Requirements for Kurdistan Visa, Erbil Visa.
Some of the most complicated aspects of travelling is figuring out the visa requirements that your travel destination has for your home country. In fact, things become even more complicated once you realise that the visa requirements will vary on the basis of the purpose of your visit to the destination country. Sometimes, different parts of a specific country require a separate visa for entry. This holds true for a Kurdistan visa or Erbil visa as well.
If you are traveling to the Kurdistan region of Iraq, then you should know that this is applicable to this region as well. To enter Kurdistan, visitors from most other countries require a separate visa and have to meet certain requirements.
However, this is not applicable to those from certain countries. If you belong to any of the following countries, then you do not need to obtain a visa beforehand. You can instead opt for a visa on arrival. The visa will be valid for 30 days and may be extended for a longer period of time. You do not need a prior visa if you present a valid passport belonging to one of the following countries:
Austria Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, United Kingdom, Croatia, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Japan, Kuwait, New Zealand, Qatar, South Korea, Turkey, USA, UAE.
It you plan to get residency card, register a company or work in Kurdistan region. In those cases you need to apply for Kurdistan work visa
Types of Kurdistan Visa
You can apply for one of the following types of visa:
Kurdistan Work Visa or Travel Visa
This type of visa can be transferred to residency. Can therefore only be applied for in the visa department in the capital city of Erbil. The travel visa is best for those people who wish to take up residence in the KRI for a long period of time. Only a firm that works in the field of visas and residency can apply for this Kurdistan visa. Individuals cannot apply directly. This visa is only valid for 30 days. Those who wants to work in Kurdistan or to establish a business need to apply for this type of visa.
To apply for a visa, firms require their clients to submit an undertaking. This letter more commonly is a sponsorship letter. It generally contains the following information about the client:
- Client’s true personal information
- That the client will leave the region within 30 days or he/she should issue a residency.
- That the client will not travel to other parts of Iraq.
- The client shall bear any, and all legal payments required.
- The client should obey any instructions issued to them by the Kurdistan Government
- That if the firm breaks any of the above-mentioned sponsorship conditions it will have to pay Ten Million Iraqi Dinars or 10,000,000 Iraqi Dinars as fine to the Kurdistan Regional Government.
Kurdistan Tourism Visa
Individuals who are only traveling for purposes of tourism may apply for a tourism visa. You can apply for the visa either through the visa department in Erbil or through the Kurdistan Regional Government’s Representation offices abroad. These visas are only valid for 15 days, you cannot use it for work or for residence. However no fee is charged for this visa. If you do not belong to any of the above-mentioned countries. Then you will have to follow the visa process to obtain a valid visa in order to enter the Kurdistan region of Iraq:
a. Firstly you should download the official visa application and fill it out or find the online application if it is available. You must fill out the relevant information without making any errors as those will delay your application.
b. If you have downloaded the application, you must scan the application and the passport identification page and send it to Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Representation office. The subject of the email must state Visa Application and your name.
c. You will then have to make an appointment with the office for your visa interview at least 4 weeks in advance.
d. On the day of your interview, you must take the following things with you:
- 2 passport sized photographs
- Your valid passport, and also it should remain valid for the next six months.
- Colored copy of said passport
- Address Proof
- Colored copy of flight ticket
- If you have a child travelling with you, you must also bring the father’s passport.
Border Entry
You must also note that if you have obtained a Kurdistan visa, then you must enter Kurdistan through the correct border. For example you cannot enter through a border controlled by the Central Government of Iraq. Consequently you only can enter through Kurdistan border gates, which are: Parwez Khan border gate from Iran, Haji Omaran border gate, Ibrahim Khalil border gate in Duhok from Turkey, Bashmagh border gate, Sulaimanyah International Airport, and Erbil International Airport.
Erbil Visa Price
The price of a visa may change time to time, according to instructions. In certain cases, a visa may cost an individual between 100 to 300 USD, as fixed by the Kurdistan Regional Government.
Khori Yasa Law Firm:
It can get very difficult to go through the entire visa process, especially when the requirements are as strict as they are in the Kurdistan region. This process is further complicated by the fact. The rules make it mandatory that visas are only applied for via firms acting on behalf of their clients. The preparation of a sponsorship letter can also be quite difficult and combined with the fact that a travel visa can only be applied for in Erbil City can make matters complicated for anyone. This is where the Khori Yasa Law firm comes in.
The Khori Yasa Law firm is a well-known law firm in it’s base is in Erbil City, the capital of the Kurdistan region. For those who are looking to travel to Kurdistan. We are uniquely qualified to help you with any problems that you may be facing with your visa application. We have an entire department dedicated to helping our clients with visa applications. Not only do we have more than enough experience, but we can also take care of the entire process for you. We look forward to supporting you for the duration of your visit to the Kurdistan region.