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By Amy L. Beam, Ed.D:
Ezidis living in refugee camps in Turkey or certain areas in Iraq can now travel to the Iraq Consulate General in Istanbul to apply for an Iraqi passport. When the Islamic State (Daesh) gangs attacked their towns and villages on August 3-4, 2014, in Shingal, northeast Iraq, they ran for their lives with the clothes on their backs. Most did remember to grab their identity documents.
Because of the security risk earlier in the year in Mosul, most Ezidis did not venture to Mosul to apply for an Iraqi passport. After the mass exodus from the Shingal territory to Kurdistan, northern Iraq, Dohuk, Iraq, on the border of Turkey, closed its passport office. Last week it was reported to this writer that it is open one day per week in Dohuk. The line is 1000 people long; few people get inside; and even those who do are not succeeding in obtaining a passport through normal procedures.
Iraq Consulate General of Iraq in Istanbul is located at:
Gazeteciler Sitesi, Hikaye sok. No:3
Esentepe mah. Sisli
Istanbul
Turkey
tel: 0090 212 262 63 35 (outside of Turkey)
tel: 0212 262 63 35 (inside Turkey)
website: http://www.embassypages.com/missions/embassy24998/
email: irak.konsoloslugu@gmail.com
The Consulate Passport office is open from 9 AM to 1 PM, Monday through Friday. Take the green line to the Gayrettepe metro stop. After exiting, follow the signs toward Esentepe. The Consulate is a two-minute walk.
Iraqis who are living in the refugee camps in Turkey must take the following to their meeting:
- 3 color passport photos, size 4.5cm x 3.5 cm. The background must be white.
- Their original Iraq ID card
- Their original Iraq Nationality (citizenship) Certificate (you will make copies at the consulate)
- $20 US dollar fee for each passport
All members of a family must go in person regardless of age, because each person’s fingerprints will be scanned.
After your application for a passport, it will be issued in approximately four months.
As the situation for Ezidis is changing, it is recommended that you telephone first to confirm these details before traveling to Istanbul.
Dr. Amy L. Beam promotes tourism in eastern Turkey (North Kurdistan) and writes in support of Kurdish and Ezidi human rights. She has been reporting on Ezidis in Turkey since August. Read her stories at KurdistanTribune.com. She is writing a book, “Love and Betrayal in Kurdistan.” Follow her on Twitter @amybeam or contact her at amybeam@yahoo.com or 240-696-1905 (U.S.) or 0090 537 502 6683 (Turkey).
