COVID-19 Precautionary Measures in Iraq (23 November Update)

Can a resident enter the country?

• Yes

• Citizens and residents of Iraq are allowed to enter the country.

Can a foreigner enter the country?

• Yes

• Foreigners are allowed to enter Iraq. Iraqi law requires that travellers get a visa before travel.

• Iraq is open for tourism and religious purposes.

Is a test required on arrival?

• Yes

• Travellers are subject to medical screening on arrival.

Is test certificate allowed?

• Yes with exceptions

• PCR test certificates from other countries are accepted. They must be issued in Arabic or English.

• Test certificate issued by National Health Service (NHS) of UK are not valid.

Test certificate required?

• Yes with exceptions

• All passengers travelling to Baghdad airport (BGW) must have a negative COVID 19 PCR test certificate. The test result must be issued not more than 72 hours prior to arrival.

• At Bagdad airport, children below six years of age are exempt from this requirement.

• Passengers travelling to Basra (BSR), Erbil (EBL) or Sulaymaniyah (ISU) must have a negative COVID-19 report for a test performed at most 72 hours before arrival.

• Passengers under 12 years are exempt.

• Outbound international travellers must carry a negative report of PCR test carried out 72 hours prior to the departure date.

Is quarantine required on arrival?

• No with exceptions

• On arrival at Iraqi Kurdistan airport, travellers may be required to sign a pledge to undergo self-quarantine for 14 days at home.

Entry form required?

• No with exceptions

• Travellers arriving at Erbil or Sulaymaniyah must complete a “Pledge Form”.

Airline restrictions

• Moderate

• Airports are open across federal Iraq and in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

• International flight operations have resumed with limited services and may be suspended anytime with short notice. Passengers are advised to contact airlines/travel companies directly for availability of flights.

• India and Iraq have an air bubble agreement for flights between the two countries. The following travellers are allowed to take these flights: citizens and residents of Iraq and India, including diplomats holding a valid visa, Indian nationals stranded in Iraq, and overseas citizens of India holding Iraqi passports.

• Passengers without a face mask or with symptoms of COVID-19 will not be allowed to board any flight.

• Flights to and from Kuwait and Bahrain will remain suspended until further notice.

• Flights to Berlin, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, London, and Copenhagen will resume from 15 December.

Border restrictions

• Moderate

• Air borders are open. Land borders are open to trade and commerce only; which implies that entry to Iraq is only possible through Iraqi international airports.

• Border crossing with Kuwait and Jordan are open exclusively for commercial purposes.

• Travellers who have been in Iran in the past 30 days are banned from entering Iraq through Erbil (EBL) or Sulaymaniyah (ISU).

Curfew restrictions

• Minimal

• The partial curfew has been lifted.

Social distancing restrictions

• Minimal

• Social distancing restrictions are in place; however, the rules are not evenly enforced or followed.

• Restrictions from public gatherings have been lifted.

Internal travel restrictions

• Moderate

• Travel restrictions have been removed. Citizens are allowed to travel between all the provinces and governorates.

• Taxis, trains, and public buses and some mini-buses are allowed to operate maintaining safety protocols.

Non-essential shops open?

• Yes with exceptions

• Shops, factories, food stores, bakeries, and pharmacies are allowed to open.

• Malls are allowed to open if maintaining social distancing measures.

• In Iraqi Kurdistan Region (IQR), markets and shops may be shut down if people do not adhere to safety protocols.

Accommodations open?

• Yes

• Hotels are allowed to open with social distancing protocols.

Restaurants open?

• Yes

• Restaurants are open.

Bars and cafes open?

• Yes with exceptions

• Cafes are open.

• In Iraqi Kurdistan Region, bars and night clubs will remain closed until further notice.

Beaches and tourism sites open?

• Yes

• Tourism is allowed in Iraq.

Museums and heritage sites open?

• Yes

• Museums have reopened with social distancing measures.

Personal care services open?

• Yes with exceptions

• Salons are permitted to open with limited working hours. Restrictions may differ depending on the rules set by local authorities.

Places of worship open?

• Yes

• Mosques and other places of worship are open with social distancing protocols.

Events allowed?

• Yes with exceptions

• Sports events are allowed without spectators and with strict safety measures.

• Event halls are allowed to open with social distancing protocols.

• Events such as conferences, weddings, funerals and other gatherings are banned in Iraqi Kurdistan region. Violation of the rule may lead to fines.

• People are using social media for attending the traditional Islamic funeral in Iraq.

Masks required in public?

• Yes

• The use of face masks is compulsory in public places. In Iraqi Kurdistan Region (IKR), a fine will be imposed on anyone without a face mask in public places, private institutions, and vehicles.

Other

• Government departments are allowed to open with full staff.

• Parks, sports centres, cinema halls, private teaching institutes, and swimming pools remain closed.

• Educational institutes will remain closed, although they are expected to reopen on 29 November for the new academic year.

Advies

The COVID-19 epidemic is constantly changing worldwide. This information is subject to change as the situation evolves. Travel and border restrictions may change with little or no notice. Some countries are beginning to remove some restrictions gradually. Check with your airline, booking agent, or country’s embassy for information on your specific travel plans.