Iraqi passport

The Iraqi passport is the travel document issued to citizens of the Republic of Iraq for the purpose of international travel. As of 9 January 2023, a new ICAO approved, biometric passport is being issued. Previous series issued by passport offices in Iraq and diplomatic representatives worldwide include the "S", non-machine-readable series and the "G" series.

History

The previous A-series passports have been issued since 1 October 2009 (German embassy in Jordan, 2009). Passports in the G-series are thus no longer issued, but they are still valid until their expiry date. However, in autumn 2014, a document expert at a Western embassy in Amman informed Landinfo (meeting in Amman, November 2014) that the Iraqi authorities were still issuing G-series passports. This means that real G-series passports issued after 2009 may be in circulation. A-series passports differ from G-series passports in that they contain text in Arabic, Kurdish and English. There is also a difference on the page containing personal data – G-series passports have a field for the passport holder's signature or fingerprints, while in A-series passports, this field has been replaced by a bar code. The page containing biometric data is laminated, as it was in the G-series. The passport holder's signature is on page 3 in the passport. A-series passports have 48 pages and are valid for eight years. The passport number is perforated through the bottom of each page starting from page 3. Pages 4–48 are visa pages. All A-series passports are personal. Children must have their own passport.

Types

There are four different passport types.

• Regular passport (dark blue cover) – Issued to all citizens of the Republic of Iraq. It is valid for four or eight years depending on the age of the passport applicant/holder. Those passports are not extendable or renewable and a new one must be obtained once expired.
• Diplomatic passport (ruby cover) – Issued to Iraqi diplomats accredited overseas and their eligible dependents, and to citizens who reside in the Republic of Iraq and travel abroad for diplomatic work. Title and function of the bearer (diplomat) is listed on the data page of the Diplomatic Passport in addition to the information already contained. It is valid for five years.
• Service passport (dark red cover) – Issued to citizen-employees of the Republic of Iraq assigned overseas, Iraqi Government employees working at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or at the Iraqi Diplomatic Mission assigned abroad. Official Passports can be issued to other government officials that are to travel abroad, with prior approval, as well as to their spouses and children living in the same household. Title and function of the bearer (official) is listed on the data page of the Official Passport in addition to the information already contained. It is valid for five years.
• Special passport (dark green cover) – Is issued to an Iraqi Citizen who needs to come back into Iraq; when issued it is valid for thirty days or until the return trip is completed and can be issued at an Iraqi Diplomatic Mission.

Series

Physical appearance

Languages

The new A-series passports differ from G-series passports in that they contain text in Arabic, Kurdish and English. There is also a difference on the page containing personal data – G-series passports have a field for the passport holder's signature or fingerprints, while in A-series passports, this field has been replaced by a bar code

Identity information page

The front page of the Iraqi passport includes the following data:

• Photo of passport owner
• Type of document (P = passport)
• Code for issuing country (IRQ = Iraq)
• Passport number (9 alphanumeric digits, chosen from numerals 0–9 and letters C, F, G, H, J, K, L, M, N, P, R, T, V, W, X, Y, Z. Thus, "0" denotes the numeral, not the letter "O".)
• Full Name
• Surname
• Date of birth
• Sex
• Nationality
• Place of birth
• Date of issue
• Date of expiry
• Authority that issued the passport
• Owner's signature

The page ends with a 2-line machine readable zone, according to ICAO standard 9303. The country code is IRQ as is the standard country code for Iraq (according to ISO 3166-1 alpha-3).

Visa requirements

On January 18, 2018, Iraqi citizens had visa-free or visa on arrival access to 28 countries and territories, ranking the Iraqi passport 104th in the world according to the Visa Restrictions Index.

Gallery

• The front cover of a contemporary Iraqi Passport
• Cover of Iraqi Passport (1991-2003)
• Information and signature page.
• Front cover of Iraqi passport with Arabic, Kurdish and English.
• Iraq tourism visa from 2014. Visa on arrival.
• Iraq entry passport stamp from 2014 Baghdad International Airport.
• Iraqi exit stamp from 2004.
• 1934 Iraqi passport used up to 1939 for Europe and British Palestine.
• British Passport with Iraqi Visa from 1935.
• Iraq Republic passport from 2000 one way laissez-passer front cover.
• Iraq Republic passport from 2000 one way laissez-passer data page.

See also

• Visa policy of Iraq
• Visa requirements for Iraqi citizens
• Iraqi nationality law
• Iraq National Card

Notes