Zakho border crossing in N Iraq

No you don’t need nothing. I crossed three days ago.

Good luck!

Unai,

Do NOT tell the Turks you’re working with an NGO, even if you are. Also, another journalist just told me he had to get paperwork approved by the PDK in Ankara. I’d be happy to hear that others have Unai’s experience and just zipped across.

The DPK and the PUK will be happy to see you there without any paper. You don’t need the iraqi visa from Baghdad, the Kurdistan Regional Government is like a country himself and looks like they do not want to put the stamps from the cen-
tral government.

So, believe me:

1-Fly to Diyarbakir (ONUR AIR 80 Euro from Istambul, 2 hours fligth. www.onurair.com)
2-Take a taxi to the border for no more than 110 US dollars (trust them, they know all the process). (4 hours)
3-Cross the border (takes between 1 and 4 hours).
4-Take a taxi for 15 US dollars to Dohuk, tha safest city in all Iraq (1 hour).

The turkish hate the kurdish but they know very well that u go there as a journalist and they will not give u any problem. I think is much more complicated and taugh to work about the PKK in Hakkari, Tuneceli, Diyarbajir, Vam, etc…they do not like to c journos
in their turkish area.

GOOD LUCK!

Anastasia,

You can read a full report on the situation of that crossing here –
http://www.polosbastards.com/artman/publish/Turkey_Iraq_crossing.shtml

And here’s an article about the journey -
http://www.polosbastards.com/artman/publish/north_iraq.shtml

Cheers,

Lee.

Hiya, this is an old thread but I need some up to date info on the crossings if anyone has any I would greatly appreciate it.

Also, does the ‘get visa at the gate’ work when flying into the region?

Additional intel on local security, status of the checkpoints, documents etc would also be appreciated.

thanks a lot

I have not made the trip since the end of January, but it was a very easy process without any difficulties and the previous required approved paperwork by the PDK was not neccessary, eventhough I had it through the NGO I was working for. I was in Erbil and was very peaceful and without any problems or troubles. Good luck

Sorry to revive an old thread, has anyone made this journey in the past few months?