Country bulletin: internal relocation, civil documentation and returns (update following setting aside of country guidance), Iraq, July 2026 (accessible)
Updated 24 July 2026
Reference: IRQ-002-07-26
July 2026
Summary: Updated guidance for decision makers following the setting aside of a Country Guidance decision promulgated in April 2026
Summary
The Country Guidance (CG) case of AH, AK & AJ (Identity documentation; returns to the KRI) Iraq CG [2026] UKUT 150 (IAC) (AH, AK & AJ) was promulgated on 14 April 2026. The decision included several significant changes from the previous CG, which was promulgated on 16 March 2022: SMO and KSP (Civil status documentation, article 15) (CG)) Iraq [2022] UKUT 110 (IAC) (‘SMO2’).
However, on 29 June 2026, the Upper Tribunal (UT) decided that permission to appeal to the Court of Appeal should be granted on a single ground of procedural unfairness, and the CG decision should be set aside and remitted to the UT for a fresh hearing, likely in spring 2027.
Decision makers must not follow the findings of AH, AK & AJ. Instead, they must follow the information and guidance in the archived Country Policy and Information Note (CPIN) Iraq: Internal relocation, civil documentation and returns, which was based on SMO2. However, available information indicates that there have been subsequent factual developments which means decision makers should now depart from some of the findings in SMO2, specifically in relation to the points set out below.
Rollout of the Iraqi National Identity Document (INID)
In SMO2, the UT held that ‘The CSID [Civil Status Identity Document] is being replaced with a new biometric Iraqi National Identity Card’ [headnote 11]. Now, the CSID and the Iraqi Nationality Certificate are no longer valid and cannot be used. They have been replaced by the INID (see Civil Status Identity Document (CSID)).
Ability to obtain an INID in the UK
In SMO2, the UT held: ‘In order to obtain an INID, an individual must personally attend the Civil Status Affairs (“CSA”) office at which they are registered to enrol their biometrics, including fingerprints and iris scans.’ (headnote 12). Since October 2024, Iraqi nationals in the UK have been able to apply for and obtain an INID at the Iraqi Embassy in London.
A person must submit supporting documents in order to apply for an INID at the Iraqi Embassy in London. According to the Iraqi Embassy website the following documents are required:
- Iraqi Nationality Certificate (INC) or that of a paternal relative
- Civil Status Identity Document (CSID)
- Iraqi Passport
- Proof of identity
- Proof of address
However, it is unclear whether all of these documents, or just some, are required to successfully obtain an INID, with available evidence indicating that an Iraqi passport is not required during the application process.
A person who has lost the required documents might still be able to apply, but it is unclear what the process would be in such cases. In cases where the person has left their documents in Iraq, decision makers must consider whether these documents could be sent to the UK to be used in an INID application. The onus is on the person to demonstrate that they do not have and cannot obtain the required documents. The Embassy’s announcements indicate that it can answer phone and email enquiries about the INID application process. A person who is unsure of their ability to apply for an INID may be able to contact the Embassy for clarification. The onus is on the person to demonstrate that they are unable to obtain an INID from the Embassy (see Applications at the Iraqi Embassy in London).
Return routes for failed asylum seekers from Federal Iraq, the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) and the Disputed Territories
The table below sets out the airport(s) to which individuals may be returned, according to their area of origin.
| Place of origin | Airport(s) of return |
|---|---|
| Federal Iraq | Baghdad |
| Kurdistan Region of Iraq | Sulaymaniyah, Erbil, Baghdad |
| Disputed Territories | Sulaymaniyah, Erbil, Baghdad |
Country information
About this bulletin
For details on how CPIT makes its assessments, gathers and presents country information, the research methodology and information on disclaimers (including the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in developing CPIT products, as well as on use of maps, translations etc.) see About country policy and information notes.
The COI included in this note was published or made publicly available on or before 1 July 2026. Any event that took place or reports published after this date are not included. The COI provides the basis for the summary. Decision makers must use relevant COI as the evidential basis for decisions.
The topic, structure and content of this note are designed to consider the extent to which some of the findings in the Country Guidance case of SMO & KSP (Civil status documentation; article 15) Iraq CG [2022] UKUT 00110 (IAC) (‘SMO2’) continue to apply in light of subsequent factual developments.
1. Country Guidance (CG)
1.1 Setting aside of April 2026 CG
1.1.1 The CG case of AH, AK & AJ (Identity documentation; returns to the KRI) Iraq CG [2026] UKUT 150 (IAC) (AH, AK & AJ) was promulgated on 14 April 2026. Headnote (7) of AH, AK & AK stated:
‘Up to September 2025, return of former residents of the Kurdish Region of Iraq (KRI - previously more commonly referred to as the Iraqi Kurdistan Region or IKR) was to the KRI; all other Iraqis were returned to Baghdad. A new agreement dated 19 August 2025 would permit return of former residents originating from the Disputed Territories to either Erbil or Sulaymaniyah airports in the KRI, but this route had not yet been utilised as at September 2025. The Respondent must specify the location of return.’ (headnote (7))
1.1.2 Having reviewed the judgment, the Secretary of State for the Home Department’s legal representatives informed the Upper Tribunal (UT) that headnote (7) of the CG decision should not be relied upon because the evidence put before the UT did not accurately reflect the wording of the Declaration of Intent (DOI) (the agreement referenced above in headnote (7)). This was on two issues. Firstly, whether the DoI included Sulaymaniyah airport as a destination of return. Secondly, whether individuals from the Disputed Territories could be returned to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI).
1.1.3 Permission to appeal to the Court of Appeal has been agreed between the parties on a single ground of procedural unfairness and that the decision should be set aside and remitted to the UT for a fresh hearing. The UT endorsed this position on 29 June 2026. A signed consent order will be drafted and agreed to reflect this position. The appeal will be reheard before the UT, likely in spring 2027.
Previous CG (SMO2)
1.2.1 In March 2022, the Upper Tribunal (UT) promulgated the CG case of SMO & KSP (Civil status documentation; article 15) Iraq CG [2022] UKUT 00110 (IAC) (hereafter referred to as ‘SMO2’).
1.2.2 For information on the findings of SMO2, including information regarding the different forms of Iraqi identification documents, see the archived CPIN Iraq: Internal relocation, civil documentation and returns. Decision makers must refer to the information and guidance in that CPIN when processing Iraqi cases, with a few exceptions based on the subsequent factual developments that have taken place since March 2022. These developments are considered to amount to ‘very strong grounds supported by cogent evidence’ in order to depart from some of the findings in SMO2. The findings that are to be departed from are set out in the next subsection (see Points of departure from SMO2).
1.3 Points of departure from SMO2
1.3.1 Sections 2–4 of this bulletin provide country information that justifies departure from SMO2 on the following points:
- Progress of the Iraqi National Identity Card (INID) rollout
- Ability to obtain an INID in the UK
- Validity of the Civil Status Identity Document (CSID)
1.3.2 Section 5 of this bulletin sets out additional information regarding the return of persons from the disputed territories which was not available to the UT when it handed down its decision in SMO2.
2. Iraqi National Identity Document (INID)
2.1 INID rollout
2.1.1 In August 2025, NRT, a ‘media network in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq’[footnote 1], reported:
‘The Iraqi Interior Ministry announced that the total number of unified national cards [INIDs] issued since the start of the project in 2015 has reached nearly 49 million cards.
‘Munazil Saeedi, Director of Information at the General Directorate of Civil Status, Passports, and Residence, stated that 48 million and 712 thousand cards have been issued so far. He emphasized the ministry’s commitment to expanding services and simplifying procedures for citizens both inside Iraq and abroad.
‘To serve the diaspora, eight national card branches have been opened inside Iraqi embassies located in:
‘London, Abu Dhabi, Amman, Cairo, Tehran, Detroit, Frankfurt, Ankara’[footnote 2]
2.1.2 Iraq’s population (excluding foreign residents) was about 45.7 million, according to the most recent national census conducted in November 2024.[footnote 3]
2.1.3 The figures above do not mean that everyone in Iraq has an INID. The reported figure for the number of INIDs issued (49 million) appears to include renewal and replacement INIDs as well as first-time issuances. A person must renew their INID when certain personal circumstances change, for example when they get married or divorced (see the archived CPIN Iraq: Internal relocation, civil documentation and returns).
2.2 Applications at the Iraqi Embassy in London
2.2.1 In October 2024, the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs website published the following announcement:
‘The Embassy of the Republic of Iraq in the United Kingdom in London is pleased to announce to the Iraqi community residing in the UK that appointments are now available for applying for the National Card (in a trial phase), starting from Monday, October 21, 2024.
‘Required Documents:
- Completion of the National Card application form.
- Iraqi nationality certificate in the applicant’s name, or presentation of an Iraqi nationality certificate or National Card supporting document (father, mother, brother, sister, paternal grandfather, uncle). [Note: based on another page on the Embassy website, ‘supporting document’ appears to mean a copy of a nationality certificate or INID belonging to a paternal relative[footnote 4].]
- Civil status identity card.
- Iraqi passport.
- Proof of identity (if no document is provided in the applicant’s name). [Note: it is unclear whether this means a person can submit alternative proof of identity as a substitute for all the documents listed above]
- Proof of address.
- Additionally, please fill out the online form for the National Card by visiting the official website of the National Card Affairs Directorate at the following link: https://www.nid-moi.gov.iq/
- Or access the link here: https://www.nid-moi.gov.iq/?page=5
‘To schedule an appointment for the issuance of the National Card or for inquiries, please contact the number below during working days from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM: +447597175733.’[footnote 5]
It is unclear whether a person must submit all of the listed documents in order to successfully obtain an INID at the Embassy. CPIT was unable to find any other information about the required documents in the sources consulted (see Bibliography).
2.2.2 Since the introduction of the INID application facility, the Embassy’s Facebook page has published several posts informing applicants that their INIDs are ready to collect. The screenshots below show one of these posts, published on 6 February 2026. The post informed applicants that they must bring their original CSID and Iraqi Nationality Certificate (INC) to the Embassy to collect their INID. The table lists the case number and the first letter of each applicant’s name. For other similar posts, see the Embassy’s Facebook page.
2.2.3 The Embassy’s Facebook page additionally published an Arabic-language video on 16 October 2024 which explained how to fill out the online INID application form.[footnote 7] This form is the first step for obtaining an INID from the Embassy (see paragraph 2.2.1). CPIT arranged for a professional translation agency to transcribe and translate what the narrator of the video is saying into English.
2.2.4 The translated transcript (Annex A) indicated that, although the form includes a field for ‘Passport Number’, this field is optional and can be left blank. The translated transcript states ‘… here the passport number, this is left to you whether you want to write it or do not want to write it, it is optional, most of them leave it empty and there is absolutely no problem …’[footnote 8] The passport field being optional suggests that it is not an essential document for obtaining an INID.
2.2.5 A page on the Embassy’s website, published on 5 August 2025, explained the process for individuals who have lost their CSID and/or INC (see the archived CPIN Iraq: Internal relocation, civil documentation and returns for information about these documents). CPIT translated the page from Arabic using automated translation tools. It stated:
‘Procedures for issuing a Unified National Card [INID] as a replacement for a lost one, or in the event of the loss of one of the required documents (Iraqi Nationality Certificate + Civil Status Identity Card) for applying for the issuance of the National Card:
‘1 – In the event that the original documents are lost in in Iraq, it is necessary to go to a police station in Iraq to report the loss of the documents and provide proof of that the procedures mandated by the competent court have been followed.
‘2 – In the event that the original documents are lost in the United Kingdom, it is necessary to contact a police station to report the loss of the documents and provide proof that the necessary procedures of the competent authorities have been followed, along with having followed the procedures before the competent authorities, together with proof of the loss report and an Arabic translation of that report.’[footnote 9]
The page did not provide information about the procedures for applicants who do not have an Iraqi passport.
2.2.6 The same website published this announcement in November 2024:
‘The Embassy of the Republic of Iraq in the United Kingdom, London, is pleased to announce to the esteemed members of the Iraqi community residing in the UK, the procedures for using the portable system for issuing the National ID card, in accordance with the guidelines approved by the Iraqi Ministry of Interior. The details are as follows:
‘– Portable System (VIP): This system may be used upon a personal request made by the citizen or their legal representative to the Ambassador, Consul, or their designated representative. The purpose of the portable system is to visit the applicant’s residence to input personal information, take a photo, and capture biometric data (iris scan and ten fingerprints). A family member or an authorized person must be designated to follow up on the remaining procedures and receive the National ID once printed. The fee for using this portable service is 250,000 Iraqi dinars [143.89 GBP[footnote 10]], in addition to the National ID issuance fee of 6,000 Iraqi dinars [3.45 GBP[footnote 11]].
‘– Portable System (NPK): This service is for citizens who are hospitalized due to serious health conditions or to those who submit a personal request supported by medical reports indicating that the applicant suffers from an illness that prevents or makes it difficult for them to visit the Embassy or Consulate to register in the civil registry system for the issuance of the National ID. The usage of this portable service is free of charge, but the National ID issuance fee of 6,000 Iraqi dinars [3.45 GBP[footnote 12]] still applies. A family member or an authorized person must also be designated to follow up on the remaining procedures and receive the National ID once printed.’[footnote 13]
3. Civil Status Identity Document (CSID)
3.1 Validity
3.1.1 In October 2025, the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) published a COI report on Iraq (the October 2025 EUAA report). Citing information provided by UNHCR via email in August 2025, it stated: ‘Civil Status ID cards and nationality certificates are no longer in use. As of 1 April 2024, the Iraqi Ministry of Interior announced the end of the use of the Civil Status Identity Card.’[footnote 14]
4. Internal travel by road
4.1 Documentation required to pass through checkpoints
4.1.1 Citing information provided by UNHCR via email in August 2025, the October 2025 EUAA report stated: ‘An individual’s ability to pass checkpoints and be admitted to the proposed area of relocation will require the individual to hold valid civil documentation (Unified ID card [INID] or passport).’[footnote 15]
5. Return routes
5.1 Airport(s) of return
5.1.1 The table below sets out the airport(s) to which a person may be returned, according to their area of origin.
| Place of origin | Airport(s) of return |
|---|---|
| Federal Iraq | Baghdad |
| Kurdistan Region of Iraq | Sulaymaniyah, Erbil, Baghdad |
| Disputed Territories | Sulaymaniyah, Erbil, Baghdad |
5.1.2 In August 2025, UK HMG signed a Declaration of Intent (DOI) with the Government of Iraq which covered the returns of Iraqi nationals. The DOI covers all types of return throughout Iraq (voluntary and enforced) and was designed to streamline the re-documentation process and reduce the time taken to issue travel documents. It should be noted that the DOI is politically sensitive and cannot be disclosed.
5.1.3 Whilst the express wording of the DOI does not mention Sulaymaniyah as a destination of return, nor that those from the disputed territories could be returned to the KRI, Returns Logistics understand they still have the operational ability to return to Sulaymaniyah airport and to return those registered in the disputed territories to the KRI direct. Since the signing of the DOI, the Home Office have enforced the medically escorted return of one individual from the KRI to Sulaymaniyah airport. This reflects Returns Logistics practise that if returning to the KRI then return to Erbil Airport is their preferred option as it is logistically and operationally easier.
5.1.4 In respect of enforced returns since the signing of the DOI, all individuals from the disputed territories have been returned to Baghdad save for one individual born in Kirkuk whose enforced return was to Erbil. There have however been a number of voluntary returns of those from the disputed territories returning to Erbil and Sulaymaniyah.
5.1.5 It should be noted that these statistics are regularly updated and are subject to amendment. As such, the figures presented should be regarded as a minimum, and the actual number may be higher.
5.1.6 The UT in SMO2 held that ‘There are regular direct flights from the UK to the Iraqi Kurdish Region and returns might be to Baghdad or to that region. It is for the respondent to state whether she intends to remove to Baghdad, Erbil or Sulaymaniyah.’ (headnote 26)
5.1.7 Whilst this finding remains extant and should not be departed from, decision makers should also note that individuals originating from the disputed territories may be returned via Erbil or Sulaymaniyah in the KRI, as well as via Baghdad International Airport if required.
5.2 Returns statistics
5.2 The table below sets out the published statistics on returns to Iraq between January 2024 and March 2026 (inclusive), as of 10 June 2026.[footnote 16] It should be noted that these statistics are regularly updated and are subject to amendment.
| Enforced returns | Q1 2024 | Q2 2024 | Q3 2024 | Q4 2024 | Q1 2025 | Q2 2025 | Q3 2025 | Q4 2025 | Q1 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enforced removals from detention | 8 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 17 | 14 |
| Non detained Enforced removals | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Other returns from detention | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Total | 11 | 8 | 4 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 19 | 16 |
| Voluntary returns | Q1 2024 | Q2 2024 | Q3 2024 | Q4 2024 | Q1 2025 | Q2 2025 | Q3 2025 | Q4 2025 | Q1 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assisted returns | 15 | 25 | 45 | 44 | 41 | 57 | 62 | 61 | 57 |
| Controlled returns | 14 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 8 | 4 | 14 | 7 |
| Other verified returns | 7 | 18 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 13 | 8 |
| Total | 36 | 55 | 73 | 73 | 70 | 78 | 81 | 88 | 72 |
| Q1 2024 | Q2 2024 | Q3 2024 | Q4 2024 | Q1 2025 | Q2 2025 | Q3 2025 | Q4 2025 | Q1 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Refused entry at port and subsequently departed | 38 | 42 | 45 | 104 | 32 | 30 | 75 | 71 | 45 |
| Q1 2024 | Q2 2024 | Q3 2024 | Q4 2024 | Q1 2025 | Q2 2025 | Q3 2025 | Q4 2025 | Q1 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Total | 85 | 105 | 122 | 186 | 112 | 117 | 165 | 178 | 133 |
Annex A: Translation of Iraqi Embassy Facebook post – 16 October 2024
[16 July 2026] Task ID# 1777057
National ID card application form
You can choose the Kurdish language, or of course the Arabic or Kurdish language depending on your residence and your civil status department, let us choose the Arabic language, it will transfer us to these instructions, of course the instructions are easy, I mean I will explain them while filling out the form, if you want to look at them and read them, that is up to you and as you wish, of course you press this arrow at the bottom of the form, it will transfer you to this interface, the interface of course contains 2, personal information, and it contains civil status information, nationality certificate, and residence, we will go through them in sequence and in detail.
Personal information, of course I will speed up the video so you do not get bored, but I will give you the information with all its details, personal information, here the first field we have is the name, of course you write the name in the Arabic language, the father name, here the name you have is the name of the person we want to issue a card for, meaning if it is a child we do not write the name of his father, we write the name of the child, I mean not his father name, most of them do not know that if his son has a birth certificate he writes his own name thinking it is a reservation, this is not a reservation, this is a form, meaning every person has a form in their name starting with their name, here the name, here the father name, here the grandfather name, here the title if present, of course all this information you take from the nationality certificate, you take it from the identity card, meaning do not write anything from your own, if there is a title you write it, if there is no title you do not write it, you take all of it from the civil status identity card that you have, of course the child, you take the child information from the birth certificate, or you know the name and so on, same as your information, your title if you have a title, you are the father, you write it here, and here you take it from the birth certificate, his name, the child name from the birth certificate.
Here we have the place of birth, you write the place of birth, if you have a nationality certificate, you turn the nationality certificate to the side that does not have a picture, on the back it is written place of birth, you enter it exactly as it is with all its details, do not add anything and do not subtract anything, here the date of birth, the date of birth appears to you when pressing, this interface appears to you, here you press here to choose the year, and press here to choose the month, you go back or move forward in the month, and press here to choose the day, for example I will press on 8, it will show you 8 October 2020.
Here the mother name, the mother name you find in the nationality certificate, it has the mother name and the mother father name only, it is present on the side of the picture in the nationality certificate, the mother name and the mother father name, here the gender, you choose male or female, here the religion, you choose Muslim or Christian, here the marital status, you write single, virgin, or married, blood type, blood type here is very important, we need it in necessary situations, cases God forbid that we need something quickly, so it is necessary that you know your blood type, and if you do not have it, I hope you go perform a test and write your exact blood type, it is useful for you, for you and for your family, so you can need it in the future, you press the blood type that is, as they say, yours and you know it.
Here visible disabilities, God forbid, you write healthy or healthy if it is a female, here the passport number, this is left to you whether you want to write it or do not want to write it, it is optional, most of them leave it empty and there is absolutely no problem, here the profession is also optional, also no need to write it, the phone number we need from you is necessary, even if you are not going to write it in the form, we over there during the extraction of the national card for your honourable self will request the number from you, so that any issues we can call you, so it is preferred that you write it, and if it is a family, it should be written only in the form of the head of the family.
Here you have the life status of the father, alive or deceased, the father nationality is of course Iraqi or naturalized or something like that, I mean here the father place of birth, the father place of birth where do you find it if you are, for example, far from your father or he is old, you find it in your own nationality certificate, your own nationality certificate on the other side, not the side of the picture, the opposite side to it, you will find the father name and you will find the father place of birth below the name, you take it from your nationality certificate and write it here, the mother is the same thing, alive or deceased, her nationality and her place of birth, you find all of it in your nationality certificate, after we finish with this interface, we press this next arrow to transfer us to a second interface for civil status information, nationality certificate, and residence.
Here the civil status identity information, if you still have a nationality certificate and have not issued a national card, here it is written civil status department, civil status department, you choose an option from these departments, all departments of Iraq are present here, of course where will you find it written civil status department, you find it in your nationality certificate, the status identity, you find it at the top from the right side, above the record and page number, it is written the department and written in front of it the name of the department, you press here and choose it, as for information, as for the record number, you find it below the name of the department, you write it exactly as written, there are some records written in them.
There are some records written in them, some records written in them are a record number, a normal number, meaning for example 8, or 9, or 98, or something like that, a single number, and some have an annex written next to it as M, M, how do you write it, you write it as capital English, which is the letter M in capital English as shown in front of you, for example annex, annex 15, you write it exactly as it is present in front of you, dear citizen or follower, the page number also you find below the record number, very normal, this is if you have a civil status identity card, but if you have a card number, if you have, excuse me, a national card and want to fill out a form for your newborn son or daughter on the birth certificate, then the status department you naturally know where your status department is, you choose it as you know it, the record number and the page number, even if you leave it empty, there is absolutely no problem, we fill it in the department, there is absolutely no problem, anyone tells you that you did not write the record number, it is wrong, they will return you, no, do not listen to his words, we will fill it, and in addition to this, I will post for you a special episode explaining, explaining the record and page number in the unified national card, where you find them exactly, of course I will give you a brief thing, that the record and page number you find on the back of the unified national card, it is written the family number, the first 4 digits you find are the number of the department, and then the record number and the page number, follow us and subscribe to the channel, I will post for you a special video clarifying for you the record and page number in the unified national card, in case you need it in one of the transactions, we are done with this.
Let us go back here to the Iraqi nationality certificate information, the name of the governorate, of course you press on it, you choose your governorate from the certificate, the issuing authority, where is your issuing authority, whether nationality affairs, Baghdad, Rusafa, Adhamiya, where, the right side, Maqal, you choose the issue, of course you find it in the stamp, you find it written issuing authority, you find it written in the stamp, or written at the top, let us say at the beginning of the nationality, the beginning of the nationality certificate, at the bottom, at the top from the right side, you find it written, here you have the nationality certificate number, the nationality certificate number is written at the top, the certificate number and its date of issue, sometimes you find, of course here we told you the date of issue, you can choose, you can choose a day, month, and year exactly as I taught you there in the date, of course there are some nationality certificates written with 2 numbers, a number at the top, which is the certificate number and its date, and a number at the bottom, why is this, this is during the renewal of the nationality certificate or during the issuance of a lost replacement, so it will contain the new number and the old number, so here you are free to write the top and the bottom, very normal and very natural, do not get confused by it, after we finished with this, we come here, the wallet number is present at the top from the right side, the year of registration is also present at the top.
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Bibliography
Sources cited
Embassy of the Republic of Iraq in London:
-
Announcement: Issuance of the National Card, 17 October 2024. Accessed: 30 June 2026
-
Announcement / Portable National ID Issuance System, 11 November 2024. Accessed: 30 June 2026
-
Requirements for the Issuance of the National Card for the First Time (translated using automated translation tools), 5 August 2025. Accessed: 30 June 2026
European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA), Iraq: Country Focus, 8 October 2025. Accessed: 30 June 2026
Facebook:
-
Embassy of Iraq – London, 6 February 2026. Accessed: 3 July 2026
-
Embassy of Iraq – Announcement/Issuance of National ID, 16 October 2024. Accessed: 3 July 2026
GOV.UK, Immigration system statistics data tables, updated 10 June 2026. Accessed: 14 July 2026
Iraqi News Agency, Planning Minister Announces Final Results of National Population Census, 26 November 2025. Accessed: 30 June 2026
NRT:
-
About, no date. Accessed: 30 June 2026
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Iraqi Interior Ministry: 49 Million National Cards Issued, 19 August 2025. Accessed: 30 June 2026
The Big Word, Translation of Iraqi Embassy Facebook post, 16 July 2026. Accessed: 16 July 2026
Xe.com, 1 IQD to GBP, Accessed: 30 June 2026
Sources consulted but not cited
The Return, Iraq’s New ID Policy: What it Means for Iraqis Living Abroad, 30 April 2026. Accessed: 30 June 2026
Iraqi Consulate in Detroit, New Guidelines for Applying for the Unified National ID card, no date. Accessed: 30 June 2026
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NRT, Iraqi Interior Ministry: 49 Million National Cards Issued, 19 August 2025 ↩
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Iraqi News Agency, Planning Minister Announces Final Results…, 26 November 2025 ↩
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Embassy of the Republic of Iraq in London, Requirements…, 5 August 2025 ↩
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