Indians will no longer be able to enter this Muslim country visa-free, why was this decision taken?
Iran has suspended visa-free access for Indian passport holders. This decision was taken to prevent abuse by false job promises and a growing number of kidnapping cases. It will now take effect on November 22nd.
The Muslim nation of Iran has made a significant announcement regarding visas for Indians. Iran has suspended the visa-free (visa exemption) facility for ordinary Indian passport holders.
This decision comes amid reports of Indian citizens being lured to Iran under false promises of jobs or onward travel to other countries. This decision has been taken in response to this.
India's Ministry of External Affairs announced Iran's move on Monday. In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the government has drawn attention to several cases in which Indian nationals have been lured to Iran under false pretenses of employment or onward transfer to third countries.
The ministry described how several Indians were deceived into using visa waivers to reach Iran, and upon arrival, many of them were kidnapped for ransom.
Foreign Ministry issued advisory
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that the Iranian government has accordingly “suspended the visa exemption facility” for ordinary Indian passport holders, effective November 22, 2025. The ministry said the decision was taken to prevent misuse of the visa exemption facility by criminal groups.
The MEA further stated, “From this date, Indian citizens holding ordinary passports will be required to obtain a visa to enter or transit through Iran.”
The ministry has also issued an advisory for all Indian citizens wishing to travel to Iran, advising them to be cautious and avoid agents who lure them with the promise of visa-free travel.
Advice to be cautious
This isn't the first time the Indian government has cautioned its citizens about fraudulent job offers in Iran. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued an advisory in September following reports of several Indians being abducted in Iran under the pretext of fraudulent job offers. The MEA advised Indian citizens to exercise "extreme caution" and to avoid falling into such traps.
“Recently, several cases have come to light in which Indian nationals have been lured to Iran on the pretext of false promises of jobs or employment in third countries,” the MEA statement said.
Cases of kidnapping of Indian citizens
The statement added that according to reports, Indian citizens were kidnapped by criminal gangs upon arrival in Iran and ransoms were demanded from their families.
The government issued a stern warning to its citizens, clarifying that Iran allows visa-free entry to Indians only for tourism purposes. The government stated that any agent offering jobs or other lures in the name of visa-free entry is likely in collusion with criminal gangs.
The MEA said, "Indian citizens should therefore not fall prey to such offers." Just last month, four Gujarat residents returned home after being held hostage in Tehran.
These four men—Ajaykumar Chaudhary (31), Priyaben Chaudhary (25), Anilkumar Chaudhary (35), and Nikhilkumar Chaudhary (28)—had traveled to Tehran via Bangkok and Dubai on Emirates Airlines through a third-party agent.
The four were allegedly kidnapped as soon as they arrived at Tehran's Imam Khomeini International Airport.
Agents trap you in the trap
The agent allegedly told them they would be transported from Iran through a chain of handlers operating in several countries in the Middle East and Southeast Asia and transported from Tehran to Australia by sea or air – a route often used in cases of unauthorised migration.
The kidnappers also allegedly beat up two of the four men and sent a video of the attack to their families, along with a ransom demand of around Rs 2 crore.
The issue was raised by the village head, who informed Jayantibhai Somanbhai Patel, the MLA of Mansa, where the four were residents.
Patel then contacted Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, his deputy Harsh Sanghvi, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Coordination between Indian and Iranian authorities secured the release of the four men.