What should I do if my name is wrong on my approved Iraq visa?

Question

Accepted Answer

If your name is wrong on your approved Iraq visa, you cannot travel with that document. Your visa details must match your physical passport bio-data page exactly. Airlines deny boarding and immigration officers refuse entry when the name on a visa does not match the passport. The required action depends on your application status.

### Edits before submission

If you have not paid the fee or submitted the application, update your name directly in the online form. Check each given name and surname against the machine-readable zone on your passport identity page. Enter your names in the exact order and spelling shown on your travel document. The official [Iraqi Electronic Visa Portal](https://evisa.iq/en) locks the application form after payment, so verify your details carefully before submitting.

### Changes during processing

You cannot edit form fields on the portal while immigration officers review your file. If officers detect an error between your typed name and your passport scan, they may mark your file as Additional Information Required. You can then upload requested corrections or documents through the portal. If your application remains under review and you notice the name error yourself, call the Directorate of Residency Affairs at +964 772 111 1434 or submit a message through the portal contact form. For paper applications submitted through a diplomatic mission, contact the Iraqi embassy handling your file.

### Errors after visa issue

Immigration officers cannot amend an approved electronic visa after issuance. You cannot use an issued visa with an incorrect name. If your approved visa has a misspelled name, missing middle names, or an inverted name order, do not attempt to travel with it.

### Reapplication, extension, and overstay procedures

1. Reapplication. You must submit a new visa application with your name matching your passport exactly and pay the visa fee again. Visa fees paid to the government are non-refundable.
2. Extensions. Expired visas cannot be extended. To extend an authorized stay inside Iraq, visit the Directorate of Residency Affairs in Baghdad or your local provincial residency office in person before your permitted stay expires. For stays in the Kurdistan Region, visit the residency office in Erbil or Sulaymaniyah.
3. Overstay penalties. Remaining in Iraq beyond your permitted stay violates Iraqi residency regulations. Overstayers must pay administrative fines at the residency office and obtain an exit permit before leaving through an airport or border crossing.

### Referral to the competent authority

Travel booking websites, third-party portals, and commercial agencies cannot alter government immigration records or access private visa files. For unresolved legal cases, status disputes, or formal corrections, present your case directly to the competent authority. Contact the Directorate of Residency Affairs under the Ministry of Interior for Federal Iraq, or the Directorate of Residency for the Kurdistan Region.

Checked on 2026-10-08.