Canadian - solo travel - guide needed

With the changing nature of Iran-Canada relations, can anyone update me as to whether Canadians need to be accompanied by a guide when travelling solo in Iran? Trying to find up-to-date info on this.

(Apologies if this question has already been answered in a previous post - I haven't found anything in the forum yet, but may not have dug deep enough)

Thanks! MC

The requirement for a guide or guided tour will change once the two countries re-establish embassies.

On the question of how much of a commitment to a guided tour is necessary (i.e. full time or just one day), the debate has raged over several threads for the past few months. Scroll back to find them.

I'm afraid that's not true. The UK and Iran have reopened embassies, but the Brits still require a guide.

In short, yes. At present Canadians, Brits and Yanks all require a guide. There are a couple people on the forums who managed to find a dodgy agent to get them visas without one. So i guess it depends on whether or not you want to mess around with the Iranian government.

@mcls05 Having been through this (and gone round in circles) myself very recently, I'd highly recommend you call or email the closest embassy (which in your case will be Washington DC I think) and ask if there are any special requirements for Canadian citizens. IMO, that's the only place to get up-to-date info on this topic.

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The UK and Iran have reopened embassies, but the Brits still require a guide.

Yes, this is the case at the moment, but I am predicting that the policy for British travellers will change this year once the embassy has settled in. Also, Iranian authorities have made talked about providing e-visas or even visa-free travel for as many as 60 nationalities by the end of 2016. I would expect that to extend to all developed countries that have diplomatic relations with Iran. But we'll see.

Meanwhile, here's a new report on who needs a guide at this time:

• https://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/permalink/post/22087556

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@emmeff Sorry to rub you off the wrong way again, mate, but you really should update your knowledge of requirements, or the "policy", for British and Canadian citizens travelling to Iran. I have no interest in contradicting you, but I do think potential travellers shouldn't be misled into thinking they MUST get a guide / organized tour when that actually may not be the case.

You were quick to jump into action in response to my post above, @kalikalooti, issuing challenges both in this thread and the other. When will you share the findings of your research so that potential travellers may benefit from them?

Sorry, emmeff, but in this rare case, you're conclusions are just not correct. The Iranian embassy in London has been open for almost a year now. It's not a new thing. Sure, they might lift the tour/visa requirement tomorrow, but so-called experts said it would happen last year. I wouldn't hold my breath.

Plus, Iran already has an extensive VOA scheme that includes most countries in the world, including most of the EU, Australia, New Zealand and other. It's only the US, Canada and the UK (plus a handful of 'undesirables' ) who are out in the cold. So, i'm not sure what you're on about.

It could certainly be interpeted in a variety of ways. My two cents: there have been many reports of Canadians traveling sans guide and not encountering any questions or issues, and I've read a report of a Canadian successfully extending their visa without a guide in tow, too. I

It's a bit of a grey area, as you'll see if you peruse some other threads, so if you're cool with it... ;)

Also, Iranian authorities have made talked about providing e-visas or even visa-free travel for as many as 60 nationalities by the end of 2016.

Do you have a source for this information? First time I'm hearing this. Would be great if it was true but I'm a bit sceptical, though it's easy enough to get the VOA unless your from the US, UK, Canada, Colombia, Pakistan, Jordan and Somalia (I think that's the whole list) and of course Israelis - no chance.

It's possible to get a visa at the embassy in London, but they're not making it easy (fingerprinting is required).

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