Visa policy of Syria

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Syrian visa in 2010

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 Syrian Arab Republic 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 This data is taken from open sources and may become outdated or irrelevant.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]

Map of the visa policy of Syria[]

Visa policy of Syrian Arab Republic.png

Visa not required[]

Politics of Syria
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Despite the official statements of the Syrian government that since 2014, citizens of absolutely all countries must obtain a visa in advance to enter Syria, citizens of the following countries are de facto allowed to enter Syria without a visa:

  • Bahrain Bahrain
  • Jordan Jordan
  • Kuwait Kuwait
  • Lebanon Lebanon
  • Oman Oman
  • Qatar Qatar
  • United Arab Emirates UAE
Syrian stamp in 2016

Citizens of the following countries de facto can also visit Syria without a visa, but most often some of them are denied entry and asked to obtain a visa in advance:

  • Algeria Algeria
  • Comoros Comoros
  • Mauritania Mauritania
  • Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia
  • Sudan Sudan
  • Tunisia Tunisia
  • Turkey Turkey
  • Yemen Yemen
Syrian stamp in 2009
Syrian stamp in 2019
Syrian stamp in 2019

Only female citizens of these countries can de facto visit Syria without a visa:

  • Morocco Morocco

Citizens of the following countries who are non-residents (non-permanent residents) of their countries can de facto enter Syria without a visa, or for transit to a third country:

  • Iraq Iraq
  • Libya Libya
  • Somalia Somalia

Visa on arrival[]

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, Malaysia, 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:[4][5]

  • Armenia Armenia
  • Azerbaijan Azerbaijan
  • Belarus Belarus
  • China China
  • Cuba Cuba
  • Djibouti Djibouti
  • Egypt Egypt
  • Hong Kong Hong Kong
  • Iran Iran
  • Kazakhstan Kazakhstan
  • Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan
  • Laos Laos
  • Macau Macao
  • Malaysia Malaysia
  • Nicaragua Nicaragua
  • North Korea North Korea
  • Russia Russia
  • Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic Sahrawi
  • Tajikistan Tajikistan
  • Turkmenistan Turkmenistan
  • Uzbekistan Uzbekistan
  • Venezuela Venezuela
  • Vietnam Vietnam
Syrian visa in 2001

Until 2015 and until 2020, citizens of Ukraine Ukraine and Moldova Moldova could also get a visa on arrival. But due to the “pro-Western and anti-Russian positions�� of these two countries, the visa on arrival was discontinued (see Euromaidan and 2020 Moldovan presidential election). Until 2018, сitizens of Georgia (country) Georgia could also obtain a visa on arrival, but after the rupture of diplomatic relations between the two countries on the initiative of Georgia due to the recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia by Syria, Georgian citizens must obtain a Syrian visa in advance.

Admission refused[]

Citizens of the Israel State of Israel are banned from entering Syrian Arab Republic due to the non-recognition of this state, and accordingly, the passport of this state by Syria, which considers Israel an enemy state. Entry 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.

Also, despite friendly relations, citizens of the State of Palestine State of Palestine are almost always denied entry to Syria “for reasons of national security”, and holders of the Palestinian Authority passport are asked in advance to obtain a special permit to enter Syria.

Also, Syrian Arab Republic does not recognize the passports of citizens of the Kosovo, Northern Cyprus, Somaliland, Artsakh (or Nagorno-Karabakh), Transnistria, Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics.[6][4]

After the recognition of partially recognized Abkhazia Republic of Abkhazia and South Ossetia Republic of South Ossetia — the State of Alania 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[7]
1996
 Increase 2,435,000[7]
1997
 Decrease 2,332,000[7]
1998
 Increase 2,464,000[7]
1999
 Increase 2,682,000[7]
2000
 Increase 3,412,000[7]
2001
 Increase 3,671,000[7]
2002
 Increase 4,678,000[7]
2003
 Increase 4,837,000[7]
2004
 Increase 6,334,000[7]
2005
 Decrease 5,859,000[7]
2006
 Decrease 5,682,000[7]
2007
 Decrease 5,434,000[7]
2008
 Increase 6,951,000[7]
2009
 Increase 7,721,000[7]
2010
 Increase 10,970,000[7]
2011
 Decrease 6,476,000[7]
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
 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)
2017
 Increase 1,291,000[7] (Just as it was said above)
2018
 Increase 1,802,000[7] (Just as it was said above)
2019
 Increase 2,424,000[7] (Just as it was said above)
2020—2021
 No data yet
(An increase in the number of foreigners who
have entered is predicted)

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 Increase 33,839[8] Increase 32,215[8] Decrease 29,370[9] Increase 31,614[10] Decrease 21,743[11] Increase 25,436[11] Increase 7,868[12] Decrease 1,784[8] Decrease 1,835[8] Decrease 4,012[8] Decrease 9,944[8] 15,256[8]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "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.
  2. ^ "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.
  3. ^ "Syria issues law imposing visas on its visitors". Al Arabiya. 12 March 2014. Retrieved 5 November 2017.
  4. ^ a b http://www.syrianembassy.com.my/English/visa[dead link]
  5. ^ [1]
  6. ^ Travel Information Manual, International Air Transport Association (IATA).
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t "International tourism, number of arrivals: Syria". data.worldbank.org. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g "Сирия (2020)". fedstat.ru. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
  9. ^ "Сирия (2019)". fedstat.ru. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
  10. ^ "Сирия (2018)". fedstat.ru. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
  11. ^ a b "Выезд граждан РФ, 2018-17 гг" (PDF). atorus.ru. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
  12. ^ "Сирия (2021)". fedstat.ru. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
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