Indians may now consider traveling to Iraq except five provinces: MEA

The Ministry, in its advisory, said these five provinces in Iraq remain unsafe due to the prevailing security situation there.

Those Indian nationals wishing to travel for employment and already having work permits and appropriate visas may return to their jobs in the safe areas in Iraq.

"In the wake of the precarious situation then developing in Iraq after the ISIS terrorists had taken over large Iraqi territories, a Travel Advisory was issued on 15 June, 2014 cautioning Indian nationals to avoid all travel to Iraq, until further notification. As the local security situation improved over the time, another Travel Advisory was issued on 04 February, 2019 allowing Indian nationals to consider travelling to the country except five Provinces as those remained affected by terrorism and violence," the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

"A fresh Travel Advisory was issued on 08 January, 2020 due to the escalation of tension, cautioning Indian nationals to avoid all non-essential travel to and within Iraq, until further notification, while assuring that our Embassy in Baghdad and Consulate in Erbil will continue to function normally to provide all services to Indians residing in Iraq," read the statement.

In modification and consolidation of the previous advisories for Indian nationals wishing to travel to Iraq, the following Travel Advisory for their intended visit to different areas in Iraq will take immediate effect:

i) Indian nationals may now consider travelling to the country except to the five Provinces of Iraq, namely Nineveh(Capital Mosul); Salahuddin (Capital Tikrit); Diyala (Capital Baquba); Anbar (Capital Ramadi) and Kirkuk.

ii) Indian nationals are advised not to travel to the above listed five Provinces in Iraq as these remain unsafe due to the prevailing security situation.

iii) Those Indian nationals wishing to travel for employment and already having work permits and appropriate visas may return to their jobs in the safe areas in Iraq other than those listed above as unsafe areas, and inform the Embassy of India in Baghdad or Consulate General of India in Erbil prior to travelling to Iraq.

iv) Those Indian nationals wishing to travel for religious purposes, and having appropriate visa and return air-ticket, may also travel for pilgrimage to the holy places of Najaf and Karbala. They should not extend their religious pilgrimage to the neighbouring Syria and not travel by road from Iraq to Syria or vice-versa.