensitive areas where photography is
forbidden.
- Ask for permission before taking photos of other
people.
- Some holy shrines do not allow photography. So
you'd better look for the sign or ask for the staffs before taking photos.
- You had better buy enough films
in big stores or supermarkets before you go sightseeing as that is cheaper and
the film more reliable.
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