Iraq business and investor visa: documents, fees and timing

Iraq has no separate business visa label; business trips use the visit visa or a multiple-entry visa. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists businessmen and investors among those who may receive a 30-day visit visa, and the e-visa on evisa.iq can be used for the same short trips.

Business people who only want to explore opportunities in Iraq usually need nothing more than the visit visa. Those who come to carry out an investment project need an investor licence from the National Investment Commission or a provincial investment commission.

The Embassy in Washington asks for an official letter stating the purpose and length of the trip, or an invitation from Iraqi authorities, the host company or the organisers of a meeting or exhibition. The general visa conditions also apply: a passport valid for at least six months, a completed application form with two photos, enough means to cover your stay and a full address in Iraq.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs asks missions to fill in the address field in detail, with district, alley, house number and a landmark, and to include a phone number, because incomplete addresses slow down the reply from Baghdad.

The e-visa fee is shown on evisa.iq before you pay by card. Consular fees are set by each mission: the Embassy in Washington charges USD 50 for a single-entry visa, in cash.

An expired visa cannot be extended; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs requires a new approval and new fees, so plan frequent trips with a multiple-entry visa of three months, six months or one year.

Consular visas need approval from the Directorate of Residency Affairs in Baghdad. The Embassy in Washington allows 15 business days and contacts applicants once approval arrives.

The e-visa portal does not state a processing time but offers status tracking. Apply early enough to print the visa before the trip.

A business visit visa does not authorise work. The Directorate of Residency Affairs does not grant visas or residence permits to foreign workers unless they have a work permit from the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. Investment projects need an investor licence from the National Investment Commission or a provincial investment commission, and the Embassy in Washington notes that at least 50 percent of the project's workforce must be hired locally.