Interior Ministry says visa approvals now fully digital

BAGHDAD — Iraq’s Interior Ministry said it has fully transitioned to a digital system for issuing entry visas, stressing that approvals are granted only after security and intelligence screening.

Ministry spokesperson Col. Abbas al-Bahadli told the Iraqi News Agency that “the ministry has moved beyond bureaucratic paper-based procedures and shifted to the digital space through the electronic visa.”

He said “no visa can be granted without completing approvals and joint vetting between the Residency Affairs Directorate, the National Security Service, the Intelligence Service and the Federal Intelligence Agency.”

Bahadli added that “the legal status of companies is a fundamental condition for the entry of labor,” noting that the law requires companies to be officially registered and to provide financial guarantees deposited in government banks to cover violations.

He said “the highest rates of recorded violations related to labor involve begging and street vending at intersections,” adding that “the intelligence effort closely monitors any attempt by these groups to engage in organized crime or human trafficking.”

The shift builds on earlier government measures. On Oct. 1, 2025, the Council of Ministers launched a new federal electronic visa system as the sole platform for issuing entry permits. The decision also required all visitors to obtain unified health insurance through companies licensed by the Health Insurance Authority.

The cabinet instructed several government bodies — including the ministries of foreign affairs, interior, labor and social affairs, and culture — to suspend visa issuance without proof of insurance obtained through the new platform.

The Kurdistan Region continues to operate a separate visa regime. Nationals of 53 countries, including the United States, United Kingdom and EU member states, can obtain visas on arrival at regional airports and border crossings. These visas are valid only within the Kurdistan Region and do not grant access to federal Iraq.