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I've some Iranian friends. They asked me to come visit them. I’d like to go there but I remember that, last time I applied for a USA ESTA, there was an explicit question “have you traveled to in Iran in the last 5 years?” (And this was during the Obama administration!)

I travel a lot and, because of my job, it could happen that I suddenly have to go to the States, for working or training purposes and I’m afraid I’ll start to have random problems at security checks, or when applying for visas, just because of the Iranian stamp on my European passport.

Do my concerns have any foundation? What consequences may I face? Just some more questions and longer processing time, or could it lead to major issues like ESTA refusal and necessity to go through the embassy to get a proper visa?

Are there more countries who may dislike me if I've been in Iran or some countries to be aware of? (Iraq, for instance and Afghanistan I suppose...)

phoog
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Matte.Car
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1 Answers1

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See FAQ “What are the new eligibility requirements for VWP travel?” on If you visit Iran, you will no longer be eligible for ESTA/VWP.

You will have to apply for a B-1/B-2 visa if you want to travel to the USA. In some places, this can take months.

Note that the restriction is not based on your passport but in your travel history. If you traveled to Iran (or any of the other countries which automatically make you ineligible for ESTA/VWP), you can’t use ESTA/VWP, even if you change your passport and/or don’t have stamps in your passport.

jcaron
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