Tehran Travel Forum

I am half-Iranian - my mother is Iranian - and I have travelled to Iran many times as a child on my British passport with a visa. Now that I'm older I am interested in getting an Iranian passport so that I could live and work in Iran. My Mum tells me I can't get one (and why would I want one) as she is the Iranian parent and not my father. Does anyone know if this is the case? If not, how would I go about getting myself a passport?
I should probably add that although my Dad is British, my parents are actually married under Islamic law. I'm hoping that this would make a difference. Any help would be gratefully received.
Thanking you in advance!

The simplest thing to do (and the one which will receive a firm and accurate answer) is to contact the Iranian Embassy in London.

http://www.iran-embassy.org.uk/?l=e

You could email them on info@iran-embassy.org.uk

or phone them on 020 7225 3000

or write to them at

Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran
16 Prince´s Gate
London SW7 1PT

first you should get Iranian citizenship then you might be (not you are) eligible to have Iranian passport. follow leics's indications and you'll know how to do it, no other way.

Your mother is quite right - Iranian women cannot pass on their nationality to their children or spouses. As the child of a NON-Iranian father, under Article 976(5) of the Iranian Civil Code, you would have been entitled to citizenship as of right ONLY if a) you were born in Iran (which you don't mention) and b) you lived there from then until 1 year after your 18th birthday.
You can, however, like any other foreigner, obtain Iranian citizenship after five years of residence in Iran - this means you have things the wrong way round, you would have to find a job (which means finding an employer prepared to obtain a work permit for you as a foreigner) and establish residence in Iran before you could apply for citizenship, not obtain citizenship in order to live and work there.
See also Article 42 of the Iranian Constitution: if granted Iranian citizenship which you enter into by choice rather than as of right, you may have to give up your British citizenship (http://www.iranchamber.com/government/laws/constitution_ch03.php).

Hi,
Thanks for all your helpful comments. Unfortunately a few minutes after I posted this question I found out that gaminari is right and that as the child of a non-Iranian man, I am not entitiled to a passport.
Oh, well! It doesn't stop me from visiting.
Thanks again everyone

let's know Iranian Embassy your mother is Iranian, it may make easier to get a Visa.

i am mohammd from iran, i think you can do but i have to check with some of my friends. i will find for you.

Listen, im in your situation. However, my father is iranian and my mother swedish. I can tell you this. Dont waste your time on trying to get a iranian passport. It will bring you more problems then befinit. You cant tell me 1 good reason why you would want a iranian passport. Just because it has no value on this planet. You cant travel to some other country that your british passport cant do. Insted you will face 10x more problems going to other countries, when you write you are also iranian citizen in your visa application. And being in Iran as a foreign is 10x times better than being a iranian citizen. You can still work in Iran under business visa.