IELTS Abroad for Iranians After the 2026 Test Suspensions: Where, Cost and How to Pay
Since late August 2026, TOEFL, GRE and the Duolingo English Test have been closed to people living in Iran, and the last IELTS inside Iran was held on 31 January 2026. The route that remains is IELTS at a test centre abroad, and Istanbul and Yerevan are the closest. This guide covers what closed and when (with official sources), the official IELTS fees in Turkey and Armenia, how to book, and how to pay the fee from Iran.
English tests for Iranian candidates
IELTS in Istanbul and Yerevan: cost, booking and payment
This article at a glance
- TOEFL and GRE: ETS can't process registrations or payments for people ordinarily resident in Iran, even for a test appointment outside the country.
- Duolingo English Test: its own help centre says it is unavailable in Iran and for users with Iranian IDs.
- IELTS inside Iran: the last test was on 31 January 2026; IDP says IELTS results are still accepted everywhere in the world.
- IELTS abroad is open: IDP and the British Council both test in Istanbul and Yerevan, Iranian passport holders enter both countries without a visa, and the fee is paid in lira or dram by international card.
- Rima pays the registration fee for a flat $2 per order and the receipt is issued in the candidate's name. You make the booking yourself, with your own real details.
What exactly closed, and when
Three separate decisions, by three organisations, for three different reasons. They're often lumped together, but they don't leave you in the same place:
Last checked: September 29, 2026
| Test | What changed | When | Official source |
|---|---|---|---|
| IELTS inside Iran | IDP stopped IELTS testing in Iran, citing "financial and regulatory factors" outside its control. Confirmed bookings went ahead, and IELTS results are still accepted everywhere in the world. | Last test: 31 January 2026 | IDP Iran |
| TOEFL and GRE | OFAC suspended General License G, which had authorized TOEFL and GRE testing and related educational services in Iran. ETS cancelled every appointment inside Iran and can't process registrations or payments for Iran residents, even for a test abroad. | Licence suspended: 24 August 2026 · Iran appointments cancelled by 8 September | ETS · OFAC |
| Duolingo English Test | Duolingo's help centre says the test is unavailable in Iran and for users with Iranian IDs. | Help-centre article dated 25 August 2026 | Duolingo |
The licence date is from OFAC's own page. ETS also says that from 9 September 2026 it can't process new TOEFL or GRE score-report requests for test takers residing in Iran — worth knowing if you hold an older score you haven't sent yet.
ETS's sentence, verbatim
“ETS is unable to process registrations or payments associated with individuals who are ordinarily resident in Iran, including for a test appointment outside the country.”
The test is residence, not nationality. ETS says on the same page that Iranian nationality alone doesn't prevent testing at a centre outside Iran — that is about an Iranian who genuinely lives abroad. For someone who lives in Iran, a trip to Yerevan or Istanbul changes nothing.
Declaring a false residence is not a route, and this article doesn't suggest any way around the rule.
What remains open
IELTS isn't an ETS product, and it stopped in Iran for a different reason. On the official IELTS pages we read for this guide, we found no restriction on an Iranian candidate booking at a centre outside Iran; IDP Turkey asks for a valid ID or passport at booking and the same document on test day. So today the main route is IELTS in a neighbouring country.
Turkey and Armenia
The closest options, both visa-free on an Iranian passport. Details in the table below.
Georgia, the UAE and Iraq
Official IELTS pages list test centres in Tbilisi; in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah; and in Baghdad, Erbil and Sulaimaniyah. Entry rules for Iranian passports differ between these countries and change, so they are not in the table — check the destination's official source before booking.
PTE, LanguageCert and the Oxford Test of English
We couldn't confirm their current policy for Iran residents on their own sites. Ask the provider directly before paying anything.
IELTS in Turkey and Armenia: official fees and conditions
Fees are taken from the official IDP and IELTS pages, in the local currency you pay at booking:
Last checked: September 29, 2026
| Item | Turkey (Istanbul) | Armenia (Yerevan) |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS Academic or General Training (computer) | IDP: TRY 12,210 · British Council Istanbul: TRY 12,000 | IDP and British Council: AMD 112,100 |
| IELTS for UKVI (computer) | IDP: TRY 13,500 · British Council Istanbul: TRY 13,220 | British Council: AMD 122,000 |
| Entry on an Iranian passport | Visa-free, up to 90 days (Turkish MFA) | Visa-free; Iran is on the Armenian MFA's official visa-free list |
| IDP venues | Five in Istanbul, on both sides of the city | One in Yerevan |
| Sessions | Several a day across venues | Several a week |
| Computer-test results | 1 to 5 days | 1 to 5 days |
| Paying in the online booking | Credit card or transfer in the booking system (or cash at an IDP office) | Credit card (IDP) |
IELTS itself says fees may change and may be subject to local tax; the binding figure is the one the booking page shows at payment. We don't print a Toman figure because the exchange rate moves daily. Entry rules can change too — before buying a ticket, check the current conditions (including the permitted stay in Armenia and passport validity) with that country's official source.
Armenia or Turkey?
Istanbul
More venues and sessions, both IDP and the British Council, and UKVI at both. If you need a specific date or your deadline is close, you're more likely to find a slot. Visa-free for up to 90 days.
Yerevan
Fewer venues but several sessions a week, priced in dram. The British Council in Yerevan also runs IELTS for UKVI. If Yerevan is the easier trip for you, it's a complete option.
Three things decide it: which city has a free slot before your deadline; the version you need (if it's IELTS for UKVI, make sure that centre runs it); and the cost and time of the trip from your own city.
Booking IELTS abroad, step by step
- 1
Pick the right version
Academic, General Training or IELTS for UKVI — whichever your destination asks for (see the Canada and UK section below). The wrong version means paying twice.
- 2
Choose the centre and date on the official site
Use the IDP or British Council site for that country, not a middleman. Leave time: IDP Turkey closes registration for a computer test 3 days before it, and Rima's commitment ceiling for making the payment is 24 hours — so start a few days early.
- 3
Book it yourself, with your real details
Enter your name exactly as it appears in your passport, same order and Latin spelling. IDP Armenia asks for a colour scan of your passport when booking online, and IDP Turkey says to bring the same ID you registered with on test day.
- 4
At the payment step, take the link or reference
The portal's payment link or your test reference, plus the candidate's name as it appears on their documents — that is what goes into the Rima order.
- 5
Keep the receipt and the confirmation email
After payment the receipt is issued in the candidate's name. Keep the test centre's confirmation email too, and bring the same passport on test day.
Paying the IELTS registration fee from Iran
Online IELTS bookings in Turkey and Armenia are paid by credit card, and an Iranian bank card isn't accepted there. Rima pays the amount on your behalf; it doesn't fill in the booking and has no part in the test itself.
- Fee:
- $2 per order — flat, not a percentage; an IELTS registration carries the same fee as any other amount on this service.
- What you provide:
- The portal's payment link or your test reference, and the candidate's name as it appears on their documents.
- Currency:
- The exam is priced in lira or dram, but this service's order form takes the amount in US dollars, so the order is entered as the dollar equivalent at the day's rate. If you're unsure of the equivalent, ask before ordering.
- Toman total:
- The Toman equivalent is calculated at the day's rate plus the flat fee and shown before you pay.
- Receipt:
- The payment is made and its receipt, in the candidate's name, is filed for you; the order status stays in your panel with its date.
- If the payment can't be made:
- Your money comes back. The exam fee itself follows the test centre's cancellation rules (next section).
- Timing and limits:
- The commitment ceiling is 24 hours; if the registration deadline is close, say so up front. Each order is between $5 to $500.
The fee and limits above are read from the same pricing row the order is priced from. The full, always-current table is on the application-fee service page.
Order the IELTS fee paymentCancelling, rescheduling and refunds
Whether the exam fee comes back is decided by the test centre under its own rules, not by Rima. For example, IDP Turkey's official policy for the main test (Listening, Reading and Writing):
Last checked: September 29, 2026
| When | IDP Turkey rule |
|---|---|
| 15 days or more before the test | Rescheduling is free; if you cancel, 75% of the fee paid can be claimed. |
| 5 to 14 days before | Rescheduling may carry an admin fee of up to 25% of the fee; you can cancel, but the fee is non-refundable. |
| 4 days or less before | Rescheduling isn't permitted, and a request is treated as a cancellation. |
| Not attending, no notice | The full test fee is lost. |
| Serious illness, documented | With evidence within 5 days of the test date: a refund minus the local administrative cost. |
The British Council and the Armenian centres have their own rules; read that organiser's cancellation page before paying. If you think you might cancel, ask Rima before ordering how a refund from the test centre would reach you.
Which test do Canada and the UK accept?
Canada
Immigration (Express Entry): of IELTS, IRCC accepts only IELTS General Training, not Academic, and doesn't accept One Skill Retake for Express Entry. The other two tests on its list are CELPIP-General and PTE Core. Results must be less than 2 years old both when you create the profile and when you submit the permanent-residence application.
Study: the test and score are set by the college or university in its own admission requirements — check that institution's admissions page.
United Kingdom
Where a visa needs a Secure English Language Test (SELT), the IELTS options are IELTS for UKVI or IELTS Life Skills only, and the test must be sat at an approved location — before booking, make sure the Istanbul or Yerevan centre is approved for UKVI.
Student visa at degree level: GOV.UK says your Higher Education Provider can assess your English itself and may ask for a different test; the level must be equivalent to CEFR B2. So check exactly what your university asks for first.
After the result, the next payment is usually the visa fee; for Canada see our Canada visa and biometrics fee guide, and to pay it, embassy and visa fee payment.
Frequently asked questions
Is TOEFL still held in Iran?
No. ETS says every TOEFL and GRE appointment inside Iran was cancelled by 8 September 2026, and there is currently no confirmed timeline for resuming. For cancelled appointments paid directly through an ETS account, ETS says a full refund goes to the original form of payment.
Can I take TOEFL in Armenia or Turkey on an Iranian passport?
Not if you live in Iran. ETS can't process registrations or payments for people ordinarily resident in Iran, "including for a test appointment outside the country". The test is residence, not passport: ETS says Iranian nationality alone doesn't stop someone who genuinely lives outside Iran from testing. Travelling for the test doesn't make you resident somewhere else.
Can I take Duolingo with a VPN, or from outside Iran?
No. Duolingo's help centre says the test is unavailable in Iran and for users with Iranian IDs, so this isn't only about where you connect from. A VPN or someone else's ID breaks the provider's own rules, and this article doesn't suggest any way around them.
Is an IELTS result from Turkey or Armenia valid for Canada?
IRCC's page sets conditions on the version and the age of the result, and says nothing about the country you sat it in: for Express Entry it must be IELTS General Training and less than 2 years old. IDP's own notice on ending testing in Iran also says IELTS results are still accepted everywhere in the world.
How do I pay an IELTS registration in Turkey or Armenia from Iran?
Through Rima's application-fee service: you enter the payment link or test reference and the candidate's name as on their documents, the order is entered as the dollar equivalent, and the Toman total — the day's rate plus the fee (a flat $2 per order) — is shown before you pay. The receipt is issued in the candidate's name, and if the payment can't be made, your money comes back.
Booked your test? Pay the fee with an Iranian bank card
Enter the payment link or test reference and the candidate's name, and see the final amount before you pay. The fee is flat and the receipt is issued in the candidate's name.
Read next
Sources
- IDP Iran — IELTS announcement
- ETS — Update on TOEFL & GRE Testing in Iran
- OFAC — Recent action of August 24, 2026 (Iran General License G suspended)
- Duolingo English Test Help Center — Is The Duolingo English Test available in Iran?
- IDP IELTS Turkey — Booking, ID, payment methods and fees
- IDP IELTS Turkey — Istanbul venues and sessions
- IELTS — British Council test centre, Istanbul (fees)
- IDP IELTS Turkey — Reschedule and cancellation
- IDP IELTS Armenia — Venues and online booking
- IDP IELTS Armenia — Yerevan sessions
- IELTS — British Council Armenia test centre (fees)
- Republic of Türkiye MFA — Visa information for foreigners
- Armenian MFA — Countries with a visa-free regime
- IELTS — British Council test centre, Tbilisi
- IDP IELTS UAE — Test centres
- IDP IELTS Iraq — Test centres
- IRCC — Language tests accepted for Express Entry
- GOV.UK — Secure English Language Test (SELT)
- GOV.UK — Student visa: knowledge of English
- Rima application-fee payment service (steps, fee, timing and limits)
Official pages were checked on September 29, 2026 and may change. Statements attributed to organisations are paraphrased, except the ETS sentence, which is quoted in full. IELTS, TOEFL, GRE and the Duolingo English Test are marks of their owners, and this article is not endorsed by any of them.