The Iranian government has announced the suspension of its visa-free travel facility for Indian nationals holding ordinary passports. This decision, which becomes effective from November 22, follows multiple reported instances of Indian citizens being abducted or lured to Iran with false promises of employment and assured onward transit to third countries.
The visa waiver facility was originally implemented by the Iranian government in February 2024 for citizens of over 30 countries, including India, with the goal of boosting tourism.
Misuse by Criminal Elements
India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed the move on Monday, stating that the suspension is “intended to prevent further misuse of the facility by criminal elements.”
The MEA detailed the nature of the issue without providing specific incident reports:
“These individuals were tricked into journeying to Iran by taking advantage of the visa waiver facility available for ordinary Indian passport holders. On arrival in Iran, many of them were kidnapped for ransom,” the ministry stated.
The ministry acknowledged that there had been “several incidents of Indian nationals being lured to Iran on false promises of employment or with assurances of onward transit to third countries.” These criminal elements were exploiting the visa-free option to facilitate their operations.
New Travel Requirements and Advisory
Starting November 22, all Indian nationals traveling on ordinary passports will be required to obtain a visa to enter or transit through Iran.
The MEA issued a strong advisory to the public: “All Indian nationals intending to visit Iran are strongly advised to remain vigilant and avoid agents offering visa-free travel or onward transit to third countries via Iran.”