Islamic Republic of Iran vs United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
A neutral side-by-side of immigration systems, routes and regulators. Each row links to the underlying visa page with its primary government source.
Last reviewed:
Islamic Republic of Iran
Iran publishes public non-immigrant visa guidance through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs eVisa portal and the MFA traveller pages. The source-backed packet covers visa-waiver tourism entry, tourist, entry, pilgrimage, education, temporary work, transit, media, investment, marital and medical visa categories, while avoiding unsupported permanent-residence or citizenship claims.
- Official portal
- Evisa Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran
- Languages
- Persian
- Currency
- Iranian rial
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
The UK runs a points-based work visa system anchored by the Skilled Worker route and the Global Talent route, alongside a Student route and a narrower set of family, investor and entrepreneur options. Most work routes require a Home Office–licensed sponsor.
- Official portal
- UK Home Office
- Languages
- English
- Currency
- Pound sterling
How Islamic Republic of Iran and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland differ
| Dimension | Islamic Republic of Iran | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland |
|---|---|---|
| Total routes covered | 11 | 12 |
| Routes without employer sponsor | 5 | 7 |
| Routes leading to permanent residence | 0 | 6 |
| Typical full settlement timeline | — | Arrival → ILR (5 years) → citizenship (6 years). Faster on Global Talent / Innovator Founder (3 years to ILR). |
| Dominant skilled visa | Temporary Work Visa | Skilled Worker visa |
| Skilled visa salary minimum | — | £41,700/year |
| Skilled visa processing time | — | GOV.UK publishes 3 weeks as the typical decision window for Skilled Worker visa applications made outside the UK. |
| Skilled visa government fees | — | The UK Skilled Worker visa costs around £3,950 in government fees for a single applicant on a 3-year grant at the general rate, dominated by the £1,035/year Immigration Health Surcharge. |
| Official languages | Persian | English |
| Currency | Iranian rial | Pound sterling |
| Primary regulator | MFA | IAA |
| Policy changes (last 12 months) | 0 | 5 |
Skilled-route head-to-head
Comparing each country’s most-used skilled-migration route side by side.
Islamic Republic of Iran
Temporary Work Visa
- Salary minimum
- —
- Government fees
- —
- Processing time
- —
- Sponsor required
- Yes
- Leads to settlement
- No
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Skilled Worker visa
- Salary minimum
- £41,700/year
- Government fees
- The UK Skilled Worker visa costs around £3,950 in government fees for a single applicant on a 3-year grant at the general rate, dominated by the £1,035/year Immigration Health Surcharge.
- Processing time
- GOV.UK publishes 3 weeks as the typical decision window for Skilled Worker visa applications made outside the UK.
- Sponsor required
- Yes
- Leads to settlement
- Yes
Recent policy activity
Last 6 months. Each entry links to its primary government source.
- 27 June 2026United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
UK announces capped refugee sponsorship routes for communities, universities and employers
The Home Office has announced new capped safe-and-legal refugee sponsorship routes, with community and university sponsorship expected first and employer sponsorship expected later.
BBC News / Home Office reporting - 8 April 2026United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
UK: Skilled Worker English raised to B2, CoS fee £525, Immigration Skills Charge up 32%
A run of Skilled Worker changes from late 2025 into early 2026 raised the language bar, sponsor costs, and tightened salary assessment.
UK Home Office
Routes unique to Islamic Republic of Iran
Routes unique to United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Visa routes side by side
Islamic Republic of Iran (11)
Visa-Waiver Tourism Entry
No sponsor · Non-settlement · Up to 15 days for the MFA-listed ordinary-passport tourism waiver; other bilateral waivers depend on the nationality-specific rule.
Tourist Visa
No sponsor · Non-settlement · Validity and permitted stay are shown on the issued visa; confirm the grant terms before travel.
Entry Visa
Sponsor · Non-settlement · Validity and permitted stay are shown on the issued visa or mission instruction.
Pilgrimage Visa
No sponsor · Non-settlement · Validity and stay length are shown on the issued pilgrimage visa.
Education Visa
Sponsor · Non-settlement · Validity and stay conditions are set by the issued visa and the Iranian academic or ministry approval.
Temporary Work Visa
Sponsor · Non-settlement · Validity and work conditions are set by the issued visa and the approved labour certificate.
Transit Visa
No sponsor · Non-settlement · Transit-only permission; validity and transit stay are shown on the issued visa.
Media Visa
Sponsor · Non-settlement · Validity and conditions are shown on the issued media visa and permit.
Investment Visa
Sponsor · Non-settlement · Validity and conditions are shown on the issued visa and investment approval.
Marital Visa
No sponsor · Non-settlement · Validity and stay conditions are shown on the issued marital visa.
Medical Visa
Sponsor · Non-settlement · Validity and stay conditions are shown on the issued medical visa and treatment approval.
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (12)
Skilled Worker visa
Sponsor · Leads to settlement · Up to 5 years on initial grant, extendable; leads to settlement after continuous residence.
Health and Care Worker visa
Sponsor · Leads to settlement · Up to 5 years on initial grant; leads to settlement after 5 years continuous residence.
Global Talent visa
No sponsor · Leads to settlement · Up to 5 years per grant; leads to settlement after 3 or 5 years depending on endorsement type.
Graduate visa
No sponsor · Non-settlement · 2 years (3 years for doctoral graduates); non-extendable.
High Potential Individual visa
No sponsor · Non-settlement · 2 years (3 years for PhD graduates). Non-extendable.
Innovator Founder visa
No sponsor · Leads to settlement · 3 years per grant; extendable. Leads to settlement after 3 years.
Scale-up visa
Sponsor · Leads to settlement · 2 years; extendable; leads to settlement after 5 years.
Youth Mobility Scheme visa
No sponsor · Non-settlement · 2 years (3 years for specified partners such as New Zealand). Non-extendable.
Student visa
Sponsor · Non-settlement · Varies with course — up to length of course plus a short wrap-around.
Family visa (partner/spouse)
No sponsor · Leads to settlement · Initial 2.5 years then extension to 5 years total; leads to settlement.
Standard Visitor visa
No sponsor · Non-settlement · Up to 6 months per visit; long-term visitor visas valid 2, 5, or 10 years (each stay still 6 months max).
Refugee Sponsorship Route (announced)
Sponsor · Settlement not final · Not yet published; announced as capped safe-and-legal refugee routes with sponsorship as the primary resettlement mechanism.
Frequently asked questions
Which country has an easier skilled-migration route, Islamic Republic of Iran or United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?+
Islamic Republic of Iran’s Temporary Work Visa is the dominant skilled route; United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland’s Skilled Worker visa requires £41,700/year. “Easier” depends on your salary, sponsor situation, and nationality — see each visa’s eligibility detail.
Which immigration system has changed more recently, Islamic Republic of Iran or United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?+
In the last 6 months: 0 logged policy changes for Islamic Republic of Iran, 2 for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. See the recent-policy section above for the details, each linked to its primary source.
Does Islamic Republic of Iran or United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland have more visa routes without an employer sponsor?+
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has more: 7 of its covered routes can be pursued without an employer sponsor, against 5 for Islamic Republic of Iran. No-sponsor routes — such as digital-nomad, self-employment, and points-based skilled migration — matter most if you do not yet have a job offer.