MUMBAI : India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has issued an urgent travel advisory after Iran suspended its visa-free entry facility for ordinary Indian passport holders, following a troubling rise in human trafficking, fraudulent job rackets and kidnapping cases involving Indian citizens.
Iran had introduced visa-free entry for Indians in February 2024, initially aimed at boosting tourism to cultural hubs such as Isfahan, Shiraz, Qom and Mashhad, as well as desert circuits along the ancient Silk Route. The relaxed policy also drew budget travellers who used Iran as a low-cost transit stopover to Central Asia and parts of Europe. However, Iranian authorities pulled back the facility after detecting widespread criminal misuse.
According to reports, several Indian youths, particularly from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, were misled by unauthorised recruitment agents who promised lucrative jobs abroad. Many were told that Iran would serve merely as a transit point to Europe, Australia or Central Asia. Instead, they fell prey to organised trafficking networks.
Multiple kidnapping cases have since come to light, with ransom demands reaching up to ₹10 million. In one case, three Punjabi youths travelling illegally toward Australia were abducted shortly after entering Iran. They were rescued only after urgent diplomatic intervention, triggering heightened concern in New Delhi.
In an announcement posted on X (formerly Twitter), the Iranian Embassy in New Delhi confirmed: “The implementation of the one-way tourist visa cancellation regulations for Indian nationals holding ordinary passports in the Islamic Republic of Iran has been suspended as of 22nd November 2025.” The decision applies to both entry and transit, meaning travellers cannot even fly via Iran without a valid visa.
Airlines have been formally instructed to verify visa compliance before boarding Indian passengers. Failure to do so may result in travellers being denied boarding, detained upon arrival, or returned at their own expense.
MEA’s advisory strongly cautions Indian citizens against engaging with unauthorised travel agents or accepting overseas job offers through unofficial channels. It also reiterates that the former visa-free access was meant strictly for tourism, for a maximum of 15 days and only once in six months, and never permitted employment of any kind.
With recent rescue operations exposing the scale of trafficking and fraudulent recruitment pipelines operating across both countries, the Government has urged travellers to exercise the “highest caution.”
“All Indian nationals intending to visit Iran are strongly advised to remain vigilant and avoid agents offering visa-free travel or onward transit to third countries via Iran,” the advisory states.
India's Ministry of External Affairs has issued a travel advisory after Iran suspended its visa-free entry for Indian passport holders due to rising human trafficking and fraudulent job scams. The visa-free policy, initially aimed at boosting tourism, was misused by trafficking networks, leading to multiple kidnapping cases. Travellers are urged to avoid unauthorized agents and remain cautious.