Having succeeded in obtaining the visa (which may take anywhere up to three months) and once arrived in Baghdad, the foreign scholar is pleasantly struck by the cordiality and general hospitality of the Iraqis, who seem to be eager to help the visitor and exchange ideas and information with him.

There seems to be no established procedure to obtain research permits in Iraq. The best approach is for the scholar to write a formal letter stating his credentials and research subject and to submit it to the Ministry of Information. They, in turn, will approve it and issue a letter of introduction to concerned personnel and institutions. In the case of research outside the urban centers, appropriate agencies are notified as well as the security police. In my case, I was referred to the Ministry of Agriculture which issued me a letter that allowed me to work in the villages.