Kurdistan grants amnesty, 60-ady grace period to Syrians with expired residency

Shafaq News/ The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has introduced new measures to regularize the status of Syrian nationals living in the Region with expired or missing residency permits.

The Interior Ministry announced on Thursday that, under direct orders from Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, the decisions will come into effect on Sunday, June 15.

Under the directive, Syrians residing illegally in the Kurdistan Region will be granted a 60-working-day grace period during which they can visit residency offices to obtain or renew one-year permits. All fines for overstaying will be waived. Those wishing to return to Syria voluntarily will be allowed to exit through Erbil International Airport without penalty. The KRG will also cover travel costs for Syrians unable to afford a return journey, provided they register through the Peshawar International Portal.

To ensure smooth implementation, the Interior Ministry has established special task forces in residency offices across the Region to expedite processing and assist applicants.

As of April 2025, the Kurdistan Region of Iraq hosts approximately 261,939 Syrian refugees, representing nearly 97% of all Syrians currently residing in Iraq. This concentration stems from a combination of geographical, political, and humanitarian factors that have made the Region a key destination for displaced Syrians since the onset of the civil war in 2011.

Many of these refugees are Syrian Kurds who share linguistic, cultural, and familial ties with the local population in Kurdistan.