Crossing northern Iraq / Kurdistan Region
 

I am planing part of my route from Iran to northern Iraq / Kurdistan Region and then to Turkey (Ibrahim Khalil border crossing). Is this actually possible? I have some informations, that is obligatory to deposit bike license on the Iraq border on entering, so you have to return on same crossing? Does somebody have correct informations? It is easy to reenter Turkey (no visa), but is not so easy with Iranian one entry visa.

I heard the same from a Dutch couple travelling TR - IQ - IR. They however managed to talk their way in, and had no deposit or problems. Claiming ignorance and saying 'tourist' might help :D

I currently work in Iraq and have done for 3 years. I could not tell you about border crossings as I fly in to the country. What I can say is that it is not a safe country, it is still very unstable and there is a war going on in the country at the moment involving the Iraqi Army and some terrorist groups, this has been going on for months. There is also a lots of Vehicle bombs and suicide vests, and I trust no one. There has just been the elections and there may be fall out from that also. However saying that the north in Kurdistan is the safer area. Westerners could be prone to kidnap and or worse. Sorry if I sound all negative, and its probably not on the news but if you hear this then anything else is bonus.

We're only talking about the KRG administered north, which is under a different visa regime to the rest of the country. Even if one wished to, entering 'Arab' Iraq as an independent tourist is, to the best of my knowledge and research, impossible.

Yes I agree it is different regime than the rest of the country, but as far as the trouble and Iraqis are concerned it is still Iraq. Ref the visa for the main part of the country I agree as it take us all our time to get visas to work here