Visa Information (Kurdistan Region of Iraq only)

Who Should Apply for a Visa:

Effective March 1, 2023, all travelers traveling to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, will require a visa. Some nationalities may obtain a visa within minutes (online), while others will need to go through a longer process. Please check which country your passport was issued and apply via that process.

Exempt Travelers: If your place of birth is in Iraq, regardless of your passport, you do not need a visa. If you have accompanying minors or adults (i.e. your children) and their birthplace is not Iraq, but yours is, they do not need a visa either. Please skip to the FAQ section at the bottom of this page. To print a visa clearance letter for persons born in Iraq or children of parents who were born in Iraq, if even such children are born abroad, you may print this EXEMPTION LETTER and present it to the ticketing counter agent in order upon your check-in.

Online Visa For Limited Nationalities: If your passport is issued by the countries on LIST A, including, Albania, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holy See (Vatican City State), Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and the United States, to apply for your visa online, CLICK HERE.

Must Apply for Visa Nationalities: If your passport is issued by the countries on LIST B, including, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Democratic Republic of the, Congo, Republic of (Brazzaville), Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Curacao, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Faroe Islands, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, Kosovo (Republic of), Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of (North), Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Macau, North Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Burma, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Northern Mariana Islands, Oman, Palau, Palestine, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda, Saint-Barthélemy, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland (Eswatini), Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste (East Timor), Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Ukraine, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Islands (U.S.), Western Sahara, Zambia, Zimbabwe, United Nations specialized agency official, you will need to apply for a visa through the KRG Representation in the United States, based in Washington. This includes green card and other permanent resident document holders (i.e. travel documents). See the following section for instructions on how to apply.

Do Not Apply Nationalities: If your country is not listed in either of those lists (A or B), including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Egypt, Ethiopia, Guatemala, India, Kenya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, Uganda, or Yemen, KRG is unable to issue a visa at this time. We apologize for any inconvenience. If you work for one of the international institutions or NGOs and need to visit the Kurdistan Region for work, please contact us at consular@us.gov.krd and explain your affiliation and purpose of the visit along with proof of documentation.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Applying for a Visa [For passport holders on LIST B].

READ BEFORE PROCEEDING: Your passport must be from the countries on LIST B and be based in the US or Canada to proceed. If you are not, please skip this section and contact one of the authorized visa agencies based in the Kurdistan Region to help you with the application. See the table below.

1. Fill out the visa application form, CLICK HERE...
2. Pay for your visa application ($72.26 USD). You can pay with a Visa/Master Card, Google Pay, Cash App, or PayPal. Click below to pay with your preferred option:

• Click here to Pay with PayPal
• Click here to pay with a Visa Card, Master Card, Google Pay, or Cash App
• Scan the QR code below to pay with your phone

Processing Timeframe Note: Your visa request will be sent to the KRG Ministry of Interior (MOI) for processing. Once processed, we will inform you via the email address provided. Please allow up to 15 business days from the date of your application submission for processing. A visa page that contains your information along with a unique QR barcode will be emailed to you. Upon arrival or point of entry, a Customs officer will have all your information and an entry stamp will be granted on-site. Rejection or denial of a visa is not subject to any refunds.

----------------------------------------------------------------

If your passport is from the countries on LIST B and you are not based in the United States or Canada, you must contact one of the following authorized visa agencies to assist you with the application:

 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):

Q. I was born in Iraq and my passport says the place of birth is Iraq, do I need a visa?
No. If your place of birth is Iraq, regardless of what nationality passport you hold, you do not need a visa.

Q. I was born in Iraq, but my children were born abroad, do they need visas?
No. If you have accompanying minors or adults (i.e. your children) and their birthplace is not Iraq, but yours is, they do not need a visa either. However, at least one parent who was born in Iraq must accompany minors/adult children.

Q. I have a US/Canadian travel document and I was born in Iraq, do I need to apply for a visa?
It depends. If you were born in Iraq and your travel document says place of birth in Iraq, you do not need a visa. But there is one more condition you must meet: you must have an original Iraqi ID with you to get on a plane. If you need the visa, you must apply through the KRG Representation in Washington. You must be based in the US or Canada.

Q. I have a US/Canadian travel document, but I was not born in Iraq, do I need to apply for a visa?
Yes. You must apply through the KRG Representation in Washington. You must be based in the US or Canada.

No. If you have accompanying minors or adults (i.e. your children) and their birthplace is not Iraq, but yours is, they do not need a visa either. However, at least one parent who was born in Iraq must accompany minors/adult children.

Q. Do I need to be COVID-19 vaccinated or have a negative PCR test to travel to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq?

As of April 1, 2022, fully vaccinated Iraqi and foreign travelers will no longer need to present a recent negative PCR test ahead of traveling or at arrival. Travelers above the age of 12 who have received one dose of Johnson & Johnson, or two doses of any other vaccine will no longer require evidence of a recent negative PCR test when traveling to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. In cases where an individual has not or cannot receive the COVID-19 vaccine, proof of a negative PCR test done within 72 hours of flight departure will be required. Travelers under the age of 12 are exempt from both, the PCR test and the COVID-19 vaccine.

Q. My country is not listed in the list above. What should I do?
Please check both lists (A and B). If your country/nationality is not listed in any of those lists, it is likely one of those countries that are not eligible for the visa, as determined by the KRG authorities. 

Q. What is the visa jurisdiction (where can I go with this visa)?
This visa applies to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq jurisdiction ONLY. A visa for travel to the rest of Iraq may be obtained through the Embassy of Iraq.

Q. How much does the visa cost and how can I pay?
The fee for a visa is $72.26 (USD). You can pay it with PayPal using your Visa or Master Card

Q. How long should I have left on my passport expiration date before I can travel? 
Your passport must be valid for a minimum of six months from the date of entry into the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. If your passport will expire within six months of entry, do not travel. Instead, renew your passport/travel document first.

Q. For how long can I stay in the Kurdistan Region with my visa?

A default 30-day visa is granted. Should you need to extend your stay beyond 30 days, you can do so for up to 90 days. You may visit any of the three KRG Residency Offices (click here for location), in Erbil, Duhok, or Sulaimania. The visit visa is extendable and can be converted to a work visa beyond 90 days. This extension can be applied twice, not more than 90 days in total. KRG Residency Office will be able to give you additional information.

Q. After I receive my visa, how long do I have, to travel before it expires?
When you receive your visa, you have 90 days to travel to the Kurdistan Region from the date of your visa issuance. If 90 days lapse and you have not traveled, you'll need to apply for another visa.

Q. Is the KRG tourist visa single or multi-entry?
Single entry visa.

Q. Could I use the KRG visa to visit the rest of Iraq, outside of the KRG Administration areas? 
No. You should first apply for and obtain an Iraqi visa and then travel to the rest of Iraq. Otherwise, you could find yourself deported back to your home country; or at worse face criminal charges. 

Q. Will I get refunded if my visa request is denied by the Ministry of Interior?
No. Once the application is submitted, the approval and denial are strictly at the discretion of the Ministry of Interior. We are unable to issue any refunds.

----------------------------------------------------------------

For questions or assistance, please contact Tara Hamawandi at [tara.hamawandi@us.gov.krd] or call (+1) 202-821-1853.