Visa policy of Syria
{{short description|Policy on permits required to enter Syria}}
{{update|date=February 2025}}
File:SyrianVisa.jpgThe Syrian Transitional Government imposes entry visa fees (visa on arrival or e-visa) on its visitors based on a "principle of reciprocity" – as of March 2025 it is still unclear to whom it applies – meanwhile Israeli citizens are banned from entering or transiting through the country, Iranian citizens are required to obtain a prior authorization, and Lebanese citizens who do not hold a valid residence permit in another country or do not have at least one family member who is a Syrian citizen are required to obtain a prior visa (obtainable at any port of entry).{{Cite web |date=2025-01-03 |title=Syria restricts entry for Lebanese citizens, security sources say |url=https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20250103-syria-restricts-entry-for-lebanese-citizens-security-sources-say |access-date=2025-01-18 |website=France 24 |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2025-01-17 |title=Iranians and Israelis barred from entering Syria, airport source says |url=https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20250117-syria-airport-source-says-iranians-israelis-banned-from-entry |access-date=2025-01-18 |website=France 24 |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2025-01-17 |title=Important information for our passengers travelling to Syrian Arab Republic |url=https://www.turkishairlines.com/en-tr/announcements/information-for-passengers-traveling-to-syrian-arab-republic |access-date=2025-01-18 |website=Turkish Airlines |language=en}}
Lebanese or Iranian visitors can obtain a visa from one of the Syrian diplomatic missions.
History
Before the Syrian civil war, hostilities and conflicts and the start of the devastating Civil war in Syria in 2011, citizens of many Asian, European, African and American countries visited Syria without a visa or got a visa on arrival, gradually Syria began to cancel visa-free entry and visa on arrival for many countries, and in 2014 the Syrian authorities officially announced the introduction of a visa regime for all countries. However, citizens of some states de facto entered Syria without a visa or received a visa on arrival. The visa policy of Syria was extremely unstable, and there was no exact data on the visa policy of the country and while entering Syria, the Syrian authorities sometimes asked tourists to obtain a Syrian visa in advance by contacting one of the
country's diplomatic missions in the world.{{cite web |url= http://www.parliament.gov.sy/arabic/index.php?node=201&nid=4233&ref=tree& |title= القانون 2 لعام 2014 دخول وخروج وإقامة الأجانب في سوريا |trans-title= Law 2 of 2014 - Entry, exit and residence of foreigners in Syria |author= |date=12 March 2014 |publisher= People's Council of Syria |access-date= 5 November 2017 }}{{cite web |url= http://www.alwatan.sy/view.aspx?id=12892 |archive-url= https://archive.today/20140620203952/http://www.alwatan.sy/view.aspx?id=12892 |url-status= dead |archive-date= 20 June 2014 |title= قانون يحظر الدخول لسورية أو الخروج منها ...إلا لحامل جواز سفر ساري المفعول أو وثيقة مؤشر عليها بسمة دخول من إحدى البعثات الدبلوماسية السورية |trans-title= A law prohibiting entering or leaving Syria ... except for a holder of a valid passport or a document marked by an entry visa from a Syrian diplomatic mission |author= |date= 12 March 2014 |publisher= Al-Watan (Syria) |access-date= 5 November 2017 |language=ar}}{{cite web |url=http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/03/12/Syria-issues-law-imposing-visas-on-its-visitors-.html |title=Syria issues law imposing visas on its visitors |author= |date= 12 March 2014 |publisher=Al Arabiya |access-date= 5 November 2017 }}{{cite web |title=موقع وزارة الخارجية والمغتربين- الجمهورية العربية السورية |url=http://www.mofaex.gov.sy/ar/pages82/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%85%D8%A9-%D9%84%D9%84%D9%85%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%B7%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%8A-%D9%88%D8%A3%D9%81%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AF-%D8%B9 |website=www.mofaex.gov.sy |access-date=26 October 2023 }}
Until 2014, citizens of the former Soviet republics of the USSR (excluding the Baltic republics), Iran, some Asian, African, European, American countries, and almost all countries of the Arab world did not need a visa to enter Syria. According to IATA, which provides information provided by national governments, despite the Syrian government's officially stated the need to obtain a visa in advance, a visa on arrival was still de facto valid for citizens of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Egypt, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, but after the intensification of the Civil war, some citizens of these countries were denied a visa on arrival “for security reasons” and asked citizens of these countries to obtain a Syrian visa in advance:{{cite web |url=http://www.syrianembassy.com.my/English/visa |title=سفارة الجمهورية العربية السورية |website=www.syrianembassy.com.my |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190925140739/http://www.syrianembassy.com.my/English/visa |archive-date=2019-09-25}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.alsumaria.tv/news/219790/alsumaria-news/ar|title = الاسد يصادق على مذكرة تفاهم مع العراق حول جوازات السفر الدبلوماسية}}
Since May 2018, after the recognition of partially recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia by Syrian Arab Republic, citizens of these countries entered Syria after obtaining a visa. In 2023, the Syrian Ministry of Finance imposed a new fee, which obligated foreign vehicles entering the country to pay a $100 fee for a temporary visit, valid for a period of two weeks. The amount doubled ($200) for vehicles that had been in the country for up to four months. Jordanian and Lebanese vehicle plates were excluded from the requirement.{{Cite web |author=Arbërie Shabani |date=2 May 2024 |title=Syria Launches Electronic Visa to Increase Tourism Activity |url=https://visaguide.world/news/syria-launches-electronic-visa-to-increase-tourism-activity/#google_vignette |access-date=25 May 2024 |publisher=Visaguide.net}}
In April 2024, the introduction of electronic visa was announced, starting 1 May.[https://visasnews.com/la-syrie-lance-son-visa-electronique/ La Syrie lance son visa électronique]
In January 2025, and after the fall of the Assad regime, the Syrian transitional government announced a new visa policy, restricting entry to the country to Lebanese and Iranian citizens and banning Israeli citizens. While Iranians are required to obtain an authorized visa. All other nationalities are either required to obtain a prior e-visa or pay a visa on arrival fee while entering the country, based on a "principle of reciprocity".
Visa policy map
[[File:Visa policy of Syria.svg|center|thumb|800px|Visa policy of Syria {{legend|#000080|Syria}}
{{legend|#61c7a1|Visa on arrival/eVisa}}
{{legend|#b5e61e|Conditional visa-free access (Lebanon)}}
{{legend|#999999|Authorised visa required (Iran)}}
{{legend|#000000|Admission refused (Israel)}}]]
As of right
class=nowrap style="padding:0 2em 0 0"|
| Citizens of Syria do not require a visa to enter, reside, study, and work indefinitely in Syria, and are not subject to any immigration requirements. They may enter with the Syrian passport, national identity card, individual civil status record, driver's license, expired passport or civil extract issued by Syria. Accompanying passengers (mother, wife or children) can obtain a visa on arrival. The same rules also apply to Palestinian refugees with Syrian documents which were granted (with little exceptions) the same rights and duties as Syrian citizens by Law no 260 for 1956. |
{{Politics of Syria|expanded=Foreign}}
File:Syria entry stamp 2009.jpg
File:Syria departure.jpg in 2010]]
Visa on arrival / e-Visa
Visa required in advance
Admission refused
Nationals of the State of Israel are banned from entering and transiting in Syria, even if not leaving the aircraft and proceeding by the same flight due to the non-recognition of this state, and accordingly, the passport of this state by Syria, which considers Israel an enemy state. Entry and transit into the Syria will be denied to holders of passports or other travel documents of all countries containing a visa, or an entry/exit stamp of Israel, or an Egyptian or Jordanian border stamp issued by an office bordering Israel, or any information that a person has ever been to Israel, or an indication of any connection with the State of Israel.{{Timatic Visa Policy|country=SY}}
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Statistics
{{See also|Tourism in Syria}}
Before the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011, Syria was one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Middle East. Tourism and the entry of foreigners into Syria in general began to develop especially since the late 1990s. Foreigners entered Syria not only to visit relatives or friends, but also for tourism, medical treatment and pilgrimage to Islamic and Christian sites, as well as for trade, as Syria became an important trading hub for the surrounding countries. Syria was popular especially for citizens of Turkey, Iran, almost all countries of the Arab world, Europe and South Asia, as well as for almost all countries of the Post-Soviet space as a budget travel option and a shopping point for merchants.
| class="wikitable sortable" | |
| Year || Visitors | |
|---|---|
| style="text-align:center;"| Until 1994 | No data |
| style="text-align:center;"| 1995 | 2,253,000{{cite web|url=https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/ST.INT.ARVL?locations=SY|title=International tourism, number of arrivals: Syria|website=data.worldbank.org|access-date=15 February 2022}} |
| style="text-align:center;"| 1996 | {{increase}} 2,435,000 |
| style="text-align:center;"| 1997 | {{decrease}} 2,332,000 |
| style="text-align:center;"| 1998 | {{increase}} 2,464,000 |
| style="text-align:center;"| 1999 | {{increase}} 2,682,000 |
| style="text-align:center;"| 2000 | {{increase}} 3,412,000 |
| style="text-align:center;"| 2001 | {{increase}} 3,671,000 |
| style="text-align:center;"| 2002 | {{increase}} 4,678,000 |
| style="text-align:center;"| 2003 | {{increase}} 4,837,000 |
| style="text-align:center;"| 2004 | {{increase}} 6,334,000 |
| style="text-align:center;"| 2005 | {{decrease}} 5,859,000 |
| style="text-align:center;"| 2006 | {{decrease}} 5,682,000 |
| style="text-align:center;"| 2007 | {{decrease}} 5,434,000 |
| style="text-align:center;"| 2008 | {{increase}} 6,951,000 |
| style="text-align:center;"| 2009 | {{increase}} 7,721,000 |
| style="text-align:center;"| 2010 | {{increase}} 10,970,000 |
| style="text-align:center;"| 2011 | {{decrease}} 6,476,000 |
| style="text-align:center;"| 2012—2015 | During these years, during the height of the civil war, the official government of the Syrian Arab Republic did not control most of the borders of Syria, especially the border with Turkey and Iraq, which is why many foreigners entered the country at that time, the number of which cannot be calculated accurately. |
| style="text-align:center;"| 2016 | {{decrease}} 1,043,000 (Many more foreigners have entered the country through the borders of Syria, which are not controlled by the official Government of the Syrian Arab Republic) |
| style="text-align:center;"| 2017 | {{increase}} 1,291,000 (Just as it was said above) |
| style="text-align:center;"| 2018 | {{increase}} 1,802,000 (Just as it was said above) |
| style="text-align:center;"| 2019 | {{increase}} 2,424,000 (Just as it was said above) |
| style="text-align:center;"| 2020 | No data |
| style="text-align:center;"| 2021 | {{decrease}} 750,000 (Just as it was said above) |
| style="text-align:center;"| 2022 | {{increase}} 1,850,000 (Just as it was said above) |
| style="text-align:center;"| 2023 | {{increase}} 2,000,000{{Cite news|url=https://sana.sy/en/?p=322795|title=Despite challenges, Syria welcomed two million foreign visitors|publisher=SANA|access-date=29 December 2023|date=29 December 2023}} (Just as it was said above) |
= By country =
The list does not include Russian citizens who entered Syria through third countries, as well as through the uncontrolled borders of Syria by the official government of the Syrian Arab Republic. Especially between 2012 and 2016, the real number of Russian citizens who entered Syria was several times more.
See also
{{Wikivoyage|Syria}}
References
{{reflist|30em}}
{{Visa policy by country}}
{{Visa Requirements}}