Kurdistan
Passengers traversing through Erbil International Airport. Photo: screengrab/PM Barzani/Twitter
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) launched Wednesday its first-ever electronic visa portal as part of an expansive campaign to digitalize services in the Region in a bid to boost tourism and investment, the Region’s prime minister announced.
“The new paperless portal allows visitors and investors to apply for visas online, helping to boost tourism and foreign investment in the Kurdistan Region,” Prime Minister Masrour Barzani said, adding that this step will pave the way for further digital reforms in the Region.
Recipients of an electronic visa will be permitted entry into the Kurdistan Region for 90 days from the date of issue and must apply through the link provided by the KRG. The cost of an e-Visa application is around $73.
I’m pleased to announce the launch of the KRG’s first e-Visa portal (https://t.co/EwkBlqVVhN), in line with our promise to become a fully digital government by the end of 2025. pic.twitter.com/CFCNsh7rEj
— Masrour Barzani (@masrourbarzani) February 22, 2023
“The technology and data from the services will also facilitate the introduction of more digital services, pave the way for serious upgrades to our airports and border crossings, and help build trade routes with our international partners,” Barzani continued, noting that additional announcements will be made over the coming months.
Rudaw English understands the announcements include “a set of other electronic services” to be launched later in 2023, aimed at facilitating travel through the border crossings and part of the government’s wider goal to go paperless by 2025.
The electronic visa is only valid for entry into the Kurdistan Region and cannot be used for travel into federal Iraq.
The KRG’s ninth cabinet is working towards digitalizing all public services in the governmental establishments and institutions, in efforts to offer greater transparency and efficiency.
Among the services that have already been digitalized by the KRG are the driving license renewal process and digital company registration system, which the government says has reduced the time needed to register a company from weeks to only 24 hours.
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