The things to know before travelling to Iraq start with current travel advice, entry rules, and local conditions. Iraq has ancient sites such as Babylon and Ur, and historic cities like Baghdad and Erbil. But security conditions remain serious, and several governments advise against travel. Read your country’s latest advisory first.

1. Check Travel Advisories First

Start with your foreign ministry’s travel advice, because it changes. The US tells citizens not to travel to Iraq for any reason, and the UK advises against all travel to parts of the country and against all but essential travel elsewhere. Consular help is severely limited in those areas, and your travel insurance may be invalid if you go against official advice. Read your policy before you book.

2. Understand Iraq’s Visa Requirements

Rules depend on your nationality, your reason for travel, and where in Iraq you plan to go. A visa for the Kurdistan Region only covers travel inside it, so decide on your route first.

If you want to see what the application involves, you can look at the Iraq eVisa application service. Read its requirements and terms before you submit personal information or pay any fees. An application does not guarantee approval or permission to enter Iraq.

3. Get Your Passport and Documents Ready

Sort out your documents before you book anything that depends on entry approval. Here is what to have:

• Passport: valid for at least six months after you arrive, with a blank page
• Visa: the category that matches your nationality and reason for travel
• Accommodation: the name and address of where you will stay
• Insurance: a policy that covers Iraq, with the exclusions for government travel warnings read in full

Keep copies of everything in a safe place, and make sure the name on your visa matches your passport exactly.

4. Learn About Local Customs

Dress modestly at religious sites and in smaller towns. Ask permission before you photograph people, religious sites, or private property. Stay away from security and military sites, and do not photograph them.

Learn a few words: “as-salamu alaykum” (hello) and “shukran” (thank you) in Arabic, and “spas” (thank you) in Kurdish, which is widely spoken in the Kurdistan Region.

5. Plan the Practical Side

Landmines and unexploded ordnance exist throughout Iraq, so stay on established roads and paths and ask local contacts where it is safe to go. Flights and transport can change at short notice, so keep your plans flexible. Save your embassy’s contact details, share your plans with someone you trust, and have a way to leave the country that does not depend on your government’s help.

In Short

The most important things to know before travelling to Iraq are your government’s advice, the right visa, valid documents, and local customs. Decide with current information from official sources