Iraq grants visas on arrival to citizens of 30 countries
Iraq grants visas on arrival to citizens of 30 countries
Citizens of the US, UK and most EU member states will be able to take advantage of the new rules.
1 min read
Iraq hopes to attract foreign investors and tourists [Getty]
Citizens of 30 countries can now acquire visas on arrival in Iraq, the country announced on Monday.
The new rules apply to citizens of the six permanant members of the United Nations' Security Council - US, UK, France, Russia and China - and most European Union member states, the Iraqi government said in a statement.
EU member states Croatia, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden are not listed as being included in the statement.
Citizens of Japan, Canada, South Korea, Switzerland, Australia and New Zealand will also be able to acquire visas on arrival, the government said.
Citizens of many of those countries were already offered 30-day visas on arrival by the autonomous Kurdistan region.
The new measures came into force on Monday but travellers "must comply with all Iraqi preventive health measures" imposed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The decision was made to "encourage investment and support job creation", the government said in a tweet.
Iraq's Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi has previously expressed the country's need to attract foreign investment and tourism.
"We need religious and historical tourism," Kadhimi said following Pope Francis' visit to Iraq earlier this month.
"This visit was a source of pride for all Iraqis and the world," he said.
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The new rules apply to citizens of the six permanant members of the United Nations' Security Council - US, UK, France, Russia and China - and most European Union member states, the Iraqi government said in a statement.
EU member states Croatia, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden are not listed as being included in the statement.
Citizens of Japan, Canada, South Korea, Switzerland, Australia and New Zealand will also be able to acquire visas on arrival, the government said.
Citizens of many of those countries were already offered 30-day visas on arrival by the autonomous Kurdistan region.
The new measures came into force on Monday but travellers "must comply with all Iraqi preventive health measures" imposed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The decision was made to "encourage investment and support job creation", the government said in a tweet.
Iraq's Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi has previously expressed the country's need to attract foreign investment and tourism.
"We need religious and historical tourism," Kadhimi said following Pope Francis' visit to Iraq earlier this month.
"This visit was a source of pride for all Iraqis and the world," he said.
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to stay connected
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