Kurdistan Region Allows New Licensed Drivers to Cross International Borders in Personal Vehicles
The Kurdistan Region government has issued new guidance clarifying that only holders of valid state driver's licenses may drive personal vehicles across international borders, with those lacking such licenses required to hire a certified driver.
Erbil (Kurdistan24) - The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) issued new official guidance on Wednesday, clarifying the rules governing the use of personal vehicles at international border crossings, in a directive that affects residents seeking to travel abroad with their own cars.
The KRG Ministry of Interior's General Directorate of the Diwan issued the foundational circular on Monday, signed by Director General Heyman Mirani, stating that residents who hold a valid state driver's license are permitted to drive their personal vehicles across international borders without requiring any additional documentation; something that was required before.
However, those who do not hold a valid state driver's license are prohibited from driving their personal vehicles across borders and must instead hire a licensed driver if they wish to travel with their vehicle, according to the new rule.
The KRG Ministry of Finance and Economy's General Directorate of Customs followed up on Wednesday, in a letter signed by Acting Director General Jawhar Mahmoud Khadr, formally referring the matter to the relevant customs departments for implementation, after a series of internal correspondences dating back to September 2022 that had left the jurisdiction of the issue unresolved between the two ministries.
The clarification ends years of administrative ambiguity over which the finance ministry held authority over cross-border personal vehicle travel, with the matter now formally assigned to customs authorities for enforcement.
The directive was copied to the Kurdistan Region Passport Directorate, Airport Customs Directorate, and Vehicle Customs Directorate for implementation.