Iran mulls free visas for Qatar World Cup visitors

The Iranian Foreign Ministry has proposed a plan for approval in the government that will enable foreigners visiting Qatar for World Cup 2022 to travel to Iran by obtaining visas free of charge.

The official IRNA news agency said in a Saturday report that the plan will cover all foreigners visiting Qatar for World Cup 2022 except nationals of the United States, Britain and Canada as well as Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Somalia and Sri Lanka.

The report said visas issued under the scheme will be valid for two months and for 20-day stays and visitors will be able to apply for one, two or multiple entries.

The report said nationals of countries that have qualified for the World Cup 2022 will be granted free of charge visas to visit Iran without any need to supply extra documentation.

Others, it said, should submit match tickets or paperwork proving their purpose of visit to Qatar to be able to receive the visas.

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The announcement comes as part of Iran’s efforts to use the World Cup in neighboring Qatar as an opportunity to boost tourism.

Iran’s tourism sector has suffered because of the spread of the coronavirus since February 2020.

Iran has also announced plans to assist Qatar’s hosting of the tournament which will be held in from November 21 to December 18.

Iranian road and transportation minister Rostam Qassemi and his Qatari counterpart Jassim bin Saif Al Sulaiti are planned to meet in the southern Iranian resort island of Kish on April 10-11 to discuss how the island can accommodate arrivals from Qatar during the World Cup season.

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