Jordan Times
Thursday, April 10, 2008
New system to aid visa
processing for Iraqis
AMMAN (JT) - The government on Wednesday approved a new request by the Iraqi
government to issue visas to Iraqi citizens who wish to enter the Kingdom,
Minister of Interior Eid Fayez said yesterday.
At the signing ceremony of an agreement between the government and international
courier TNT Post, the minister said the arrangement seeks to serve and assist
Iraqi citizens who wish to enter the country.
The agreement establishes a system to regulate the entry process by accrediting
a specialised party to receive and submit visa applications under required
conditions, Fayez pointed out, stressing that Jordan treats all Iraqis equally.
The process, created in response to a request by the Iraqi government, seeks to
regulate the entry of Iraqi citizens into Jordan, Fayez said.
Under the agreement, TNT will receive visa applications from Iraqi citizens
through its 13 offices, available in all of Iraq’s governorates, process them
and forward them to the ministry.
According to the scheme, applicants will be informed if they are approved or
denied entry between 10-14 working days.
The agreement, which will become effective as of April 15, includes special
directives on dealing with humanitarian cases and expediting application
processing.
In return for its service, the company will charge 15,000 Iraqi dinars for each
applicant. Visa applicants should receive a receipt, the application’s
registration number and a date to check on the result for the application he or
she made from the company.
Iraqi citizens who are not staying in Iraq and wish to enter the Kingdom should
check with the Jordanian embassies and consulates in their countries of
residence to submit the required forms.
The agreement, which was signed by the ministry’s secretary general Mokhaimer
Abu Jamous and Jinendra Sancheti, TNT’s regional managing director for the
Middle East and Africa, is in line with Royal directives to assist Iraqis,
according to officials.