Visa policy of Syria
Visitors to Syria must obtain a visa from one of the Syrian diplomatic missions in advance, unless they are a national of a visa-exempt country or a country whose citizens are eligible to obtain visas on arrival.
History
Before the start of protests, hostilities and conflicts and the start of the devastating Civil war in Syria in 2011, citizens of many Asian, European, African and American countries could visit Syria without a visa or get 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, until now, citizens of some states can de facto enter Syria without a visa or receive a visa on arrival. The visa policy of Syria is now extremely unstable, and there is no exact data on the visa policy of this country. This data is taken from open sources and may become outdated or irrelevant. When entering Syria, the Syrian authorities ask to obtain a Syrian visa in advance by contacting one of the country's diplomatic missions in the world.[1][2][3][4]
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 need to obtain a visa in advance, a visa on arrival is 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 are denied a visa on arrival “for security reasons” and ask citizens of these countries to obtain a Syrian visa in advance:[5][6]
Visa policy map
Visa exemption
 |
|---|
|
|
.svg){kind=small}
According to Timatic, nationals of the following 16 countries do not need a visa to enter Syria, for a stay up to the duration listed below:[7]
|
Indefinite stay 3 months |
ID — May enter Syria with an ID card in lieu of a passport.
Conditional visa exemption
Nationals of Somalia aged over 35 who are not permanent residents of Somalia can also enter Syria without a visa. However, if they have never entered Syria before on a previous visit, they must obtain prior entry approval and present USD 2000 upon arrival in Syria to qualify for visa-free entry.[7]
In addition, nationals of any country (except Libya and the United States) who were born in Algeria, Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia,[9] Sudan, Syria,[10] Tunisia, United Arab Emirates or Yemen do not need a visa to enter Syria.[7]
Visa on arrival
Nationals of the following 12 countries are specifically listed on Timatic as countries whose nationals may obtain a visa upon arrival in Syria, for a stay up to the duration listed below:[7]
|
90 days 15 days[11] |
Nationals of Armenia and Ukraine[15] may also obtain a visa on arrival for a maximum stay of 15 days, provided that they have obtained prior approval from the Syrian Immigration Headquarters.[7]
In addition, according to Timatic, nationals of any country without any Syrian representation may obtain a visa on arrival in Syria.[7] However, Timatic specifically lists all nationals of India, Libya, Pakistan and the United States, as well as female nationals of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Mauritius, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Thailand, as being ineligible for a visa on arrival[7] - they are instead required to obtain a visa in advance.
Entry restrictions
Prior approval required
Nationals of Palestine are required to obtain prior approval from the Syrian Immigration Headquarters in order to enter Syria.[7]
Female nationals of the following six countries are also required to obtain prior approval from the Syrian Immigration Headquarters in addition to a visa in order to enter Syria:[7]
If prior approval is not sought, affected nationals of the aforementioned countries will not be allowed to enter Syria, though they may still transit.[7]
Admission refused
Nationals 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 any information that a person has ever been to Israel, or an indication of any connection with the State of Israel.[7]
Also, Syrian Arab Republic does not recognize the passports of citizens of the Kosovo, Northern Cyprus, Somaliland and Transnistria.[16][7]
After the recognition of partially recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia by Syrian Arab Republic in May 2018, citizens of these countries can enter Syria by obtaining a visa.
Statistics
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.
| Year | Visitors |
|---|---|
| Until 1994 | No data |
| 1995 | 2,253,000[17] |
| 1996 |  2,435,000[17]
|
| 1997 |  2,332,000[17]
|
| 1998 | 2,464,000[17]
|
| 1999 | 2,682,000[17]
|
| 2000 | 3,412,000[17]
|
| 2001 | 3,671,000[17]
|
| 2002 | 4,678,000[17]
|
| 2003 | 4,837,000[17]
|
| 2004 | 6,334,000[17]
|
| 2005 | 5,859,000[17]
|
| 2006 | 5,682,000[17]
|
| 2007 | 5,434,000[17]
|
| 2008 | 6,951,000[17]
|
| 2009 | 7,721,000[17]
|
| 2010 | 10,970,000[17]
|
| 2011 | 6,476,000[17]
|
| 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. |
| 2016 | 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) |
| 2017 | 1,291,000[17] (Just as it was said above)
|
| 2018 | 1,802,000[17] (Just as it was said above)
|
| 2019 | 2,424,000[17] (Just as it was said above)
|
| 2020 | No data |
| 2021 | 750,000[17] (Just as it was said above)
|
| 2022 | 1,850,000[17] (Just as it was said above)
|
| 2023 | 2,000,000[17][18] (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 2011 and 2016, the real number of Russian citizens who entered Syria was several times more.
| Country | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Russia |
33,839[19] |
32,215[19] |
29,370[20] |
31,614[21] |
21,743[22] |
25,436[22] |
7,868[23] |
1,784[19] |
1,835[19] |
4,012[19] |
9,944[19] |
15,256[19] |
See also
References
- ^ "القانون 2 لعام 2014 دخول وخروج وإقامة الأجانب في سوريا" [Law 2 of 2014 - Entry, exit and residence of foreigners in Syria]. People's Council of Syria. 12 March 2014. Retrieved 5 November 2017.
- ^ "قانون يحظر الدخول لسورية أو الخروج منها ...إلا لحامل جواز سفر ساري المفعول أو وثيقة مؤشر عليها بسمة دخول من إحدى البعثات الدبلوماسية السورية" [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] (in Arabic). Al-Watan (Syria). 12 March 2014. Archived from the original on 20 June 2014. Retrieved 5 November 2017.
- ^ "Syria issues law imposing visas on its visitors". Al Arabiya. 12 March 2014. Retrieved 5 November 2017.
- ^ "موقع وزارة الخارجية والمغتربين- الجمهورية العربية السورية". www.mofaex.gov.sy. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
- ^ "سفارة الجمهورية العربية السورية". www.syrianembassy.com.my. Archived from the original on 2019-09-25.
- ^ "الاسد يصادق على مذكرة تفاهم مع العراق حول جوازات السفر الدبلوماسية".
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q "Visa and passport". Timatic. International Air Transport Association through Emirates.
- ^ "السماح بدخول العراقيين من دون موافقة أمنية أو تأشيرة مسبقة … الحجيمي لـ«الوطن»: ستعزز علاقات البلدين وتشكل دعماً اقتصادياً لسورية منذر عيد" [Allowing Iraqis to enter without security approval or a prior visa. Al-Hujaimi told Al-Watan: It will strengthen the relations of the two countries and constitute economic support for Syria]. Al-Watan. 23 November 2023. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
- ^ Nationals of Somalia who were born in Somalia are not eligible for visa-exemption.[7]
- ^ Nationals of Syrian origin must provide a valid or expired passport, driver's license or photo ID card to prove their Syrian origin.
- ^ Female artists (except Malaysia) are not eligible for visa on arrival, and must obtain a visa in advance.[7]
- ^ "سفارة الجمهورية العربية السورية". sekl.gov.sy. Embassy of Syria in Malaysia. 29 August 2022. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
- ^ Servants are not eligible for visa-exemption.[7] According to the embassy of Syria in Malaysia, Malaysian tourists are not subject to the maximum stay limit if they provide a residence address or a confirmed hotel reservation upon arrival in Syria.[12]
- ^ Female Russian nationals aged between 18 and 35 must obtain special permission from the Syrian Chief of Immigration before entering Syria, unless if married to nationals of Syria and holding proof of such marriage.[7]
- ^ Female Ukrainian nationals aged between 18 and 35 must obtain special permission from the Syrian Chief of Immigration before entering Syria, unless if married to nationals of Syria and holding proof of such marriage.[7]
- ^ International Air Transport Association (IATA), Travel Information Manual
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w "International tourism, number of arrivals: Syria". data.worldbank.org. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
- ^ "Despite challenges, Syria welcomed two million foreign visitors". SANA. 29 December 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Сирия (2020)". fedstat.ru. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
- ^ "Сирия (2019)". fedstat.ru. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
- ^ "Сирия (2018)". fedstat.ru. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
- ^ a b "Выезд граждан РФ, 2018-17 гг" (PDF). atorus.ru. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
- ^ "Сирия (2021)". fedstat.ru. Retrieved 15 February 2022.