Sea Freight from China to Erbil, Iraq — Transit, Duty and Clearance
China → Erbil · via EBL air / Umm Qasr sea · clearance by General Commission of Customs, Iraq
Freight from China into Erbil clears through EBL air / Umm Qasr sea. Erbil is Kurdistan Region capital with its own customs handling, and allow +3 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.
Routing and transit on this lane
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 Erbil | EBL air / Umm Qasr sea |
| Inland leg to Erbil | +3 days from the gateway |
| Typical clearance / dwell | 7–15 days |
| Peak season to plan around | Sep–Nov |
Import duty and tax position for Erbil
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.
Pre-shipment checklist for Erbil
- Check the de-minimis position (No practical de-minimis) against your invoice value before you decide how to split the shipment.
- Use ISPM-15 treated pallets. Untreated wood is the most common reason otherwise-clean cargo gets held.
- Compare gross weight against volumetric weight (L×W×H ÷ 6000) — the higher figure is what gets billed on air and express.
- Photograph carton markings and seal numbers before departure — it makes any claim far easier to settle.
- Get the conformity paperwork moving early: Certificate of Conformity (COC) issued pre-shipment under the Iraqi conformity programme is mandatory for most goods.
- Plan around the China-side windows too: Chinese New Year and Golden Week both compress capacity on the Iraq lane.
Frequently asked questions
How long does shipping from China to Erbil 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 +3 days inland leg to Erbil.
What duty and tax will I pay importing into Erbil?
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 Erbil.
Can you deliver door-to-door in Erbil?
Yes. Delivery to a Erbil address is quoted as one figure covering freight, duty and tax owed to General Commission of Customs, Iraq, and the +3 days inland leg. Confirm whether your consignee wants the goods at a warehouse, a marketplace fulfilment centre or a shop front, because the last-mile requirement differs.
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.
When is the busiest time on the China–Iraq lane?
Space and rates tighten around Sep–Nov, plus the China-side windows of Chinese New Year in January or February and Golden Week in early October. Book one to two weeks earlier in those periods.
Which port or airport does cargo for Erbil clear through?
Cargo for Erbil is routed via EBL 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.
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 Erbil
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.