Getting a Visa
Kurdistan is a state in the north of Iraq. Getting a visa to Kurdistan is relatively easy for many nationalities. Please check with your nearest Iraqi Embassy about visa requirements and the application process. For more information about E-Visa to visit Kurdistan Region of Iraq, please check the visit.gov.krd portal.
The KRG Representations abroad do not issue Iraqi visas, but can advise travelers on requirements. For information about visas, please click here, contact your nearest KRG Representation abroad, or email [email protected].
Flights to Erbil
The Kurdistan Region has two international airports: Erbil International Airport and Slemani International Airport. Most flights operating from Europe and the Middle East fly directly to Kurdistan, without going via Baghdad. Several charter companies also operate flights to Erbil or Slemani. More information on the Erbil and Slemani airports can be found on their websites:
www.eia.krd
www.sulairport.krd
Overland route to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq
Overland entry into the Kurdistan Region is possible through Turkey. The suggested route is to fly to Istanbul Ataturk Airport and then take a two-hour domestic flight to Diyarbakir. (Turkish visas can be obtained on arrival at Istanbul Airport. Baggage may have to be retrieved from the International Terminal and checked in at the Domestic Terminal.)
At Diyarbakir Airport taxis can be hired to drive to the Ibrahim Khalil/Habur border crossing point, Turkey’s border with the Kurdistan Region in Iraq. Many drivers do this journey frequently and are familiar with the route. It is advisable to settle the price beforehand, a guide price is USD 150, and to check that the driver has the necessary paper work to take passengers over the border. Because of the journey time it is advisable to start the overland journey in the early morning, staying overnight in Diyarbakir if necessary.
After crossing the border at Ibrahim Khalil, another taxi can take you to your destination in the Kurdistan Region. The approximate journey time from Diyarbakir to the border is 4 hours; then from the border to Erbil is 4 hours. There are alternative routes via Iran and Syria but these are less frequently travelled.
For more information about the travel and location, please visit the Official Website of Kurdistan Regional Government.
Click on each airline to check available flights: