Issued by Iran Purpose Identification | Type of document Passport Eligibility requirements Iranian citizenship | |
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Date first issued February 20, 2011 (biometric passport) Expiration 5 years after issuance (for adults over 18) | ||
Iranian passports are issued to nationals of Iran for the purpose of international travel. The passport serves as a proof of Iranian citizenship. The Iranian passports are burgundy, with Iranian Coat of Arms emblazoned on the top of the front cover.
The words "جمهوری اسلامی ایران" (Persian) meaning Islamic Republic of Iran and "گذرنامه" (Persian) meaning passport are inscribed below the coat of arms. Iran started issuing diplomatic and service biometric passports in July, 2007. Ordinary biometric passports began to be issued on February 20, 2011. These passports contain 40 pages.
On the inside of the back-cover, Iranian passports bear the inscription: "The holder of this passport is not entitled to travel to occupied Palestine", referring to Israel.
In the past, prior to the Islamic Revolution of 1979, the passports were different and had the inscription 'Empire of Iran', as shown below. The passports also had translations into French.
Visa requirements
In 2016, Iranian citizens had visa-free or visa on arrival access to 37 countries and territories, ranking the Iranian passport 98th in the world according to the Visa Restrictions Index.