Overview
The latest information on Bashmakh/Bashmaq border between KR-I and Iran was updated on November 2018 over the phone. The below information has been verified with the director of border Mr. Kamal.
At the time of assessment the border was open and functioning with trucks crossing. The border is currently open for public on 24/7 basis
BORDER CROSSING LOCATION & CONTACT |
|---|
Name of Border Crossing: | Bashmakh, Iraq Bashmaq, Iran |
|---|
Province or District: | Penjwen Sulaymaniyah Governorate, Iraq Mariwan, Kurdistan Governorate, Iran |
|---|
Nearest Town or City: | TOWN NAME: Penjwen
DISTANCE: 9 km CITY NAME: Sulaymaniyah
DISTANCE: 100 km CITY NAME: Erbil
DISTANCE: 330 km (via Dukan) |
|---|
Latitude: | 35.61571 |
|---|
Longitude: | 46.00772 |
|---|
Managing Authority/Agency: | General Customs Agency (Erbil) |
|---|
Contact Person | Bashmakh Customs Director: Mr. Shakhawan Bakr Mohammed Mobile: +94 (0) 7701531687 Mobile: +989186569002 Director of Bashmakh border: Mr. Kamal Mahmood Salah Mobile: +964 7701512214 |
|---|
Travel Times |
|---|
Nearest International Airport: | NAME: Sulaymaniyah
DISTANCE: 120 km
Truck: 3-4 hrs
Car: 2 hrs. |
|---|
Nearest Ports: | NAME: Umm Qasr, Iraq
DISTANCE: approx. 941 km
Truck: approx. 90 hrs
Car: approx. 30 hrs NAME: Bandar Abbas, Iran
DISTANCE approx. 1,740 km
Truck: approx. 60 hrs
Car: approx. 21 hrs |
|---|
Nearest Major Market: | NAME: Sulaymaniyah
DISTANCE 100 km
Truck: 3-4 hrs
Car: 1hr 45 minutes |
|---|
Other Information: | There is a fuel station 1 km past the border into KRI, between the border and Sulaymaniya city there are aprox. 20 fuel stations. The road from Sulaymaniyah to the Bashmakh border crossing point, (Hwy 46), can be classified as a finished surface road, with dirt/stone shoulders. It alternates from 4 lanes divided near urban centres to 2 lanes in the countryside between urban areas. The entire route is capable of supporting up to and including fully loaded 40 ft. tractor-trailer type trucks. |
|---|
Hours of Operation |
|---|
MONDAYS | 24 hrs |
|---|
TUESDAYS | 24 hrs |
|---|
WEDNESDAYS | 24 hrs |
|---|
THURSDAYS | 24 hrs |
|---|
FRIDAYS | 24 hrs |
|---|
SATURDAYS | 24 hrs |
|---|
SUNDAYS | 24 hrs |
|---|
NATIONAL HOLIDAYS:
| Closed 2 days per year: - Eid Al Ramadan (First day)
- Eid Al-Adha (First day)
|
|---|
SEASONAL CONSTRAINTS: | Although there can be heavy snowfall in winter there is snow clearing equipment therefore there is no closure or constraint to trucks passing the border. |
|---|
Daily Capacity
- Total daily capacity is approx. 1,000 trucks.
- An average of 600 trucks per day cross from Iran into Iraq.
- An average of 200 trucks per day cross from Iraq to Iran.
- There are separate lines for trucks and cars, approximately 20-25 cars per day cross the border, this is increased from Iran during the festival of Nawroz.
- The crossing has two truck parking bays, one for non-food which has 500 bays and one for food items.
- Weigh bridges are at the entry to each parking bay.
- There are also undercover areas for cross loading of trucks, 5 bays.
- Only items purchased in Iran are required to cross load trucks at the border. (This does not apply to Humanitarian agencies/items.)
- Trucks transiting through Iran to Iraq are not required to cross load.
Customs Clearance
- Crossing times for trucks carrying Non-Food Items is approximately 3 hours transit.
- For trucks carrying food crossing times are 24-72 hours.
- Dry food is approximately 24 hours.
- Medicines is approximately 2-3 hours.
- All food is tested at the border. There are no facilities for food temperature control and therefore once cleared trucks can move to final destination but food cannot be distributed until the testing results are received.
- There are Ministry of Health (MOH) representatives at the border for inspection and checking of medicines which must have the stamped approval from the MOH in Erbil prior to crossing.
- There are also representatives from the Agricultural Ministry for inspection of agricultural products and animals.
- There are no restrictions on items from any countries.
- Trucks are inspected at the border by sampling.
- There are 85 clearing agents registered at the border. For contact information for these clearing agents, please see the following documents:
- Customs fees are US $20 per truck, this is called service fee which is equal to IQD 25,000
- Packing list, invoice of items, certificate of origin and any tax exemption documents must be provided at the border. For procedures and documentation requirements for specific items, please see the following link: 1.3 Iraq Customs Information
Other Relevant Information
- The compound is monitored with CCTV cameras.
- The border management stated that if trucks had to be re-routed from Ibrahim Khalil border to Bashmakh border that there would be no additional documentation required. The Bashmakh and Ibrahim Khalil border management will have a coordination process in place in 2-3 months.
- Trucks from Red Cross use this border crossing.
- There is a small health clinic and ambulance. In case of any serious accidents, the closest hospital is in Penjwen where there is an emergency room and equipment for surgeries.
For information on government contacts, please see the following link: 4.1 Iraq Government Contact List
Photos
Road into Bashmakh border crossing, fuel tankers must park outside the border facility.
Entering into Bashmakh border crossing
Weighbridge
Weighbridge
Truck parking bays
Undercover cross loading area