Iraq entry requirements for British passport holders (2026): visa and passport validity
Passport validity (FCDO rule): At least 6 months after the day you arrive
Visa (FCDO): You need a visa to visit Iraq. Official visa text
Official source: GOV.UK – Iraq travel advice, Entry requirements (FCDO) · page last updated 22 July 2026 · checked on 17 October 2026
Whether you need a visa and how long your British passport must be valid to enter Iraq, as published by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), quoted word for word, with a checker for your dates.
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Do I need a visa for Iraq with a British passport?
In short: You need a visa to visit Iraq.
Our one-line summary of the first FCDO sentence below, which matches a wording we recognise. It applies to British citizen passport holders; read the full official text, which may add conditions.
You must have a visa to visit Iraq.
You are no longer able to get a visit visa on arrival in Iraq. You must apply for a visa on the e-visa portal of the Government of Iraq at least 24 hours before you travel. The visa costs $160 and is valid for 60 days. Ensure that you have a return ticket in place or a ticket out of Iraq to a third destination. Without such a ticket in place, there is a risk of the airline refusing boarding.
More from the FCDO visa section (extensions, border checks and other cases)
e-visa for Kurdistan Region
The government of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) has introduced a new e-visa process. You can find the details and apply on the e-visa portal of the Kurdistan Region Government. It is also possible to obtain a visa on arrival. Both types of visas are valid for travel in KRI only.
Official source: GOV.UK – Iraq travel advice, Entry requirements (FCDO), section “Visa requirements” · page last updated 22 July 2026 · checked on 17 October 2026
Passport validity: official text “Passport validity requirements”
To enter Iraq, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the date you arrive and have at least one blank page.
Official source: GOV.UK – Iraq travel advice, Entry requirements (FCDO) · page last updated 22 July 2026 · checked on 17 October 2026
Check your passport for Iraq
Schengen rules count your whole trip in the Schengen area: if you visit several Schengen countries, enter the day you first enter the area and the day you leave the last Schengen country.
The check runs in your browser: your dates are not sent anywhere. It applies the FCDO sentence literally (for example “6 months” is counted as the same day of the month 6 months later).
For British passport holders only. These are the rules published by the UK government (FCDO) for British citizens. If you hold another passport, check your own government's advice. The airline and the border officials of the destination decide whether you can travel or enter: this site is information, not legal advice.
Blank pages: the official text says “…at least one blank page…”. The checker does not count pages.
Recent FCDO updates to the entry requirements
- 9 March 2026: “New information about entry to Saudi Arabia (see ‘Warnings and insurance’ and ‘Entry requirements’ pages).”
- 10 December 2025: “New information about dual nationals returning to the UK (‘Entry requirements’ page).”
- 6 March 2025: “Updated information on visitor visas ('Entry requirements' page).”
- 17 February 2025: “Updated information about taking money into or out of Iraq (‘Entry requirements’ page).”
- 30 October 2024: “Updated information that you must pay by credit card for a visa on arrival in Iraq, as cash payments are no longer accepted ('Entry requirements' page).”
Read the full FCDO travel advice for Iraq (safety, visas, health) before you travel.
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Same FCDO rule (6 months after arrival)
and 79 more destinations with the same rule: see all
Passport validity rules for all destinations · Liquids rules by airport · EES and ETIAS status