Iraq Complete Guide 2026: Erbil, Babylon, Mosul, Baghdad, Najaf and Karbala
Browse more guides: Iraq travel | Asia destinations TL;DR I spent three weeks across Iraq in spring 2026, starting in Erbil's Kurdish north, looping through Babylon, Najaf, and Karbala, ending in Baghdad. Visa-on-arrival costs USD 75 for 60 days in federal Iraq, plus a separate USD 75 stamp for the Kurdistan Region. Flights from Delhi and the Gulf land daily. Book a licensed operator, dress modestly, and bring USD cash in large bills. Why Visit Iraq in 2026 Iraq has reopened to tourism in a way that felt unthinkable a decade ago. Since March 2021, federal Iraq has issued visa-on-arrival at Baghdad, Basra, and Najaf airports for citizens of more than 30 countries, including India, the UK, the European Union, and the United States. The fee is USD 75 for a 60-day single entry. The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) runs its own visa-on-arrival programme at Erbil and Sulaymaniyah, also USD 75 for 30 days, and the two stamps can be combined with a land transfer at the Khazir chec...