The Iraqi National Security Agency announced the mechanisms and conditions for foreign hunters to enter the country and the procedures required of them, and revealed that they were granted entry visas that extend up to 3 months in return for paying sums of money, it required several security approvals for their entry, most notably their observance of the Wild Animal Protection Law.
It stated in a document issued today, Saturday, that "based on the presentation made by the Minister of Interior regarding granting approvals for the entry of non-Iraqi hunters into Iraqi territory and taking duly measures to provide protection for them and their cadres while they are inside Iraqi territory, the Iraqi National Security Council decided to grant entry visas to hunters from Arabs and foreigners and their companions for a period of three months, according to the provisions of the law.
The document, signed by the National Security Adviser, Qassem Al-Araji, added, "The amount of (20) US dollars or its equivalent in Iraqi dinars (service wages) is collected for each person who enters Iraqi territory for the purpose of hunting for himself and his companions, and coordination is carried out by hunters wishing to enter the territory of the Republic of Iraq, exclusively with Iraqi security companies in order to secure protection for them, provided that evidence is presented when granting entry visas.
The National Security also obligated hunters from outside Iraq to "include all information related to requesting an entry visa, as well as the type and details of vehicles, the number of hunting weapons, devices and equipment, in addition to copies of their passports and an Iraqi guarantor, while adhering to the provisions of the Wild Animal Protection Law."
The document of the National Security Council also directed to "coordinate with the Joint Operations Command, the Iraqi National Intelligence Service, and the Agency of the Ministry for Federal Intelligence and Investigations for the purpose of supervising the hunters, and its keys are the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers in connection with allowing the entry of hunters during the hunting season."
The document stated that "in the event that Arabs and foreigners enter with different entry visas and practice the hunting without going through the aforementioned mechanism, their names will be included in the lists of those prohibited from entering, and they will be fined an amount of twice the entry visa fees."
Source: National Iraqi News Agency