Iranian Arbaeen pilgrims exempted from paying departure tax

Iranian lawmakers exempted nationals leaving the country for Arbaeen pilgrimage in summer from paying departure tax.

Iranian lawmakers exempted nationals leaving the country for Arbaeen pilgrimage in summer from paying departure tax.

Discussing different articles of the budget bill of next Iranian calendar year (March 2019- March 2020) in an open session of the parliament on Saturday, the MPs approved the tax exemption for Arbaeen pilgrims.

A departure tax is a fee charged (under various names) by a country when a person is leaving the country.  

Arbaeen comes 40 days after Ashura, the martyrdom anniversary of the third Shia Imam, Imam Hussein (AS).

Each year, a huge crowd of Shias flock to Karbala, where the holy shrine of Imam Hussein (AS) is located, to perform mourning rites.

In the past few years, around 20 million pilgrims from all over the world took part in the mourning ceremonies in the Iraqi holy city marking Arbaeen.

Last year, over two million Iranians traveled to Iraq for Arbaeen.