* This Iraqi holiday is determined by the lunar cycle. Exact dates must be confirmed by local authorities and are subject to change.

** In keeping with the spirit of the Monday Holiday Bill, the intention of which is to provide three-day holiday weekends, U.S. holidays covered by the Monday Holiday Bill will be observed on Sundays.

The Embassy will consider moving the observation date of local holidays (religious and secular) falling on weekends in the event that the Iraqi Government issues guidance mandating that the private and public sectors change the observance date.

Those interested in visiting the official website of the United States Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq please click HERE.

Those seeking services which can only be provided by staff at a US Embassy or US Consulate abroad (such as issuance of a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, US Passport, or issuance of new pages for a previously issued US Passport) may find it efficient to attempt to set an appointment with the American Citizen Services Section of a US Post prior to arrival at said post. It may be possible under some circumstances to set an appointment online prior to traveling to the post. Setting an appointment online can greatly streamline the processing of requests at US Posts abroad.

Those seeking a US tourist visa (B-2 visa), US business visa (B-1 visa), US Exchange visitor visa (J-1 visa),  or a US student visa (F-1 visa) are likely to see their visa application processed by a Non-immigrant visa unit at a US Embassy or US Consulate abroad. It should be noted that such visa applications are scrutinized pursuant to section 214(b) of the United States Immigration and Nationality Act.

Those Americans seeking an immigrant visa for a foreign spouse (such as the CR-1 visa and the IR-1 visa) are likely to see their loved one’s visa application processed at an Immigrant Visa Unit abroad. It should be noted that for processing purposes the K-1 visa (a non-immigrant US fiance visa) is treated in much the same manner as the Immigrant visa categories.

Those seeking visas such as the L-1 visa for intra-company transferees or the EB-5 visa for immigrant investors are likely to only see a visa application processed pursuant to an approved immigration petition at the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS).

U.S. Mission Baghdad will observe the following holidays in calendar year 2010.

Date	Day	Holiday	Country
December 31, 2009	Thursday	New Year’s Day	US
January 17	Sunday	Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday	US**
February 14	Sunday	Presidents’ Day	US**
February 28	Monday	Prophet’s Birthday	Iraq*
May 1	Saturday	Labor Day	Iraq
May 30	Sunday	Memorial Day	US**
July 4	Sunday	Independence Day	US
July 14	Wednesday	Republic Day	Iraq
September 5	Sunday	Labor Day	US**
Sep 10-12	Fri-Sun	Eid Al-Fitr	Iraq*
October 10	Sunday	Columbus Day	US**
November 17-19	Wed-Fri	Eid Al Adha	Iraq*
November 11	Monday	Veterans’ Day	US
November 25	Thursday	Thanksgiving	US
December 8	Wednesday	Islamic New Year	Iraq*
December 26	Sunday	Christmas	US

* This Iraqi holiday is determined by the lunar cycle. Exact dates must be confirmed by local authorities and are subject to change.

** In keeping with the spirit of the Monday Holiday Bill, the intention of which is to provide three-day holiday weekends, U.S. holidays covered by the Monday Holiday Bill will be observed on Sundays.

The Embassy will consider moving the observation date of local holidays (religious and secular) falling on weekends in the event that the Iraqi Government issues guidance mandating that the private and public sectors change the observance date.

The situation in Iraq is likely more turbulent at the time of this writing when compared to other jurisdictions in which a US Mission is present. That said, there are still those who may need services which can only be provided by an American Citizen Services (ACS) post abroad. Services that are often sought include, but are not limited to: notary services, Consular Report of Birth Abroad issuance, US passport renewal, and addition of visa pages. Those interested in requesting such services from the American Citizen Services section of the United States Embassy in Iraq are well advised to check the official website of the Post in order to ascertain whether or not an appointment can be made online. Setting an online appointment can greatly facilitate the processing of requests with ACS as Consular Officers can prepare in advance to provide necessary services.

Those interested in issues pertaining to visas are well advised to check with either the Non-Immigrant Visa Unit or the Immigrant Visa Unit in order to ascertain the proper procedure for requesting a visa to the USA. It should be noted that for purposes of processing the K1 visa is considered to be an immigrant visa.