Getting into Iraq is more straightforward than most people expect. There are three routes in, and which one applies to you depends on your passport.
Most visitors now arrive on a visa issued at the airport. A growing number of nationalities can apply online before they fly, and everyone else applies through an Iraqi embassy or consulate — a slower route, but a well-worn one.
One federal visa covers the whole country, including the Kurdistan Region. The reverse is not true: a visa issued by the Kurdistan Regional Government is valid only in the Region and does not admit you to federal Iraq.
Citizens of a long list of countries — the EU states, the UK, the US, Canada, Australia and others — can be issued a visa at the counter on landing at Baghdad, Erbil, Basra or Najaf. Allow thirty to sixty minutes, longer when several flights land together.
Selected nationalities can apply through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs portal and arrive with approval already in hand. Worth doing if your itinerary is tight or your carrier asks to see a visa at check-in.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs portalIf neither route covers your passport, you apply in person or by post through the nearest Iraqi embassy or consulate. Requirements vary by mission and by visa class, so ask them directly rather than relying on a summary — including this one.
Ask us about your caseUsually between thirty and sixty minutes, depending on how many flights have just landed. Having the fee ready in exact change speeds it up more than anything else.
It is not demanded of every nationality at the border, but travel here without it is a bad idea. Check that your policy names Iraq explicitly and that it covers medical evacuation.
Yes. A federal visa, including one issued on arrival, is valid across the whole country. A Kurdistan-issued visa is not — it covers the Region only.
Not as a matter of law in most of the country, but outside the Kurdistan Region a reputable operator makes the practical side — checkpoints, permits at archaeological sites, drivers who know the roads — very much easier.
Entry rules, fees, opening hours and road conditions all change. Treat this as a starting point and confirm the detail with your nearest Iraqi embassy or your operator before you book.
Next stepSafety & securityTell us your dates and interests, and the travel desk will come back with a full itinerary — guides, permits and everything in between, settled together on WhatsApp.