Iraq announces e-visas for foreigners and digital identification for citizens

BAGHDAD, November 7 — Interior Minister Abdul Amir Al-Shammari announced on Tuesday that his ministry would soon launch electronic visas for foreigners, while confirming that the government is working to phase out paper-based civil identification documents by early 2025.

Al-Shammari met with a group of journalists and shared the following points:

• Interior Minister: 153 officers and 899 personnel were dismissed by the Interior Ministry’s Security Forces Court in 2023.
• 33.2 million Iraqis have registered and received their national identity cards.
• By early 2025, the ministry aims to discontinue the use of paper-based civil identity documents.
• Electronic visas for foreigners will be launched soon and put into operation.
• Speed radar systems will be installed in the Al-Yusufiya, Al-Dora, and Al-Shula districts of New Baghdad.
• The Smart Five Traffic Signal System experiment in Baghdad will encompass both Al-Karkh and Al-Rusafa districts.
• The Civil Defense has initiated the construction of 100 civil defense centers and the acquisition of over 130 firefighting vehicles during this year. A training center for national defense has also been established.
• 98 percent of oil and petroleum products smuggling has been eradicated.
• A fund for the development of internal security forces has been established through fees and revenues.
• Contracts have been signed with 37,000 police officers on a contract basis, with the first batch consisting of those aged 18 to 25, earning a salary of 500,000 dinars for three years in 2023.
• Human resource development and addressing issues through contracts.