Iran's 4 conditions for Indian tourists who wish to travel visa-free

Iran has announced a visa-waiver programme for Indians visiting the country for tourism. The visa-free entry is effective for Indian citizens as of February 4 subject to four conditions, the Iranian embassy said.

Indian tourists can now visit Iran for a maximum of 15 days without a visa. But, there are riders.

Here are the four conditions under which you can travel to Iran visa-free:

Indians holding ordinary passports will be allowed to enter the country without a visa once every six months, with a maximum stay of 15 days. This 15-day stay period cannot be extended.

The visa-free rule applies to individuals entering Iran for tourism purposes only.

If Indians wish to stay for a longer period or make multiple entries within a six-month period, they must get a visa.

The visa-free rule specifically applies to Indians entering the country by air.

Iran has become the latest country in the past few months to give visa-free access to India tourists. Vietnam, Thailand, and Sri Lanka have also eased visa rules for Indian tourists.

Iran has approved its new visa-waiver programme for 33 countries - India, Russian, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Lebanon, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Mauritania, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Mauritius, Seychelles, Indonesia, Darussalam, Japan, Singapore, Cambodia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brazil, Peru, Cuba, Mexico, Venezuela, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Croatia and Belarus.