ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Kurdistan Region’s ministry of the interior announced on Monday that foreign nationals affected by ongoing travel disruptions linked to regional instability will receive a 75 percent reduction in residency-related fines.
The ministry said that foreigners who entered the Kurdistan Region legally but were unable to extend their visas, convert them into residency permits, or renew expired residency cards must visit one of the residency offices within 90 working days.
They will be required to pay only 25 percent of accumulated late penalties, the ministry said.
It added that individuals wishing to leave the Kurdistan Region and return to their home countries will be treated under the same terms and will be granted exit stamps through residency departments.
The decision comes as flights resumed in early April after Iraq reopened its airspace following nearly 40 days of closure during the US-Israeli war on Iran, which began on February 28.
Iraq was caught in the crossfire of the conflict, facing repeated drone and missile attacks that disrupted air travel, forced passengers to rely on land routes, and effectively halted a key international transit corridor.
In mid-April, the interior ministry had already announced a full waiver of financial penalties for foreign nationals unable to travel or renew residency documents due to the war. Under that measure, individuals whose visas or residency permits expired after February 28 were allowed to enter, exit, or renew their documents without late fees until April 30.
Speaking at a conference on Sunday focused on addressing challenges in the tourism sector, Iraq’s Culture Minister Ahmed Fakak al-Badrani said the country “was not a party to the war, but was affected due to its proximity to Iran, suffering significant damage.”
He attributed the disruption to drones, and missiles passing through Iraqi airspace, adding that “what took years to build has been heavily impacted by these events.”
According to the Rudaw Research Center, the Kurdistan Region lost an estimated $290 million in revenue in March and $121 million in the first 10 days of April due to the airspace closure, bringing total losses to over $416 million.