VZCZCXRO3564
PP RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHAM #0712/01 0780709
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 190709Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY AMMAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4687
INFO RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD PRIORITY 6202
RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 000712 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ELA, NEA/I, PRM, AND EEB 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON PREF PREL PGOV JO IZ
SUBJECT: Jordan Announces Revised Rules for Iraqis Entering or 
Residing in Jordan 
 
REFS: A) Amman 472 
      B) Amman 460 
  C) Amman 582 
 
Sensitive but unclassified; please protect accordingly.  Not for 
internet distribution or use outside the USG. 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary:  The Jordanian Ministry of Interior (MOI) has 
issued new rules for Iraqis entering or residing in Jordan (ref B). 
The new, simplified regulations target Iraqi business people and 
investors with the goal of enhancing Jordan's economic relations 
with Iraq.  Iraqi interlocutors welcomed the policy changes but 
stressed the need for implementation.  It does not appear that this 
will have any impact on the legal status or options for Iraqis who 
presently live illegally in Jordan.  End Summary. 
 
New Regulations Aim to Facilitate Iraqi Business 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
¶2. (U) Prime Minister Nadir Al-Dahabi approved new instructions for 
Iraqis entering or residing in Jordan, issued by a ministerial 
committee under the direction of the Ministry of Interior. 
Initially leaked to the press, the new rules have not yet been 
officially released outside the GoJ, but MOI contacts confirm that 
press reports were largely accurate and the regulations went into 
effect on February 22, 2009.  Provisions reportedly include a 
reduction in the bank guarantee for residency from USD 150,000 to 
USD 50,000; special counters at ports of entry, which are designated 
for Iraqi investors, official delegations, and diplomats; and 
streamlined bureaucracy for obtaining visas, residency permits and 
drivers' licenses.  A more detailed list of the revised rules as 
published on February 19, 2009 by Amman Petra-JNA Online News 
Service in Arabic are posted on the classified intellipedia website 
 
(Link:http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Revised_ 
Immigration_Regulations_for_Iraqis_in-Jordan) . 
 
Iraqis Seek Implementation 
-------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) An official of the Iraqi Embassy in Amman commented to 
Emboffs that the Iraqi Embassy had neither been given advanced 
warning of the policy change, nor provided input into the 
regulations.  He believed Jordan had decided to ease requirements 
because frustration over Jordanian entry and residency procedures 
had sent Iraqis investors elsewhere, particularly to the Gulf and 
Egypt, at a time when Jordan was beginning to feel the global 
economic crisis (ref A). 
 
¶4.  (SBU) The Iraqi Embassy had not yet received a copy of the new 
official regulations to his knowledge, although he had heard that 
the new procedures were already being implemented at border 
crossings.  He emphasized the importance of implementation, given 
that in the past "windows" designated for Iraqis often went 
unstaffed or Jordanian officials mistreated Iraqis.  Noting that the 
GOJ's initiative was clearly targeted at businessmen, he stated that 
the Iraqi Embassy had no plans to press the Jordanians to loosen 
regulations for the broader refugee population. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Several Iraqi businessmen residing in Jordan commented to 
Econ Specialist that the new immigration regulations for Iraqis were 
not as tolerant as they had hoped.  They, too, believed the current 
economic slowdown, especially in the Jordanian property market, was 
behind the new policy.  These businessmen commented that the most 
significant improvement was the reduction of the required bank 
deposit for residency to USD 50,000, which would help increase 
operating capital.  In spite of these positive steps, many Iraqis 
still feel the Jordanian rules remain too stringent, and that 
requirements for Iraqis to have Jordanian visas at all remained a 
major obstacle to doing business in Jordan.  The head of the Iraqi 
Business Council in Amman, Al-Zuhairi, also asserted that the GOJ 
was going overboard in emphasizing security over prosperity in 
dealing with Iraqis. 
 
UNHCR Sees New Regs as Positive Step Forward 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU)  A representative of UNHCR in Amman viewed the new 
regulations as a positive step contributing to a more favorable 
environment for Iraqis in general, even if the provisions targeted 
only business people.  To date, however, UNHCR had noted no 
practical impact from these new rules but continued to monitor the 
situation closely.  UNHCR also recently noted a decrease in the 
number of Iraqis detained by the Jordanian government, thanks to new 
directives regarding detention (Ref C). 
 
¶7. (SBU)  Comment:  Iraq has traditionally been a strategic trading 
partner for Jordan, but trade faltered in 2003 due to the war in 
 
AMMAN 00000712  002 OF 002 
 
 
Iraq.  Over the past two years, bilateral trade has regained its 
footing with Jordanian exports to Iraq almost doubling from $462 
million in 2006 to $809 million in 2008.  Jordan hopes to see the 
trend continue and views the new regulations as one way to enhance 
bilateral economic relations and investment.  We have heard that 
Jordanian companies lobbied for such changes to facilitate meetings 
and business in Jordan with their Iraqi partners.  Many Jordanian 
firms still view security in Iraq as a main obstacle to bilateral 
trade, which can increase shipping costs and at times presents 
significant logistical challenges. 
 
Visit Amman's Classified Website at: 
http://www.state.gov.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman/ 
 
BEECROFT