Iraq
Warnings and insurance
Your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).
Areas where FCDO advises against travel
Federal Iraq
FCDO advises against all travel to:
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the parts of Anbar province which are west of, but not including Ramadi City
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Basra province (except for Basra city)
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Diyala province except for Baqubah City
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Kirkuk province
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Ninawa province
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Salah al-Din province
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Sadr City, part of Baghdad province
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The parts of Baghdad province which are south of the Airport Road
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Within 30km of federal Iraq’s borders with Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait
FCDO advises against all but essential travel to:
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The remainder of Anbar province
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The remainder of Baghdad province
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Basra city
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Karbala Province
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The remainder of Najaf Province
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Babil Province
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Al-Qadasiyah Province
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Dhi Qar Province
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Baqubah City in Diyala province
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The remainder of Wasit Province
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The remainder of Maysan Province
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The remainder of Al-Muthanna Province
Kurdistan Region of Iraq
FCDO advises against all but essential travel to KRI.
Find out more about why FCDO advises against travel.
Consular support
Consular support is severely limited in areas where FCDO advises against travel.
Travel insurance
If you choose to travel despite FCDO advice, research your destinations and get appropriate travel insurance. Insurance should cover your itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency.
About FCDO travel advice
FCDO provides advice about risks of travel to help you make informed decisions. Find out more about FCDO travel advice.
Get travel advice updates
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Follow and contact FCDO:
Update history
2025-03-13 15:12
CORRECTION: FCDO now advises against all travel to parts of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (‘Warnings and insurance’ and ‘Regional risks’ pages).
2025-03-13 14:56
FCDO now advises against all travel to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (‘Warnings and insurance’ and ‘Regional risks’ pages).
2025-03-06 09:29
Updated information on visitor visas (‘Entry requirements’ page).
2025-02-17 11:34
Updated information about taking money into or out of Iraq (‘Entry requirements’ page).
2025-01-13 16:08
FCDO now advises against all but essential travel to some areas of Federal Iraq. FCDO continues to advise against all travel to some areas of Federal Iraq, and to advise against all but essential travel to KRI (‘Warnings and insurance’ page).
2024-11-25 16:11
Removal of information on curfew in place 20-21 November (‘Warnings and insurance’ page)
2024-11-18 10:51
Updated information on curfew in place 20-21 November(‘Warnings and insurance’ page)
2024-10-30 12:49
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).
2024-10-02 03:41
Updated information on the conflict affecting Lebanon (Safety and Security Pages)
2024-10-02 03:38
Updated information on the Conflict affecting Lebanon (Safety and Security Pages)
2024-09-29 00:22
Updated information on the Conflict affecting Lebanon (Safety and Security Pages)
2024-09-28 23:03
Updated information on the Conflict in Lebanon (Safety and Security Pages)
2024-07-16 10:53
Information about the new Anti-Prostitution and Homosexuality Law, including jail sentences and fines for anyone seen to promote same-sex identities or prostitution (‘Safety and security’ page).
2024-06-12 14:17
Information on risks to LGBT travellers in Iraq (see ‘LGBT travellers’ on the ‘Safety and security’ page).
2024-04-26 12:37
Removal of some language on military activity in the region (‘Warnings and insurance’ page).
2024-04-19 15:00
Information on explosions in Iran, and unconfirmed reports of explosions in Syria and Iraq (‘Warnings and insurance’ page).
2024-04-16 13:35
This travel advice has been rewritten to make it easier to read and understand.
2024-04-14 09:17
13 April 2024 – drones and missiles fired from Iran into Israel (‘Summary’ page)
2024-04-12 20:01
Information on regional risks (‘Safety and security’ page).
2024-01-16 16:38
Addition of information about Iranian missile strikes targeting the north-eastern edge of Erbil city on 15 January (‘Summary’ and ‘Safety and security’ pages).
2024-01-12 00:23
Update to Safety and Security page
2023-11-10 18:55
Information on drone and rocket attacks and the security situation across Iraq (‘Summary’, ‘Safety and security’ and ‘Terrorism’ pages).
2023-10-26 17:01
Information on UK Government staff being temporarily withdrawn from the British Embassy Baghdad due to risks of a deterioration in the security situation (‘Safety and security’ page).
2023-10-21 11:29
A number of areas of Iraq remain subject to sporadic attack by artillery, drones and rockets (‘Summary’ and ‘Safety and security’ pages)
2023-06-28 10:17
Information on e-visas for the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (‘Summary’ and ‘Entry requirements’ pages).
2023-06-22 10:53
Information about the global terrorism risks to British nationals abroad on all FCDO travel advice pages
2023-05-30 13:34
Information on the UK Air Safety List and child custody (‘Safety and security’ and ‘Local laws and customs’).
2023-03-17 09:50
New information about a new e-visa process introduced by Government of the Kurdistan region of Iraq (‘Summary’ and ‘’Entry requirements’ pages).
2023-03-13 13:53
Information on the new Municipalities Income law, which includes a provision prohibiting the import, manufacture, and selling of alcoholic beverages of all sorts, punishable by fines (‘Local laws and customs’ page).
2023-02-07 16:40
Updated information on COVID-10 entry requirements and the political and security situation in Iraq (‘Summary’, ‘Coronavirus’, ‘Safety and security’ and ‘Entry requirements’ pages).
2022-12-14 13:56
Updated information on protests that took place throughout 2022 in the International Zone in Baghdad (‘Summary’ and ‘Safety and security’ pages).
2022-10-07 15:05
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advises against all travel to all provinces of Iraq except the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, and against all but essential travel to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (‘Summary’ page).
2022-08-31 15:46
Updated information on the security situation and the severely limited availability of consular support for British nationals (‘Summary’ and ‘Safety and security’ pages).
2022-08-29 18:48
Updated information on the security situation and the severely limited availability of consular support for British nationals (‘Summary’ and ‘Safety and security’ pages)
2022-08-08 15:50
Updated information on the security situation and the severely limited availability of consular support for British nationals (‘Summary’ and ‘Safety and security’ pages)
2022-07-30 14:03
Addition of information on increasing risk of tensions in Baghdad (‘Summary’ and ‘Safety and Security’ pages)
2022-06-22 09:49
Addition of information on increasing cases of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever throughout Iraq and local law (‘Health’ and ‘Local laws and customs’ pages)
2022-04-05 16:32
Update to information on entering and exiting Iraq and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (‘Coronavirus’ and ‘Entry requirements’ pages)
2022-03-30 10:24
Update to information on entering and exiting Iraq and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (‘Coronavirus’ and ‘Entry requirements’)