Sending a package to Iraq: Customs, transit time and import regulations
From Germany to Baghdad, Basra or Erbil: How to properly prepare business shipments in 2026
Iraq is an important import market in the Middle East. Machinery, vehicles, technical equipment, chemical products, and industrial components, in particular, are imported in large quantities from Europe.
- Shipping from Germany to Iraq
- Parcel, express and freight solutions
- Shipping to Baghdad, Basra and Erbil
- Digital customs clearance via ASYCUDA
- No general VAT on normal goods
- Check product-specific customs
- Consider COSQC compliance
- Clarify import route before shipping
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In Iraq, the HS code is not the only factor determining a smooth import process.
In Iraq, technical product requirements also play an important role, in addition to the customs tariff number and the value of the goods.
Certain goods are inspected for compliance with Iraqi standards. Electronic customs procedures and, depending on the goods, import permits are also required.
Prepare ASYCUDA data completely
Iraq is increasingly using ASYCUDAWorld for customs declarations, electronic manifests, and other import processes. Since the end of 2025, electronic pre-declaration has also played a more significant role.
Check COSQC requirements
Conformity tests or certificates may be required for various imported goods. Technical, chemical, textile, construction, and food products may be particularly affected.
Do not plan for a general EU customs preference.
Although a partnership and cooperation agreement exists between the European Union and Iraq, it is not a free trade agreement with general preferential tariffs for goods originating in the EU.
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Important information about customs and import duties
DAP or DDP to Iraq: Who handles the import?
In the case of a business shipment, it should be clarified before collection who will act as the importer in Iraq.
For DAP The seller organizes the transport to the agreed destination.
The recipient generally assumes:
- Import clearance
- tariff
- product-specific taxes
- permits
- Conformity check if necessary
- local handling fees
For DDP In contrast, the seller assumes further obligations and the agreed import costs.
Especially in the case of Iraq, DDP should not simply be viewed as an additional checkbox in the shipping order.
The following should be clarified beforehand:
- local importer
- Customs agent
- Import route
- HS code
- COSQC requirements
- Import license
- Customs duties and other taxes
The actual import structure should therefore be confirmed before a binding DDP price is set.
What is the import duty in Iraq?
Iraq does not impose a uniform tariff on all imported goods.
The specific sentence depends on:
- HS code
- Product Type
- Usage
- possible legal exceptions
Iraq uses a HS-based customs tariff.
The rates vary significantly depending on the product.
Historically, rates between 0 and 30 percent were applied in the Iraqi customs tariff. However, for actual imports in 2026, the current tariff for the specific customs tariff number should always be used.
Special customs exemptions may also apply to certain investment projects.
This applies, for example, to qualified projects under the Iraqi Investment Law.
Why the customs value is important
It is not only the customs duty that affects import costs.
The basis on which the customs duty is applied must also be correct.
The value of the goods, transport costs and other components can therefore be relevant for the calculation.
An introduction can be found at Calculate customs value correctly.
What is the value-added tax (VAT) rate in Iraq?
Here, Iraq differs significantly from many other import markets.
There is currently no general value added tax or VAT that is applied across the board to all normal goods imports.
Instead, there are product-specific sales taxes.
Examples are:
- 15% off vehicles
- 300% off alcohol and tobacco products
- 20% off certain telecommunications services and credit balances
Therefore, a flat Iraqi VAT rate should not simply be applied to the value of normal machines, spare parts or industrial goods.
However, this does not mean that the import is tax-free.
Depending on the goods, the following may also occur:
- Import duty
- product-specific taxes
- Protective levies
- Testing and conformity costs
- Customs broker and carrier fees
General VAT: none
ASYCUDAWorld: Iraqi customs is becoming increasingly digital
Iraq is modernizing its customs procedures with:
ASYCUDAWorld
The electronic customs system is used by the General Commission of Customs and is now used for numerous processes.
These include, among others:
- Customs declarations
- electronic manifestos
- Export declarations
- electronic payments
- Pre-registrations
Since 1 December 2025 According to the Iraqi Ministry of Finance, the pre-declaration of customs duties via ASYCUDA has also been further activated.
The goal is to make data available electronically even before the goods arrive.
For German companies, this means:
Product data should be available in full as early as possible.
These include:
- precise product description
- HS code
- Origin
- cart value
- Weight
- Transport data
- Importer data
The increasing exchange of data thus fits with the international trend of Paperless Trade.
Sending a package to Iraq: What companies should know by 2026
Iraq has several large economic and commercial centers, including Baghdad, Basra, Mosul and Erbil.
The specific destination can influence which airport or border crossing a shipment is imported through.
The distinction between the following is particularly important:
- federally administered territories
- the Autonomous Region of Kurdistan
Customs procedures are to be more standardized by 2026.
In practice, the import route should still be agreed upon in advance with the recipient or customs agent.
What documents do I need for Iraq?
A typical commercial goods delivery requires:
- Commercial invoice
- Packing List
- Air Waybill or Bill of Lading
- Customs tariff number
- cart value
- Country of origin
- Certificate of origin (if applicable)
- Import license (if applicable)
- Certificate of Conformity (if applicable)
Which documents are actually necessary depends on the product, importer, and import route.
A commercial invoice is used for the sale of goods.
Free samples or replacement deliveries can be documented with a pro forma invoice, depending on the process.
What is COSQC?
COSQC stands for:
Central Organization for Standardization and Quality Control.
The Iraqi organization monitors, among other things, compliance with technical standards for imported products.
The areas of testing include, for example:
- Food products
- chemical products
- Building products
- technical and industrial products
- Textiles
For certain product groups, testing may be required before shipment in the country of origin or export.
COSQC collaborates with authorized testing companies for this purpose.
Especially with regular imports, companies should therefore check whether their product:
- is subject to an Iraqi norm
- must be checked before shipping
- a Certificate of Conformity is required
Why are the COSQC requirements for 2026 particularly relevant?
Iraq is currently further expanding its import controls.
In 2026, COSQC is working on, among other things, a national platform for the registration of suppliers and goods.
At the same time, the testing of imported products and the issuing of certificates of conformity are being further digitized.
This makes the quality of the transmitted product data even more important.
Is there a free trade agreement between the EU and Iraq?
No.
The European Union and Iraq do indeed have a:
Partnership and Cooperation Agreement
or partnership and cooperation agreements.
The agreement has been fully in force since 2018.
Among other things, it improves collaboration in:
- Trade
- Capital expenditure
- Services
- public procurement
- technical trade issues
However, it is expressly a non-preferential trade agreement.
Therefore, for a normal German product, no general customs reduction arises through EUR.1 or a declaration of origin.
German customs will not have an EU preferential arrangement for Iraq in 2026.
How long does it take to send a package to Iraq?
DHL Parcel currently states a delivery time estimate of:
11 to 18 working days.
At the same time, DHL is currently pointing out possible delays due to the current situation in the Middle East.
According to DHL's transit time table, express delivery generally requires the following for key destination areas:
approximately 6 working days.
These values are guidelines.
The actual duration can be influenced by:
- Destination city
- Customs clearance
- product testing
- COSQC procedure
- Import permits
- current transport connections
What language should the customs declaration be in?
DHL currently accepts:
- English
- French
- Spanish
For business correspondence, English is usually the most practical option.
A product description should be as accurate as possible.
Not:
"Parts"
but for example:
“Stainless steel pump housing for industrial water circulation pump”
This makes it much easier for customs and importers to classify the goods.
Correctly state your address in Iraq
DHL recommends using Latin letters and Arabic numerals.
An example:
Example Trading Company
10 Qahwa Street
Al Asmaee, Basrah
61002
IRAQ
The recipient's phone number and email address should also be provided.
This is especially helpful if customs or local delivery partners have any questions.
Import shipping data directly from the ERP system
Regular B2B exports often result in many errors due to duplicate data entry.
Item description, weight, value of goods, recipient and customs information are often already available in the ERP system.
Companies using SAP can handle such processes via a SAP shipping interface Automate more.
Especially in a target market with extensive customs and product data, this can reduce manual transmission errors.
These errors are delaying shipments to Iraq
In the case of Iraq, import eligibility should not be checked only when the goods are already at the airport or border crossing.
Typical problems include:
- general product description
- incorrect HS code
- missing certificate of origin
- COSQC requirement not checked
- Certificate of Conformity is missing
- Importer not adequately prepared
- Wrong import route chosen
- Product restrictions not checked
Also observe export controls from Germany
There is no comprehensive EU trade ban with Iraq for ordinary civilian goods.
However, export restrictions apply to certain goods.
This applies particularly to:
- Armaments
- certain military equipment
- Dual-use products depend on the product and its use.
- Transactions with listed persons or organizations
Especially in the case of electronics, measuring instruments or technical components, an export control check should therefore be carried out if necessary.
If the shipment contains lithium batteries, additional transport regulations for dangerous goods apply. Our overview explains the most important requirements. International shipping of lithium-ion batteries.
What goods are being shipped from Europe to Iraq?
Iraq is heavily reliant on imported machinery, vehicles, and technical products.
In 2025, the European Union exported goods worth approximately 5,5 billion euros to Iraq.
Particularly important were:
- Machinery and transport equipment
- chemical products
- Agricultural and food products
Machinery and transport equipment accounted for approximately 41 percent of EU goods exports to Iraq.
Therefore, the following may be of particular interest to German companies:
- Machinery and equipment
- Machine spare parts
- Pumps and fittings
- Electrical Engineering
- Tools
- Measurement and testing technology
- car parts
- Medical Technology
- Energy and supply technology
- Production engineering
For larger machinery projects, delivery often does not take place in a single transport.
Anyone who executes components separately should check how Partial shipments at customs be treated and documented.
Shipping information: Iraq
Standard, express or freight to Iraq?
The appropriate shipping method depends heavily on the value of the goods, their weight, and the urgency of the delivery.
Standard package:
DHL currently states a delivery time of 11 to 18 working days.
Express:
DHL Express currently estimates approximately six working days for key destination areas.
Freight:
For machinery, equipment, or multiple pallets, air and land freight solutions can be more economical.
For time-critical spare parts, one should not only consider the pure transport time.
A possible conformity assessment or import clearance can also affect the overall delivery time.
Baghdad, Basra and Erbil have different logistical roles.
There are several important entry points for international goods.
Baghdad It is the political and economic center of the country and an important location for air freight.
Basra Due to its location in the south and its proximity to major seaports, it plays a central role in industrial goods and larger freight volumes.
Erbil is an important logistics hub for the Autonomous Region of Kurdistan.
Land transport also reaches Iraq via, among other routes:
- Turkey
- Jordan
- Kuwait
- Saudi Arabia
Which route makes sense depends on the destination region and the type of freight.
Those who supply other markets in the region will also find, for example, our information on… Shipping to Saudi Arabia.
What import costs might arise in Iraq?
A delivery of goods can incur various cost components.
This can include:
- product-specific import duty
- Product-specific sales tax
- Protective levies
- Conformity and testing costs
- Customs broker fees
- Carrier fees
A general import VAT number does not currently exist.
However, this does not automatically make the calculation easier.
Especially with certain vehicles, luxury goods, or regulated goods, high product-specific taxes can arise.
Therefore, the specific HS code should always be used for DDP offers.
How much does a package to Iraq cost?
The shipping price depends in particular on:
- Weight
- Dimensions
- Volumetric weight
- destination
- Shipping service
- Type of goods
- Carrier
.
Currently, changes in transport routes and carrier surcharges can also influence the price.
For example, DHL will introduce a new energy surcharge component in 2026. You can find more information here. DHL Energy Surcharge 2026.
Therefore, a current rate should always be calculated directly for the specific shipment.
Online trade in Iraq: Product approval before scaling
When doing e-commerce with Iraq, it's not enough to simply check whether a carrier delivers to the country.
The product's importability is at least as important.
Especially in the case of:
- Electronics
- Cosmetics
- food
- Medical devices
- Chemicals
- technical consumer goods
Additional requirements may apply.
Online retailers should therefore start with a few clearly defined product groups and focus on:
- HS codes
- Product requirements
- Customs duties
- COSQC requirements
- Carrier availability
check.
Only then should the shipping process be automated and scaled.
Iraq will further unify its customs systems in 2026.
One important current development concerns the Autonomous Region of Kurdistan.
In the past, there were sometimes different procedures and tariffs between federal border crossings and the customs offices of the region.
In 2026, the federal government and the region agreed on further steps to harmonize customs policy.
These include:
- greater harmonization of tariffs
- common customs standards
- further introduction of ASYCUDA
- unified import data
However, the implementation is still evolving.
Therefore, when shipping to Erbil or Sulaymaniyah, it is still advisable to check which procedures apply at the actual import location before dispatching.
This is especially true for larger B2B and freight deliveries.
Which carrier is suitable for Iraq?
The carrier should not be chosen solely based on the lowest shipping price.
The following are relevant:
- current term
- Target region
- Customs service
- Weight limits
- Bulky goods options
- Tracking
- liability and insurance
DHL Parcel currently states 11 to 18 working days for delivery.
At the same time, DHL is currently pointing out that delivery delays may occur due to the situation in the Middle East.
Higher insurance for DHL Parcel International is not currently offered for Iraq.
Bulky goods, on the other hand, are possible within defined maximum dimensions.
For high-value B2B goods or urgent spare parts, it should therefore be checked whether express shipping or another carrier is a better fit for the specific shipment.
Frequently Asked Questions about Shipping
Can I currently send a package from Germany to Iraq?
Yes. Parcel and express shipping to Iraq is generally possible. However, DHL is currently advising of potential delays. Before booking, please check availability for your destination and type of goods.
How long does it take to send a package to Iraq?
DHL Parcel currently estimates a delivery time of 11 to 18 business days. DHL Express Worldwide indicates approximately six business days for key destinations. Actual delivery times may vary due to customs, product inspection, and current transport connections.
What is the value-added tax (VAT) rate in Iraq?
Iraq currently does not have a general VAT that is applied across the board to ordinary goods imports. However, special sales taxes exist for certain products.
What are the customs duties in Iraq?
Import duties depend on the specific HS code. The Iraqi customs tariff contains different product-specific rates. Therefore, the current customs tariff number should always be checked for a reliable calculation.
Is there a free trade agreement between the EU and Iraq?
No. There is a partnership and cooperation agreement between the EU and Iraq. However, this agreement is non-preferential and does not grant general tariff preferences to ordinary EU goods.
Do I need a EUR.1 for Iraq?
No, there is currently no EU preferential arrangement for normal exports to Iraq for which an EUR.1 would result in a reduced import duty.
What is ASYCUDAWorld in Iraq?
ASYCUDAWorld is the electronic customs system of the Iraqi General Commission of Customs. It is used for customs declarations, electronic manifests, payments, and other import and export processes.
What is COSQC?
COSQC is the Iraqi Central Organization for Standardization and Quality Control. Among other things, it monitors compliance with Iraqi standards and the conformity of imported goods.
Do I need a Certificate of Conformity?
This depends on the specific goods. Certain product groups may require testing or conformity assessments. The importer should clarify the requirements with COSQC or an authorized testing company before shipment.
Do different customs rules apply in Erbil than in Baghdad?
In 2026, Iraq is working towards greater harmonization of customs policy between federal border crossings and the Kurdistan Region. As operational implementation is ongoing, the specific import route should be checked in advance for shipments to Erbil or other locations in the region.
Which language should I use for the customs declaration?
DHL accepts English, French, and Spanish for shipments to Iraq. For international B2B shipments, English is usually the most practical choice.
Am I allowed to ship lithium batteries to Iraq?
This depends on the battery type, power output, packaging, and carrier. Lithium batteries are subject to special dangerous goods regulations for air transport. Classification and the suitability of the transport service must be checked before shipment.
