227
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
15 day (might be 30 days by now, see Iran entry) permit of stay for the Kurdistan region can be obtained for free at the only Turkish/Iraq border (Silopi-Zakho) for most nationalities. You will just get an entry stamp in your passport. While inside of Kurdistan you can prolong it. There is an agreement between the two countries that individuals cannot cross the border on foot. Therefore, there are a lot of taxis. However, if you wait for a while at the border and explain that you want to ''otostop'' the turkish Turkish guards may pay for your taxi (if they like you). This happened to hitchwiki member Vlad. But generally there are private cars crossing the border too and you can try to get a ride with them.
"''If you are a Westerner, you can use your perceived status as a special guest in the country to help you in some difficult circumstances. E.g. with my New Zealand passport I managed to walk across the boarder on a Turkish holiday bypassing the massive queue and breaking the rule about no foot traffic. Because of the holiday, the border was all but shut and the queue there was definitely going to be there all day and night.'' June 2019: ''[[user:uncle_sam01|Uncle_sam01]] was approached by a very friendly Turkish customs officer, who understood the whole car issue immediately and half-forced him into an Iraqi car. The Iraqis had some sort of list to which his name and details were added, probably unnecessarily. Rest of the crossing (incl. the Kurdish part) was a breeze with only a few questions. The whole taxi thing here seems a bit unnecessary.''
Iraq
,→Entry: general clean up and added an official link to KRG's site regarding visas +exp.
=== Entry ===
A 30 day permit for the Kurdistan region can be obtained for free at the border for all EU and most Western citizens ([https://us.gov.krd/en/services/visa-information/ official list]). You will just get an entry stamp in your passport. While inside of Kurdistan you can prolong it. Those unlucky to be on the visa on arrival list may apply for an e-visa via e-mail (see link above).
'''From Turkey'''
''If you decide to take a taxi, you might as well take it from [[Cizre]] (50 km from the border) instead of [[Silopi]] (10 km from the border) as the taxi prices are the same (20 TL). When I arrived in Iraq my Taxi driver dropped me off just after the border, he told me I would have to take another taxi to get to Zakho but the price would only be 1 TL - that was not true, the taxi was 4000 Iraqi Dinaar (about 6,5 TL). Anyway, don't take another taxi, it's just 10 kilometers to the town, you can walk or hitch it.'' --[[User:Jakobwithk|Jakobwithk]] 19:29, 12 January 2012 (CET)
''In April 2014 we got to the border by truck. There are many mini-van smuggling goods into Iraqi Kurdistan, and the policeman on the turkish side was happy to show us into one of his friends'. They did not ask for money and neither looked interested in payment, but rather in having us as passengers in their list. On the Iraqi side a policeman asked the cars if anybody was going directly to Erbil.--[[''User:Rovingsnails|Rovingsnails]]
'''From Iran'''
At the Pervez Khan boarder to the west of [[Kermanshah]] you can freely enter by foot and receive a free 30 day visa on arrival for most Western nationals. Boarder Border guards will look surprised to meet somebody who is not smuggling goods from Iran into Iraq, especially if you're not from the Middle East. Luggage will be fully checked twice, but when they notice you are there to visit their beautiful country they will give you a big smile and let you through in no time. Last verified on 22nd of October 2016.
=== Exit ===
