My card was charged but the visa portal says unpaid. What should I do?

Question

Accepted Answer

If your bank card shows a charge but the official visa portal status remains unpaid, stop before you attempt another payment. A card transaction often appears as a pending authorization hold before the portal payment gateway confirms settlement. Making another payment immediately can result in duplicate charges.

### Steps to resolve an unpaid status after a card charge

1. Check whether the bank charge is pending or completed. Open your bank mobile app or online account. Check whether the transaction is an unsettled pre-authorization hold or a settled debit. If the payment gateway failed to communicate with your bank, the temporary hold usually drops off your account within several business days.
2. Check your email and portal dashboard. Wait a short period and refresh your account dashboard on the official [Iraqi Electronic Visa Portal](https://evisa.iq/en). Check your registered email address, including junk folders, for a payment receipt or application confirmation number.
3. Collect your payment evidence. As a practical suggestion, save a screenshot of the portal screen that displays the unpaid status. Save a bank statement or transaction receipt that shows the date, the charged amount, and the transaction reference code.
4. Contact official residency support. If the portal still shows unpaid after your bank settles the charge, contact the Directorate of Residency Affairs through the portal contact form or call +964 772 111 1434 during official business hours. Provide your full name, passport number, application reference code, and the transaction details from your bank.
5. Check jurisdiction and alternative channels. The official online portal handles applications for Federal Iraq. The Kurdistan Regional Government maintains a separate electronic visa service for travel in the Kurdistan Region only. If online payment systems fail repeatedly, applicants can seek consular visas through diplomatic missions such as the [Embassy of the Republic of Iraq in London](https://mofa.gov.iq/london/?page_id=1428) or the [Embassy of the Republic of Iraq in Washington](https://www.iraqiembassy.us/page/visas). Consular single-entry visas cost $50 USD in cash, or $150 USD in cash for US citizens, while applicants of verified Iraqi origin receive a fee waiver.

### Fees and refund terms

- Government fee versus commercial fees. The standard tourist eVisa for Federal Iraq costs $160 USD, as recorded by the [UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office](https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/iraq/entry-requirements). That amount is the official government charge. Private visa agencies add separate service charges, and banks can charge foreign exchange fees.
- No guaranteed refund. Official government visa fees are non-refundable once you submit an application. Never expect a guaranteed refund from the immigration authority for payments made online. If an unsettled charge was only a temporary bank hold, your bank releases the held funds according to its standard clearing rules.
- No verified processing deadline. The official portal provides no verified processing deadline. Never share card security codes or private passport documents on public online forums.

Checked on 2026-10-08.