The Kurdistan Regional Government launched an electronic visa portal that allows foreign nationals to apply for an electronic visa (e-visa) valid for 90 days from the date of issuance for stays of up to 30 days for tourism, education, business or work. The e-visa cannot be used for travel into Federal Iraq and costs IQD 100,000 (approximately USD 70). Applicants’ passports must be valid for a minimum of six months at the time of application and contain at least one blank page. Individuals carrying a passport or travel document stating that their place of birth is Iraq are not required to apply for the e-visa. Nationals from countries on Country List A can obtain an e-visa in advance or on arrival and their application will be processed immediately. If obtaining the visa-on-arrival, they must pay the fee using a Visa or Mastercard credit card at the airport, as cash payments are no longer accepted. Nationals of countries listed on Country List B must have their guarantor apply for the e-visa on their behalf. The guarantor is a sponsor registered with the Ministry of Interior, such as a law firm or a manpower company, who supports the application process by providing a unique verification code and arranging payment for the visa on the applicant’s behalf. Once the application is completed online, the guarantor will receive a notification on its status within five business days and if approved, the e-Visa will be issued accordingly. Foreign visitors traveling to Iraqi Kurdistan at the invitation of oil and gas companies or as government contractors must obtain a pre-approval from the relevant ministry (typically the Ministry of Natural Resources) before they submit their visa application in-person with the Ministry of Interior.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].
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