Sea Freight from China to Baghdad, Iraq — Transit, Duty and Clearance
China → Baghdad · via BGW air / Umm Qasr sea · clearance by General Commission of Customs, Iraq
Freight from China into Baghdad clears through BGW air / Umm Qasr sea. Baghdad is capital and the largest consumer market, and allow +2 days for the inland leg on top of clearance.
On the destination side, General Commission of Customs, Iraq handles clearance; budget 7–15 days of dwell before the cargo is released.
Import duty and tax position for Baghdad
Imports into Iraq are cleared by General Commission of Customs, Iraq. The headline position is: Customs duty 0.5–30% plus a reconstruction levy; regional variations apply in the Kurdistan Region. The de-minimis threshold is No practical de-minimis.
Conformity is the part most first-time importers underestimate: Certificate of Conformity (COC) issued pre-shipment under the Iraqi conformity programme is mandatory for most goods. Getting this wrong is expensive because it usually cannot be fixed after the cargo has landed.
Restrictions and known friction points for Iraq: A pre-shipment COC is mandatory for most commercial goods; cargo arriving without it faces heavy penalties. Security and route conditions affect inland delivery. Confirm which customs administration applies to the final destination.
How this lane actually runs
Umm Qasr is the sea gateway for federal Iraq, while the Kurdistan Region is more often served by air into Erbil or overland from Turkey and Iran. The two administrations apply customs differently, so the destination city changes the process — not just the trucking leg. A pre-shipment Certificate of Conformity is the single most important document on this lane.
| Sea gateways used | Umm Qasr |
|---|---|
| Sea transit, China to gateway | 20–30 calendar days |
| Gateway serving Baghdad | BGW air / Umm Qasr sea |
| Inland leg to Baghdad | +2 days from the gateway |
| Typical clearance / dwell | 7–15 days |
| Peak season to plan around | Sep–Nov |
Before you book: Baghdad checklist
- Confirm the consignee in Baghdad can act as importer of record — General Commission of Customs, Iraq will not release cargo to an unregistered party.
- Get the conformity paperwork moving early: Certificate of Conformity (COC) issued pre-shipment under the Iraqi conformity programme is mandatory for most goods.
- Check the de-minimis position (No practical de-minimis) against your invoice value before you decide how to split the shipment.
- Photograph carton markings and seal numbers before departure — it makes any claim far easier to settle.
- Put the Baghdad delivery address, contact name and phone number on the invoice, not just the packing list.
- Use ISPM-15 treated pallets. Untreated wood is the most common reason otherwise-clean cargo gets held.
Frequently asked questions
How long does shipping from China to Baghdad take?
China to the Iraq gateway is 20–30 calendar days. On top of that, allow 7–15 days of clearance with General Commission of Customs, Iraq and a +2 days inland leg to Baghdad.
What duty and tax will I pay importing into Baghdad?
General Commission of Customs, Iraq applies: Customs duty 0.5–30% plus a reconstruction levy; regional variations apply in the Kurdistan Region. The de-minimis position is No practical de-minimis. Under a DDP arrangement these are pre-paid, so nothing is collected on arrival in Baghdad.
Which port or airport does cargo for Baghdad clear through?
Cargo for Baghdad is routed via BGW air / Umm Qasr sea. Sea gateways for Iraq are Umm Qasr; air gateways are BGW (Baghdad), EBL (Erbil), BSR (Basra). We pick whichever gives the shortest total door time for your address.
What certification do I need for Iraq?
For regulated goods, plan for: Certificate of Conformity (COC) issued pre-shipment under the Iraqi conformity programme is mandatory for most goods. Missing conformity paperwork is the single most common cause of a hold, and in most cases it cannot be remedied once the cargo has arrived.
What documents does General Commission of Customs, Iraq require?
A commercial invoice with HS codes, a packing list, the bill of lading or air waybill, a certificate of origin where it lowers duty, and any product certification (Certificate of Conformity (COC) issued pre-shipment under the Iraqi conformity programme is mandatory for most goods). We prepare and file these as part of the service.
Is sea freight cheaper than air freight into Baghdad?
Per kilo, yes — usually by a wide margin. The trade-off is time: 20–30 calendar days by sea versus 4–7 business days by air to the Iraq gateway, before clearance and the +2 days inland leg. The crossover point is normally somewhere between 100 and 300 kg depending on the density of your cargo.
Other delivery cities in Iraq
References & official sources
Duty rates, thresholds and conformity requirements for Iraq change by ministerial decision, sometimes mid-year. The figures on this page are buyer-planning references, not a customs ruling — confirm the current position for your own HS code with General Commission of Customs, Iraq or your broker before you ship.
- General Commission of Customs
- WTO — Tariff Profiles (applied MFN duty by country)
- IPPC — ISPM 15 wood packaging standard
- WCO — Harmonized System nomenclature
- IMO — IMDG Code for dangerous goods by sea
Page data last reviewed: July 2026.
Get a rate for Baghdad
This lane is quoted per shipment rather than from a published rate card, because the landed cost depends on the commodity, its density, the conformity requirements above and the delivery point. Send the cargo details and we will come back with a full DDP figure.