Visa

Firstly:  Documents required of Iraqis residing in the United Kingdom

1- Filling out an application form electronically (online) of all fields, especially the address in Iraq. (neighbourhood, street, house number) and the telephone number.

2- (2) Recent personal photo

3- A valid passport for a period of 6 months minimum.

4- The presence of the applicant personally to the Consular Section to apply for a visa is essential.

5- Providing photo copies of the passport and Iraqi documents if the applicant of Iraqi origin, provided that the name of the Iraqi documents is identical to the foreign passport.  In this case the applicant is exempted from the visa fee of which is £ 50.

6- To get the application form click here

Conditions and Instructions for Travel to Iraq and Granting Visa

1- Foreign passport holders can enter Iraq directly without the need for a visa if he/she has Iraqi documents. (If traveling directly to Iraq)

2- The visa is granted to applicants whose place of birth is Iraq provided that they submit a document proving that he was born in Iraq, such as birth certificate, as recorded in the passport in place of birth field.

3- The visa is granted to the wives of Iraqi who are foreigners, provided that they submit the marriage certificate legalized by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office or the state in which the certificate was issued in addition to the legalization by Iraqi Embassy in that country as well as the documents of the Iraqi husband.

4- For the children traveling with their parents it is required to bring their foreign birth certificate, on the condition that the father and mother’s name is identical with the Iraqi documents, in the event of a parents who had changed his or her name, the changed name should be legalized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the country in which the process was issued.

5- The Iraqi women married to foreigners who want to travel to Iraq, they can admit their children, provided that they submit the children’s foreign birth certificate, in condition that the mother’s name to be identical with the Iraqi documents.

6- Visa is not granted to minors, who are traveling with their mother unless the father attends the Consular Section and record acknowledgment of no objection to travel his children with their mother, or visit the Foreign Ministry / Consular Section if he was present in Iraq to confirm no objection of the issue, or visit the Iraqi Embassy in the country in which he resides and send them to the Embassy of the Republic of Iraq in London.

7- As in the case of divorce, they have to bring a divorce certificate legalized by competent authorities, for the purpose of that the mother becomes able to apply for visa for them if the father could not be contacted, in the case the children were in custody of the mother.

Second: The documents required for granting visa to Arab and foreign investors:

1- Filling out a visa application form electronically (online) of all fields.

To obtain the application form click here

2- (2) Recent colour personal photos.

3- Photo copy of the passport.

4- Providing endorsement letter from the company in which the visa applicants work.

5- Provide a letter of invitation from the government body / the ministry which the investors intend to contract with

6- A valid passport for a period of 6 months minimum.

Visa fees (single entry) £ 50
Visa fees (multiple) six months £ 100
Visa fees (multiple) three months £ 100
Visa fees (multiple) one year £ 150

Thirdly: The documents required for granting visa to journalists:

1- Filling out a visa application form electronically (online) of all fields.

To obtain the application form click here

2- (2) Recent colour personal photos.

3- Photo copy of the passport.

4- Submit a letter from the news channel in which the visa applicants work.

5- A valid passport for a period of 6 months minimum.

Visa fees £ 50

– Visa types:
1-Visit or Tourism Visa: – tourist’s Visa allows the holder to enter Iraq once during the three months from the date of grant and stay in it for a period of one month, for the purpose of visiting tourist and relic sites. The visit Visa allows the holder to enter Iraq once during one month from the date of grant and the residence of a one-month whether for the purposes of religious events or visit the holy sites (Letter of the Consular Department No. 1/3 / 6/4664 on 16 Feb. 2011).
Also Visa grant to the public and political figures, businessmen and investors and the people who the Ambassadors and charge d’affaires find interest in their visit to Iraq, according to their judgment for a period of 30 days (Letter of the Consular Department No. 6 / 3/12162 on 26 March 2013). 
In the case of tourist groups offer applications precede through tourism companies in the work area of the Mission in coordination with one of the officially licensed tourism companies in Iraq.
2- Normal Visa: – normal Visa allows the holder to enter Iraq once during the three months from the date of grant and residence in Iraq a period not exceeding three months, he must visit the Directorate of residence to put in the news of the arrival in ten days after his arrival and entered Iraqi territory (Letter of the Consular Department No. 8/3/8/98609 on 14 Oct. 2009).
3 – Political Visa: – the political Visa grant to officials in other countries who are visiting Iraq in official mission, as well as workers in the Diplomatic, international, regional and Arab Missions in the Republic of Iraq with their families, according to an official memo and granted under it a special residency. 
4 – Service Visa: -service Visa grant to people who hold Service passports on the basis of an official memorandum by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the country in which the Mission accredited, pursuant to the principle of reciprocity. 
5 – Transit Visa: – transit visa allows the holder to enter Iraq once during the three months from the date of grant and a residence for a period of not more than seven days.
6 – Non- stop Transit Visa: – this Visa allows the holder to transit through Iraqi territory under the supervision of the competent authorities without stopping and one-time within three months from the date of grant.
7 – Urgent Visa: – this Visa granted by residency officer at border crossing points to a foreigner who arrives intending entering Iraq, and he doesn’t have a visa from our Missions abroad if the officer is convinced of the reasons that have prevented him to get a Visa. 
8 – Multi- Visa: – this Visa granted for a period of three months, six months or one year after obtaining the legal conditions.
(Foreigners Residence law No. 118 for the year 1987, and its amended (Article IV) and (Letter of the Directorate of Residence/ the section of foreign No. 37344 on 22 Dec. 2009).

Requirements of the Visa request 
The following conditions must available in the Visa request: –
1 – The passport has validity for a period of minimum six months.
2 – Filling in a Visa application form with two photographs.
3 – Ability to cover the cost of living during the period of his stay in Iraq for holders of ordinary passports.
4 – There is no objection prevent him from entering the territory of the Republic of Iraq regarding the public health, security, morals, or the national economy.
5 – Provide a convincing reason for visit depending on the Visa type.
6 – The requester not accused or convicted of a crime outside Iraq may be extradited for.
7 – There is no order of deporting him from the Republic of Iraq and to achieve this must check the records for the barred from entering Iraq in accordance with the attached form (1).
8 – Full address in the place, which he will stay in the Republic of Iraq.
(Foreigner Residence law No. (118) for the year 1987, and the amended (Article V).
Instructions for Issuing Visa 
1 – checking the information in the application form No. (1), and checking the period of passport validity of the foreigner Visa requester (minimum period of six months validity).
2 – Recording information in the Visa record sample No. (2).
3 – Writing number of companions next to the Visa if their names written in the Visa applicant’s passport.
4 – The lack of clarity and calligraphy differs from one person to another are required to the adoption of electronic printing filled the application form fields with and fields of the visa sticker, sample No. (3).
(letter of the Consular Department No. 8/3 / General / 86 987 on 19 Oct. 2010) and (8/3/1/89904 on 13 Oct. 2010)
5 – The need to full of all Visa application form’s fields in Arabic, especially the applicant’s address in Iraq (block /alley/House/ well-known point), and the phone number for accelerating the answer to the Visa’s requests. Noting that a lot the Missions still send application forms without full of a lot of fields, especially the field of the address in Iraq (letter of the Consular Department No. 8/3 / General / 92543 on 1 Nov. 2010) 
6 – Visa signed by the consul and stamped by the seal of the consulate.
7 – Fees are collected for granting Visa according the accounting receipt (37 a) as follows:
A – Amount of (30$) U.S. dollars collected for granting tourist Visa arrivals and religious visit Visa according to the especial approvals for religious tourism companies exclusively as groups and to all individuals listed in the Visa lists, including companions in passports.
B – Amount of (40$) U.S. dollars collected for granting regular Visa, religious visit Visa and individual Visa for passport holder and fees exempted for companions.
C – Amount of (100$) U.S. dollars collected for granting of multi- Visa.
(letter of the Consular Department No. 8/3 / 4/80480 on 12 July 2010)

General Notes for the Visa granting
1. When the presence of banning to enter the territory of the Republic of Iraq to the cause of public health, national security, morals or the national economy, can approach the Iraqi authorities to find out their opinion on the subject.
2. When a Visa granted for children under the age of fifteen, required providing a health certificate to prove fully polio vaccine vaccinated for at least 5 doses of oral polio vaccine. 
3. Exception for the Arab who married to Iraqis from Arab Nationals prevents entering Iraq’s law, after proves the marriage duly (letter of the Consular Department No. 03/08/28 / 40618 of 23 Jan. 2006).
4. Allowing for Arab and foreign nationals who have resided lawfully in Iraq exclusively.
5. Urgent Visa granted according to the authorities of the residence officer who works at the border Center, if he is convinced of the reasons that have prevented the Visa obtaining ((includes persons covered by the authority of granting Visa of the Mission)).
6. Correspondence related of Foreign Diplomats’ Visa ((granting visas)) to enter Iraq directed to the Protocol Department and a copy given to the Consular Department for informing. 
7. When a Visa granted, the number and date of the Residency Directorate’s letter should mentioned for the possibility of its conformity with the approval that sent to the residency and the border.
8. The expired Visa not extendable, but they can be to obtain a new approval with new fees, but in the exceptional cases, like, closing border, the center of Passports and Residence at the border, will explain the situation on the Visa and allows them to enter without an extension or requesting a new approval, but this should not exceed more than seven days from the re- open the border.
9. Based on the letter of the Directorate of Residency, foreigners section number A. C / Visa / 1822 / 2011/29559 on 6 July 2011 containing ((to not grant visas or residency permits for foreign workers unless they obtain work permits from the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs)) with the exception of the following categories : –
A – Employed by International Organizations, Diplomatic Missions and Consulates accredited in Iraq. 
B – Foreigners who the international laws, conventions and treaties allow them to work, which the Government is a party in them.
C – Foreigners who work for the Iraqi government, but are required to provide the Directorate residence of a letter that supports the contract between the foreigners and Ministries, government departments with filling out Visa application in Arabic language in order to take.
D – Foreign workers in the reconstruction of holy shrines in Iraq.