presidential elections

Is it a good idea to travel through Iran during the Presidential Elections on June 14?
In what way good I be affected?

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

UAE Visa Application Form

Hi All,

Where can I download the application form for UAE? Can somebody please suggest any website for the same?

Getting into Erbil from Turkey by bus

Hi :)

I plan on arriving into Erbil from Turkey by bus in a few days time.

I understand, from this forum, that BestVan are a good company at providing this service. I had a look on their website however I was unable to find a timetable/price for the Erbil services. I don't speak Turkish and perhaps I was not looking in the right place of their English language site!

Do they only run a service from Diyarbakir? Or other places too?

Thank you for any help :)

Recent Experience with Egypt Tourist Visa Extension

This post might be somewhat redundant, as the information already exists in numerous places, but I was looking for current information on this subject as there seems to have been a bit of confusion lately. I just thought I might share what I experienced the past week.

Before I set out to the infamous Mogamma in Tahrir Square, I did quite a few google searches exploring how to extend my stay here. Some posts as recent as January 2012 said that visa extensions were no longer issued, while others said immigration authorities were clamping down on how long you could stay in the country bumming around as a tourist. I decided I would give it a shot and try my luck.

(The entry visa sticker issued at the airport is valid for 30 days, not 90 as a few sources claim)

To begin, go to Window 14 on the first floor of the Mogamma. They will hand you a piece of paper asking little ... more »

photos for Iranian visa

I have just read Andrew Burke's very useful Thorntree piece on Iranian visas. I have a question about this point: 'Photographs: women often need to cover their hair (any scarf will do) in the application photo. Check embassy websites.'

I assume it is dependent on the policy of the embassy which would stamp the passport, and I would like this to be Shanghai. Does anyone have any experience of collecting their visa in the embassy there?

10 day cycling tour in Iran: looking for a route

Dear travelers,

I am up for a cycle tour in Iran in September.

• Available time minus days for flights, domestic transport, rest days and the like will leave me about 10 actual cycling days. In this time I expect to cover between 600 and 700km.
• I wish to cycle a good amount of mountainous scenery.
• I am open to visit cultural heritage sites, however my main interests are cycling beautiful scenery and experiencing the Iranian people as they live now.

Money

Has anybody got any advice on the best currency to take to Iran? Are USD widely accepted for currency exchange? Or are Euros better? What denomination notes are best?

Thanks!

More questions about recent land-entry restrictions

To anyone who has already traveled to Iran: When you apply for the authorization code with a travel agency, how important is it to include an accurate point of entry that you plan to use? Of course, when you apply for the visa itself at your respective embassy/consulate, it seems that this is very important - but when obtaining the authorization code?

I ask because I would like to enter Iran by land, but there are these new uncertain restrictions on land-entry. Here is what I am considering: telling the travel agency that I plan to enter by air so they can obtain the authorization code for me. Then with authorization in hand, telling the consulate (for me I plan to use Istanbul) my real plans in detail for application of the visa itself. Of course I don't see this working if the authorization code restricts you to a certiain point of entry before you even apply for the visa. ... more »