New Delhi: On Tuesday, India issued a revised travel advisory for Iraq which states that Indian nationals may now consider travelling to the country except to the five Provinces of Iraq, namely Nineveh (Capital Mosul); Salahuddin (Capital Tikrit); Diyala (Capital Baquba); Anbar (Capital Ramadi) and Kirkuk as these areas remain unsafe due to the prevailing security predicament.
Further it elaborates that those Indian nationals wishing to travel for employment and already having work permits and appropriate visas may return to their jobs in the safe areas in Iraq other than those listed above as unsafe areas, and inform the Embassy of India in Baghdad or Consulate General of India in Erbil prior to travelling to Iraq.
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The advisory also asserts that the Indian nationals wishing to travel for religious purposes, and having appropriate visa and return air-ticket, may also travel for pilgrimage to the holy places of Najaf and Karbala. "They should not extend their religious pilgrimage to the neighbouring Syria and not travel by road from Iraq to Syria or vice-versa." the advisory read.
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In the wake of the precarious situation then developing in Iraq after the ISIS terrorists had taken over large Iraqi territories, a Travel Advisory was issued on 15 June, 2014 cautioning Indian nationals to avoid all travel to Iraq, until further notification. As the local security situation improved over the time, another Travel Advisory was issued on 04 February, 2019 allowing Indian nationals to consider travelling to the country except five Provinces as those remained affected by terrorism and violence.
