ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – The Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) Department of Information Technology (DIT) has rolled out the KRD Pass application for beta testing. The app, now available for iOS and Android operating systems, aims to facilitate the online submission of documentation for government services without one needing to visit the office in person.

KRD Pass “works as an electronic wallet. Citizens can scan all their official documents, such as civil status ID, birth certificate, passport…and store them securely within the app,” Head of the DIT Hiwa Afandi told The New Region on Tuesday.

“For instance, if you want to transfer your information card from Koya City to Erbil, you don't need to visit offices in this heat. From your home, through the app, you submit an application, fill out the required form, and attach the documents you previously scanned,” said Afandi.

The app allows citizens to follow up on their paperwork, with an indicator changing from red to green in the app, informing the user of the status of their requests. The application is currently in beta testing and is available only for government employees, containing information such as biometric code, UPN, salary list, and monthly salary distribution schedules. According to Afandi, the service is set to expand to regular citizens in future.

The New Region has learned that the software is set to be upgraded to include more services in the future, with future integration with MyAccount  and personal credit cards allowing users to pay off fines and water and electricity bills.

Digitalizing the Kurdistan Region’s affairs has been one of the key goals of the KRG’s ninth cabinet under Prime Minister Masrour Barzani. In addition to KRD Pass, the government has also moved to modernize the method by which civil servants receive their salaries through the MyAccount initiative, enhancing financial stability and granting beneficiaries access to a diverse array of financial services, including savings accounts.

Over 800,000 beneficiaries have already signed up for the MyAccount project since it started in September 2023.