Updated November 2026 Iran’s departure tax is now paid electronically, mostly through Iranian banks’ online services and apps, so the paper forms and street kiosks described in older guides are no longer the way to do it.
Paying Iran’s departure tax digitally is now the normal way to do it. Known in Persian as avarez-e khorooj (often shortened to khorooji), the tax is charged to Iranian passport holders each time they leave the country, and it is not included in the price of your plane ticket. It has to be settled before you reach passport control, and today that means paying online or by app with an Iranian bank card, or at a payment point at the airport or border.
Who has to pay
The departure tax applies to Iranian nationals leaving Iran by air, land or sea, whether they live in Iran or abroad. Dual nationals who travel on their Iranian passport, as Iranian law requires, are included. Foreign nationals travelling on a foreign passport do not pay it.
Some groups are exempt or pay a reduced rate under each year’s budget law, and pilgrims on certain official trips have been treated differently in past years. If you think you may qualify, check the current rules before you pay.
How much it costs
The amount is set in Iran’s annual budget and usually changes at the start of the Iranian year in late March. It rises with each trip you make in the same year: the first departure is the cheapest, and the second and third or later departures cost progressively more. Because the figures change so often, check the amount shown at the moment you pay rather than relying on numbers quoted online. For a wider sense of everyday costs, see our Iran prices pages.
How to pay digitally
Years ago the only option was to queue at a Bank Melli branch and fill in a paper form in Persian, which was a real obstacle for Iranians who had grown up abroad. Touchscreen machines in shopping centres and at airports followed. Today the process has moved almost entirely online:
- Online banking: Bank Melli runs a dedicated departure tax payment service, and the internet banking services of other Iranian banks also offer it.
- Mobile apps: most Iranian banking and payment apps include a departure tax option, usually listed under bills or government services.
- At the airport or border: payment kiosks and counters are available at Imam Khomeini International Airport and other exit points, but queues can be long and machines are not always working.
Whichever route you use, you will need:
- Your Iranian national ID number (kod-e melli) and passport details.
- An Iranian bank card (Shetab network) to pay with. Foreign cards do not work in Iran’s payment system.
- A note of the receipt or tracking number when you finish. Save a screenshot or PDF.
Tips for a smooth departure
- Pay a few days before you fly. It saves stress at the airport and gives you time to sort out any problem with your card.
- No Iranian bank card? Ask a relative or friend in Iran to pay for you. They must enter your national ID number, not their own, so the payment is linked to you.
- Keep the receipt. You may be asked for it at passport control, and you will need it if you want your money back.
- Check validity. Receipts are tied to the year in which they are paid, so a payment made for a trip that did not happen may not carry forward indefinitely.
- Language. Many payment services are in Persian only. If your written Persian is limited, ask someone to sit with you the first time.
If your trip was cancelled after you paid, or you paid twice by mistake, you can apply for your money back online. Our guide on how to get a refund for departure tax in Iran explains the steps.
