Things to know about Iran’s Mobile Phone Registry Scheme

With the implementation of Iran’s National Mobile Registry Scheme back in October 2017, all new mobile phones must be registered to be eligible for using Iranian SIM Cards. Despite its simplicity, the plan might have some twists for non-Iranians, and you might well be wondering what will happen to your phone if you don’t register.

According to published news, since the actual implementation of the Registry Scheme in early February, all brand new mobiles of Apple, BlackBerry, Motorolla and Google Pixel must be registered to receive service from Iranian mobile operators. The plan for LG phones will go into effect starting February 17 and all other brands like Samsung, Sony, Huawei and others will go into effect by late March.

Who has to register?

Registering your phone is only required if you’ve purchased a brand new phone after the implementation of the scheme. So if you haven’t bought a new phone and have been using your phone before the announcement of the plan, you’re on a safe side and don’t need to worry about registration.

There are also two other groups who are exempt from registering their phones. The first group are travellers including expats visiting Iran, foreign tourists and businesspeople/women visiting the country. They can use Iranian SIM Card on their phones for maximum 30 days (since the first day of using the SIM Card) without registering.

The second group are those who intend to use their foreign SIM Card when visiting Iran at the cost of paying a roaming charge.

How to Register my phone?

If you plan to purchase a brand new phone in Iran, you’ll need to register your phone’s IME (International Mobile Equipment Identity) on https://hamta.ntsw.ir  or through a USSD code in the following order.

1- Dial *7777#

2- Choose option number 2 (activation) and press SEND.

3- Enter your 15 digit IMEI code and press SEND again.

4- In this stage enter the mobile phone number which you plan to use on your phone and press SEND.

5- In this stage, you must enter the activation code which DOES NOT begin with 0. This code must be given to you from the shop you purchase your phone. Press Send after you entered the activation number.

6- In this stage, a confirmation window will appear saying that the phone with the given IMEI and mobile number will be registered. If it is correct, enter 1 (to confirm) and press SEND.

7- In the last step, a window will appear stating that the activation has been successful. A similar message will also be sent to you as via SMS.

But if you’re among the travellers who plan to use Iranian SIM Card for more than 30 days, you must register your phone at the airport’s Customs Office after paying import tax which will be determined by Customs’ officials.

However, if you did not register your phone at the airport, you can do the registration before the 30 day limit of using Iranian SIM Card on your phone via http://epl.irica.gov.ir/ImeiRegister?0. But as the platform is only in Persian and requires National ID number along with a Debit card issued by one of the Iranian banks, we recommend you register your phones at the airport for your convenience.

Does the plan apply to second-hand phones?

Yes indeed. If you plan to buy a used phone, keep in mind that the same registration process must be done for the used phone. So to start the process dial *77777# and this time instead of number 2, you should choose number 3 (transferring ownership) to continue.

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