IraqFamily

Iraq visa for spouses and children of Iraqi citizens

Entry visa for foreign spouses and children of Iraqi citizens

In short

Iraqi missions treat foreign wives and foreign husbands of Iraqi citizens differently: wives can receive a visa without a fee once they present the official marriage contract, while husbands get a visa only after the Directorate of Residency Affairs approves. The Iraqi spouse applies in person with the marriage and identity documents.

checked 24 October 2026

Key facts

Fee: Under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs rules, foreign wives of Iraqis are exempt from the visa fee, and the Embassy in Washington waives fees for applicants of Iraqi origin; other applicants pay the fee the mission sets.
Processing time: The Embassy in Washington allows two weeks for wives of Iraqi citizens
Family: Children of an Iraqi mother married to a foreigner, aged 15 or under, are fee-exempt under the Nationality Law; people born in Iraq with foreign passports do not need a visa according to the Embassy in Washington
Where to apply: At an Iraqi embassy or consulate, with the Iraqi spouse applying in person

Wives and husbands of Iraqi citizens

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists Arab or foreign wives of Iraqi men among the cases exempt from the visa fee, provided the official marriage contract is presented, and Iraqi missions may issue their visa without first referring the file to Baghdad. Husbands of Iraqi women are treated differently: they are granted a visa only after the Directorate of Residency Affairs approves.

Arab women married to Iraqis are also excepted from the general restriction on the entry of Arab nationals once the marriage has been duly proven. The Embassy in Washington's visa for foreign nationals married to Iraqi citizens likewise applies to female applicants only.

Processing time

The Embassy in Washington asks wives of Iraqi citizens to allow two weeks, and seven business days for Iraqi nationals holding foreign passports. Husbands of Iraqi women should expect the longer route through Baghdad, because the Directorate of Residency Affairs must approve each case first; no official time frame is published for it.

Children's vaccination and arrival

Children under 15 need a health certificate showing full polio vaccination with at least five doses of oral vaccine. The Embassy in Washington also reminds applicants of Iraqi origin that immunisation records are required on arrival in Iraq.

Children and people of Iraqi origin

Citizens born in Iraq of Iraqi origin and all members of an Iraqi family holding foreign nationality are exempt from the visa fee. This includes children aged 15 or under of an Iraqi woman married to a foreigner, under Article 3(a) of Iraqi Nationality Law No. 26 of 2006, whatever the father's nationality, after the official documents are checked.

A foreigner born in Iraq is also fee-exempt, but family members are not; they receive the visa against the normal fee. The Embassy in Washington states that people born in Iraq holding foreign passports do not need a visa at all, though some airlines may still ask for one when they transit other countries.

Documents

Required documents

Family

Official marriage contract, translated into Arabic and certified
Colour copy of the Iraqi spouse's passport and Iraqi identity documents

Other

Personal request by the Iraqi spouse and the mission's visa form, typed

Supporting documents (where they apply)

Family

Certified identity card or birth record of the child of the Iraqi parent
For children under 15: polio vaccination certificate (at least five doses)

How to apply, step by step

Have the marriage contract translated into Arabic and certified, and collect the Iraqi spouse's documents.
For young children, obtain the polio vaccination certificate.
Fill in the mission's visa form, typed.
The Iraqi spouse submits a personal request with the full file at the Iraqi mission.
Wait for approval from the competent authorities in Iraq; for husbands this is always the Directorate of Residency Affairs.
After approval, pay the fee where charged and collect the visa.

Frequently asked questions

Is the visa free for the foreign wife of an Iraqi?

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists foreign wives of Iraqis among those exempt from the visa fee, on presentation of the official marriage contract. Some missions still list a fee payable after approval, so check with yours.

Why do husbands of Iraqi women wait longer?

Their visa can only be issued after the Directorate of Residency Affairs in Baghdad has approved it; the mission cannot issue it on its own.

Do our children need a visa?

Children aged 15 or under of an Iraqi mother are fee-exempt under the Nationality Law, and the Embassy in Washington states that people born in Iraq with foreign passports need no visa. Children with an Iraqi father may be Iraqi citizens themselves; ask the mission about Iraqi documents for them.

Official sources

Consulate General of Iraq in Istanbul – entry visas: documents and fees · checked 24 October 2026
Embassy of Iraq in Ankara – visa instructions, visa types and fee exemptions · checked 24 October 2026
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iraq – visa types, requirements and fees · checked 24 October 2026
Embassy of Iraq in Washington – visas to Iraq · checked 24 October 2026

Summarised from the official sources above. Rules, fees and processing times change: confirm with the embassy or the official portal before you apply.