These days, almost everybody needs their phone in their every routine task and an essential thing in our lives. Phones become even more important when you are traveling in a foreign county. You might need your phone more than ever to check the guidelines, search for places to visit, navigate your destinations by map, share your experience on social media, and use google translate to communicate with the locals. More importantly, you will need the internet on your phone to have access to the internet and stay in touch with your friends and family back at home. You will need to register your mobile phone in order to use it without any problems. Registering mobile phone in Iran will be one of the very first conflicts you might face. In this article, we will provide you with all the steps to see how to register a phone in Iran. 

How Can You Use Your Phone in Iran

While traveling around you have two options to use your phone. One way is to pay the roaming fees which is almost expensive and use your own Iran sim card; besides, you might not have access to mobile data and you can only use WiFi. Or you can buy an Iranian Sim Card and in case of using it for more than a month, you will need to register your cellphone. As a custom fee, you will need to pay a small fee for the process. But if you are not planning to stay more than 30 years, you don’t need to register your phone. 

Why Should I Register My Phone in Iran?

With the implementation of Iran’s National Mobile Registry Plan back in October 2017, people must register all new mobile phones to be eligible for use in Iran. This law is to fight smuggling phones to Iran. As a result, all the people who want to use their phones for more than one month in Iran will need to register their phones as a way to pay the customs fees. The good news is that foreign tourists visiting the country can use Iranian SIM Cards on their phones. However, you need to register your phone if you are going to stay more than 30 days.

You might be wondering how actually the 30 days count! Well, the 30 days would start from the moment you put the local SIM Card on your phone and turn it on for the very first time. That being said, your phone will stop working 30 days after it is turned on for the first time with an Iranian SIM Card. This means even if you stay in Iran for less than a month and plan to come back later and use the same phone, you can’t use it. In order to use it, you have to register through the HAMTA website.

If you’re among travelers who plan to use your mobile phone for more than 30 days or if you are traveling here for a second time with the same cell phone, you must register your mobile phone in Iran. Besides, you have to pay a registration fee which is based on the model and ROM of your mobile.

Note that the new law issued on August 9, 2020, indicates that only sim cards being activated for more than 20 days can be registered. That is to say that after buying and activating a sim card, one cannot register it not until 20 days passed from activation. The law for registering before 30 days stays input; meaning that you will need to register a sim card between 20 to 30 days of activation. Bear in mind that, you can register your phone either yourself, Tappersia’s operation team help, or by mobile operator shops. If you are looking to go to an operator’s shop, take your passport with you and they will take care of everything.

What You Need to Register your Phone in Iran 

• Your phone’s IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) – A 15 digit number that you can find in the phone’s box or on the phone settings under “Phone status-IMEI information” OR  get by dialing *#06#
• The sim card phone number you bought in Iran(purchased with your own passport ) – a code will be sent to your phone number in order to proceed with the registration
• Your passport number and your visa extension code (the 16 digit code that comes with your visa extension document)
• WiFi to access the website and to be able to pay the fees.

Online Mobile Registration; A Step by Step Instructions

Unfortunately, the process is in Persian but no worries. We will take the registration process step by step so that you will easily register the mobile phone all by yourself.

1. Go to the Islamic Republic of Iran customs administration (IRICA) website by clicking on this link.

2. Enter your phone’s IMEI 1 (code) in the field. IMEI is a 15 digit code that you can find both in your phone settings, or by dialing *#06#. It is notable that if your phone has two IMEI codes (two sim cards), click on the green + sign to see the second field; where you are supposed to enter your phone’s IMEI 2)

3. Enter the security code and now you will lead to the next step.

4. Now the information about your phone will be shown to you. In case you have entered the right IMEI, the information will be true and you can click on the orange bottom on the left (ادامه), meaning “to continue”. If the information is not correct, you might have entered the wrong IMEI. So, click on the orange bottom in right (بازگشت) to go back to the previous level.

5.  You must enter your device’s type (تلفن همراه), brand, model, and technical specifications, one after another, in the following fields. If you enter the fourth blank first –technical specification of your phone-, other parts will be filled automatically.

** The bottom on the right side of the page is for “back” and you can choose it whenever you wanted to go back. 

Click on the orange button on the left to go to the next step. You can see a filled sample of this step in the picture below.

6.   This section has four parts:

• The first field asks for the custom’s information (you should enter from which border have entered the country. For example Imam Khomeini Airport or the name of the port you have entered Iran.
• The second field is for your phone number.
• Then you should enter the 16-digit code given to each foreign visitor on their visa extension document (ID number).
• The last field is for the passport number. 

Be careful to enter all the information correctly since the information will be checked by Passport Police Officer and any error in the inserted information will cause banning registering your mobile phone in Iran.

 Click on the orange button entitled “ادامه” meaning “next” to go on to the next page. 

7.  Now, a code will be sent to your phone based on the number you have entered in the previous section. Fill the new field with the 4-letter security. Then click on the orange button on the left entitled “ادامه” on the left to go next.

8. Now all the information you have inserted will be shown to you and it asks for your final check to assert its correctness.

• In case you see any error, click on the blue bottom on the top-right of the page where you will be led to the first page to insert the information all over again. 
• If the information is correct, click on the orange bottom (پرداخت) to pay for the registration fee.
• If you do not want to proceed, just click on the red bottom (حذف) to cancel all the processes.

You will also receive a text message consisting of a link to pay in case you confront any failure while paying the process.  

 9. Enter your bank card field (included your 16-digit card number, your second passcode, or online passcode which you can obtain from your bank ATM, cvv2 which is on your card, and expiration date of your card). Click on the green button and finish the payment. remember that you will definitely need an Iranian debit card. You can ask a local to help you or you can easily apply for an Iranian tourist card through this link.

 At the end click on the green button to finalize the payment and go on to the next page. Now you are redirected to the IRICA website (custom’s website). As you can see there is a message indicating that your payment has been successfully done. We suggest taking a screenshot from this page.

Your information now has been successfully registered. Now click on the green bottom (ارسال اطلاعات به همتا= Send the information to HAMTA)

 Now, you will receive a text from HAMTA to link you to pay the HAMTA Service Fee (= 30,740 IRR). 

 How to Pay HAMTA Fee? 

a. You can click on the link to pay the fee and receive the activation code.

b. You can log in to your account in the HAMTA Platform and directly pay the fee and receive the code accordingly. You have to go through the following steps:

 I. Select the phone method and enter your phone number. Now click on the blue bottom (ورود= enter)

II. A SMS will be sent to your phone having a six-digit verification code. Enter the verification code that is sent to your phone number. And then the security code. Unfortunately, the security code is in Persian. Use the help of an Iranian friend to enter the security code. Click on the blue bottom (ورود= enter or log in)

III. Click on the option on the right side menu on the screen, labeled (اطلاعات ثبت مسافری= Travelers’s submitted information). Now click on the blue written text کلیک کنید (Click).

 IV. In this stage, a confirmation window will appear with your IMEI code, phone number & device information. Click “تایید و پرداخت” (= confirm & pay) if the information is correct.

V. With an Iranian debit card, fill the fields and pay the fee. Now enter the “پرداخت” (=pay) bottom.

You will then see this message” Your request has been successfully done. Press ok.

Your registration has been done successfully; you will receive a text message stating the registration of your phone.

To get your code and finalize these steps, click on “مشاهده کد فعالسازی دستگاه” (See the device’s activation code). You will be redirected to the traveler’s submitted information section. There it is! The six-digit code is your activation code.

Registering Mobile Phone in the Airport at the Customs Office

 You can also request for activation code at the customs office at the airport. After paying the fee, you will be handed a paper stating your information. Now, you can get your activation code via either Hamta USSD code or the website.

 a.  HAMTA USSD Code

1. For using the USSD option, dial *7777#, and press the call button

2. Enter the second option (Activation- فعالسازی) and press send

3. Enter your 15-digit IMEI code and press send

4. Enter your phone number and press send

5. Enter the 6-digit activation code that was sent to you via SMS by HAMTA Platform

6. In this stage, a confirmation window will appear with your IMEI code and phone number. To confirm, enter 1 and press send

7. In the last stage you will receive a message stating that the activation has been completed successfully

b. Use the Hamta website

1. Go to HAMTA and select the phone method and enter your phone number

2. You will receive a message with a verification code; enter that code. Use the help of a Persian friend to enter the security code (since the code is in Persian). Click on“ورود” (Enter).

3. Click on the second option on the right side menu on the screen, labeled “فعال سازی تلفن همراه” (Activating mobile phone).

4. In the first and second fields, enter your phone number. The device IMEI goes in the third field and the fourth field is for the activation code. Customs and Administrations website will send it to you after the payment.

5. In this stage, confirmation windows will appear with your IMEI code, phone number & device information. Click “تایید” (confirm) if the information is correct.

Registration has been done successfully and you will soon receive a text message confirming the registration of your phone.

 Notes:

•  Bear in mind that all the information inserted should be on your name. The sim card, the ID number, and passport number must be all in your name.  
•  As we mentioned above, you will not need to register your phone unless you are going to stay for more than a month. The counting date starts from the moment you put the sim card in your mobile and turn on the phone.
•  You should not be living in the country for more than three months; meaning that your entrance date to Iran on your passport must be less than three months.
•  Each traveler can only register their phone once a year. So no one will be able to register their mobile more than once a year.
•  Due to the sanctions, you will not be able to pay the costs via international credit cards and you will need either an Iranian debit card or ask a friend to pay on your behalf. We suggest you buy a TAP Persia Iran Tourist card or any other Iranian bank card to pay the fee
•  In case you needed help, TAP Persia Team is always available and online to help you out with all the processes.
• If you are worried about how and where to buy a sim card, Iran sim card article will be so helpful for you.

 In this article, we tried to provide all the ins and outs of registering mobile phones in Iran. We hope you found this article helpful. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact us via comment, online chat, call, or email. We would be happy to help you out in every way we can.