Erbil: Launch of an electronic passport system

On Sunday, July 16, 2023, in the presence of Erbil Governor Omed Khoshnaw and Deputy Governor Hemin Qadir, the electronic issuing of passports went into effect in Erbil.

In a press conference, Erbil's governor stated, "The electronic system is directly connected to the General Passports Department in Baghdad, and all completed transactions are directly entered into the general passport system in Iraq."

He added, "Due to Erbil's Passports Directorate's heavy workload, there may be some sort of congestion," but the Director of Passports in Erbil confirmed that they have identified the appropriate mechanisms to manage the loads on the new system as needed and to efficiently complete citizens' transactions.

The governor of Erbil emphasized that "the new passport is of high quality, cannot be forged, and no one can use it instead of the real passport holder."