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I am actually a traveler but need the hosts` point of view. I also want to be a host in the future especially to help people like myself.
I am iranian and as you may know airbnb does not accept iranian phone number for verification (we cannot be host too). I can ask a friend to send the messages but I fear it might be illegal. I use my own passport to verify myself, I also use my own credit card, but I cannot use my phone number.
I had two questions:
Is it illegal? I do not want to make a problem for my friend or the host.
Your absolutly right. I just wanted to know that is it allowed by Airbnb or not? I do not know the contract conditions you have as a host. I have not seen anywhere that the phone number must belong to the guest but maybe I am wrong.
I expect the contract conditions to differ according to which country you’re based in. For example I remember @faheem who is hosting in India having to comply with something which isn’t an issue for me as a UK London based host. There will be conditions in the US that I would not be aware of.
I didn’t know that. Yes you’ll have to call them. You could get away with using a friend’s number I would imagine but your hosts will have to know your real number in case they need to contact you (by which I mean the number of the phone you are travelling with).
My friend will surely send and receive all messages. There is no problem about that. I also provide my Passport for verification.
But the number, will only be for someone else. I do not ask someone to book for me which is prohibited. I only use someone else as a corridor to communicate. One of my friends bought a sim card from Dubai and uses it. But I do not have that option too.
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I don’t know Airbnb’s position on guests using other people’s phone numbers. I know that guests with incorrect phone numbers on their profiles have been problematic for me. I’ve had a handful of guests who don’t respond to messages on the Airbnb email system and have an invalid phone number on their profile. This leaves me no way to contact them.
If I understand correctly; it won’t be your phone number. That means that if the host needs to contact you and you aren’t checking Airbnb email, the host will have to talk to your friend and ask him/her to ask you to return the call. I would find this irritating.
No it is not mine but its diverted to me. So I receive it instantly and respond it instantly.
It is not only registered for me. I check it but it is only registered for some one else. But everything else, credit card and passport are all mine.
It’s really too bad there are sanctions. Your country is on our bucket list! I must say all the Persians I have ever met were so incredibly friendly and welcoming. One day I hope!!!
Thank you so much. I am happy you think this way.
This is really sad but I think things would be better. I wanted to be a host myself if I could. I wanted to meet new people and learn about their culture but it is impossible.
I hope that day comes soon.
You are welcome! I just hate the way politics divide us! We were looking into visiting Iran and just ran into roadblock after roadblock. Until things change (hopefully since you have a new leader? ) and if the US can get rid of our ghastly orange buffoon, we can start exchanging tourists!!!
Well thank you so much.
About roadblocks, you are right. I apologize, I wish you had better experience. I hope you enjoy it more next time.
Political structure in Iran is complicated, there is one supreme leader which is not changed until he dies. But president who is elected is more or less moderate. I hope things get better. For both countries.
Oh we never got to go, I meant roadblocks in the metaphorical sense… The sanctions block all credit cards so you have to carry huge amounts of cash. Also you need to apply for a special sort of visa and I am not sure a lot of airlines service the country.
I’m probably sooo much older than you but when I was at university I studied with several Persians who were on study abroad. This was like one year before the revolution, but they were all aware of what was starting to go down. One had said the government had seized all of their assets. Anyway, we’d hang out with them, they were lively, hip and fun!
Oh, well what a misunderstanding .
Yes revolution changed everything many people lost everything some gain many thing. Anyway if we were allowed to be host in Airbnb I would be really happy to be your host. Thanks for kind comments.
Say, how did you do that?!! All the replies to the OP are to “AB1” and his account profile pic is a yellow-green letter A, but you addressed him by what must be his real name which doesn’t appear in his account profile and it has a pink letter A.
The sanctions block all credit cards so you have to carry huge amounts of cash. Also you need to apply for a special sort of visa and I am not sure a lot of airlines service the country.
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