Syria Visa Information

General instructions for the tourists coming to Syria

First : Arab and foreign arrivals to Syria should have the following :

• Passport valid for a period not less than one month after the elapse of the period of entrance visa, provided that the passport is issued by a state that Syria recognize it, and does not carry on Israeli visa, and the name of the passport owner is not listed in the list of those forbidden from entering Syria.
• Entrance visa or transit visa issued by the Syrian embassy or consulate in the original country of the foreigner or his place of residence. The entrance visa or transit visa is granted by emigration and passports department at the border for the subjects of foreign countries which have no diplomatic representation in Syria, and the foreigners living permanently provided they show their residence cards.
• The Ministry of foreign affairs and the diplomatic missions issue the following exit visas : the diplomatic, the private, the courteous and service.
• The entrance visa is valil for six months from the date of its granting, and could be used for one or many journeys, and could be exceptionally granted for one year.
• The transit visa is valid for three months, or six months, or one year, and serves for one journey or many journeys.
• The entrance or the transit visa could include the wife of the foreigner and his underage children provided that their names and ages within in the proper place.
• The foreigner who wish to stay in the Syrian Arab Republic for a period over fifteen days from the date of his entrance, has to see the emigration and passports department or its branches in the governorates to submit a request for getting a permission to stay.
• The permission to stay is granted directly for the Arabs and foreigners born in Syria, and wives of Syrian nationals.
• In case of missing or damaging the residence card, the owner of the card has to see the emigration and passports department in Damascus and its branches in the governorates within three days from the date of missing or damaging in order to be given a new one.
• The residence permission is not considered a permit for marks, and he who wish to be engaged in any wash in Syria, has to get a permit from the Ministry of labour social affairs.
• Any Arabic or foreigner passed the fifteenth of his age, and was registered in the residence card of one of his parents, has to get a new independent residence card similar to his parents card, in respect of kind remaining period and date with a new photograph disregarding his own passport.
• Arabs and foreigners who have special or ordinary residence have no right to be absent outside Syria for a period over six months.
• - Arabs and foreigners who have temporary residence and having exit visa and return, have no right to stay outside the country for a period exceeding three months. As for the Lebanese person, he has to see the police department within six days from his entrance to Syria in order to get a personal acquainting card to facilitate his residence and monument in Syria.

Secondly : The facilities and exemptions offered to incoming tourists :

• Arab nationals are allowed to enter the Syrian Arab republic and pass through it exempted from getting entrance visa or transit visa, it is enough to be properly registered in the registers of incoming and departing after sealing their passports or travel documents, or entrance cards for Lebanese nationals (who are allowed to enter by their identity card, or properly endorsed birth record by the real of entrance and departure.
• Entrance visas are granted gratis to foreigners of non registered nationalities who are coming for tourism whether singles or groups, in accordance with letters issued by tourist offices and companies in the country from which they have come, and sealed by the seals of there offices, in addition to the personal passport of each one, on the condition of being received by a properly licenced office in Syria, and depart under his responsibility.
• Citizens of all Arab states, the gulf, Emirates and Sultanates, are exempted from entrance and transit visas, or permission to stay, or exit visa.
• The following are exempted from the duties :
  - Foreign and Arab students officially registered in one of the recognized universities.
  - Religious people.
  - Arab and foreign experts and contractors.
  - Journalists and correspondents of news agencies.
  - Workers in the Arabic and foreign political and consular organizations who are not diplomats.
  - Parents of the member of diplomatic or consular cops accredited the country and his children, wife, brothers, sisters, and his followers of governerres and servants.
  - Palestinian refugees and their underage children.
  - Foreigners and Arabs who the director of emigration and passports considers exempting them for special considerations, international courtery, or because they are unable to pay.
• 5- The expatriates Syrian Arab nationals carrying foreign passports are exempted from obtaining the residence, and asking those among them who are not registered to register in the civil registers, and to be subject to exit visa when they want to depart using their foreign passports all that after passing one month from the date of their entrance, and after showing the approval of conscription to Syrian nationals, and they are allowed to enter using their foreign passports even if there passports are not sealed by the Syrian Arab commissions abroad, and they are granted the required visas gratuitously from borders centers.

Thirdly : customs facilities :

• The foreigner is allowed to bring with him presents, personal effects, and private articles for tourists personal use free of customs duties.
• The materials which the traveler bring with him are exempted from duties provided that such materials are under use, and declared about and to be taken out with the traveler when leaving Syria. The customs director in the border center is authorized to allow other used personal effects in accordance with his personal supporition.
• Car owners residing abroad permanently and coming to Syria to stay temporarily, are allowed to bring in their borrowed cars which are properly registered in the country of expatriation in conformity with a legal authorization allowing the use and driving tourist cars outside the coutry of registration according to the following customs duties :

  - Duties levied on cars in accordance with a temporary entrance card for a period of 15 days and amount of (1685) Syrian pounds to be exchanged with its equivalent of (40) US Dollar in return for the obligatory insurance of the car to be paid to the Syrian Insurance Company.
  - Duties levied on the book granted to ears registered in the Arab countries are (5035) S.P. to be exchanged with its equivalent of (117) US Dollar, or its equivalent of other foreign currencies, plus (30) US $ in return for the obligatory insurance to be paid to the Syrian Insurance Company.
  - The wife or an adult member of the family is allowed to enter the car or to drive it in Syria provided they meet the residing conditions outside the country.
  - The car owner has to have an international devising licence, an international car certificate, and a trip-tie book. The car could remain in Syria for 180 days during one trip or a number of trips. At any sate, the detailed instructions relating to procedures of getting in and out, the customs, the foreign exchange, or any amendments on these instructions, could be got from the available periodical pamphlets in the Syrian embassies and consulates, as well as from the centers of entrance to Syria at its international borders.

Fourthly : Health regulations :

• Travelers coming from places affected by yellow fevers when entering the country, have to introduce a vaccination certificate against this fever.
• Those wishing to stay in Syria for a period exceeding one year, have to submit a certificate of freedom from AID.
• The tourist who brings with him a domestic animal, has to bring with it a health certificate in English authenticated in his country, as for cats and dogs, a certificate of ovulation against rabi should be presented.