KRG helps citizens return overland following airspace ban

Shafaq News/ The Kurdistan Regional Government has instructed its nationals stranded abroad to obtain Turkish transit visas and return overland, as Iraq’s airport shutdown continues to block air travel into the region.

The guidance comes in response to nationwide flight suspensions imposed by Baghdad amid escalating regional tensions and Israeli airstrikes targeting Iranian assets across the Middle East, including inside Iraq, leaving thousands of travelers unable to return home.

To facilitate their return, the KRG outlined a temporary process requiring affected citizens to visit the nearest Turkish consulate or embassy and apply for a three-day transit visa, where applicants must present a confirmed ticket with a Turkish airline as a condition for visa issuance.

Officials noted that these measures are temporary and will remain in effect only until Iraqi airspace reopens.

To support the return process, the KRG also deployed reception teams at the Ibrahim al-Khalil border crossing, which serves as the primary land entry point from Turkiye into Kurdistan.