Moving to Iran
Visas and residency, citizenship, tax, company and banking, cost of living and the places to live in Iran, in one place.
Southern AsiaThinking about moving to Iran?
Here's how long you can stay, the ways to live there for good, what you'd pay in tax and what everyday life costs, each figure from an official source.
In this guide, I'll show you:
- How long you can stay, by passport
- How long citizenship takes
- How tax works, with the rates
- What it costs, and the internet and safety
- The basics: capital, currency and languages
Pick your passport at the top of the page, and the stay rule shows for you.
TL;DRKey takeaways
Iran at a glance
How long can you stay in Iran?
It depends on the passport you hold.
Here's the rule for the most common ones:
US passport- Rule
- Visa needed
- Stay
- –
UK passport- Rule
- Visa needed
- Stay
- –
EU passport (German)- Rule
- e-Visa
- Stay
- 30 days
Canadian passport- Rule
- Visa needed
- Stay
- –
Australian passport- Rule
- e-Visa
- Stay
- 30 days
Indian passport- Rule
- e-Visa
- Stay
- 30 days
For any other passport, pick yours at the top, or see every country on the visa-free countries map.
Citizenship in Iran
Naturalization takes about 5 years of residence.
Dual citizenship is allowed in some cases.
Work out your own timeline with the second passport calculator.
Tax in Iran
Iran taxes only income earned inside the country, not income from abroad.
See where it sits among every country on the territorial tax map.
The main rates:
- Lowest income tax band – 0%
- Top income tax rate – 35%
- Corporate tax – 25%
- VAT or sales tax – 9%
Where you're a tax resident usually comes down to days.
Count yours with the 183-day rule calculator.
Company and banking
Compare the banks and cards that work for people abroad in the bank account finder.
Move money for less with the money transfer comparison.
Many people who live abroad run a US LLC instead; check yours with the US LLC for non-residents checker.
Is Iran safe?
The US State Department rates Iran Level 4 ("Do not travel", updated 2025-12-05). Level 4 means the US tells its citizens not to go. Some advisories are stricter for parts of a country, so read the full advisory before you go.
See every country's level on the travel advisory map.
Internet in Iran
In M-Lab's open speed tests across Iran over the last 12 months, half came in above 9 Mbps download.
The fastest quarter of lines came in above 26 Mbps, closer to a good fiber connection (51,288 tests).
Test your own line when you arrive with my internet speed test.
Iran: the basics
| What | Iran |
|---|---|
| Capital | Tehran |
| Currency | Iranian rial (IRR) |
| Languages | Persian, Kurdish |
| Population | about 81.8 million |
From GeoNames' country data (CC BY 4.0).
More tools for Iran
- Passport index and compare passports
- Time zone overlap calculator for calls with home
- eSIM finder for data when you land
- Card fees abroad calculator before you spend
Iran FAQs
Visa needed.
Pick another passport at the top of the page to see its rule.
It depends on your passport.
Pick yours at the top of the page to see the days, and whether you need a visa first.
Not that I've found in official sources as of 2026-09-29.
The digital nomad visa finder lists every country that has one.
About 5 years of residence.
In some cases.
Check the rules for your situation and your own country's.
Iran taxes only income earned inside the country, not income from abroad.
Check the details with a tax adviser before you move.
The US State Department rates it Level 4.
Levels 1 and 2 are everyday travel; read the full advisory for any regions it warns about.
Half of M-Lab's tests there came in above 9 Mbps download over the last 12 months.
The fastest quarter of lines passed 26 Mbps.
The Iranian rial (IRR).
The main languages are Persian and Kurdish.
Navid Moazzez
AI business strategist & AI OS builder
Navid Moazzez helps creators and founders master AI and build their own AI Operating System (AI OS) to automate their business and life.
Navid.me is reader-supported. When you buy through links on this site, I may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more.
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