Iraqi Kurdistan: Updates to Issuance of Residency Cards

The General Directorate of Citizenship and Residency issued new instructions for the processing and issuance of residency cards for foreign nationals in Iraqi Kurdistan. Foreign nationals can now change employers in country regardless of their job title category by submitting a residency card application sponsored by their new employer to the Ministry of Interior. Previously, in order to transfer sponsorship, foreign nationals had to cancel their residency card, exit Iraqi Kurdistan, apply for a new residency card under the sponsorship of their new employer, and then re-enter the country. Additionally, employers who owe fines to the Social Security Directorate for failure to register themselves and their employees must pay these fines in order to be issued additional residency cards for their foreign nationals; previously, residency cards were still issued to employers who had outstanding fines. Moreover, foreign nationals are now required to appear at the General Directorates of Citizenship and Residency in person when obtaining a new or renewed residency card, including obtaining a new card after having lost or damaged a previous one. Previously, this was not required as residency cards were collected in person by the Public Relations Officer by presenting a power of attorney on behalf of the foreign national.