Information about Visa

First - General Instructions for tourists visiting Syria:

Arab and foreign expatriates are required to possess the following:

1. A valid passport for a period that doesn’t go less than one month after the expiration date of the entry as long as it’s issued by a state recognized by Syria, and it doesn’t have an Israeli visa , also the holder of the passport name shouldn't be included in the list of those banned from entering Syria.
2. An entry or transit visa issued by the Syrian embassy or consulate in the original country of the foreigner or his residence place, an entry or transit visa is granted by immigration and passports centers at the border to foreign nationalities that doesn’t have any diplomatic representation for Syria and foreigners living permanently provided with their residency cards.
3. Ministry of Foreign Affairs and diplomatic missions' grantee exit visas to diplomatic, special, courtesy and VIP.
4. Entry Visa: They are two types:

- Six months visa: valid for one trip or multiple trips can be awarded exceptionally for a one-year..

- Three months visa: valid for one time only.

5. Transit visa: two kinds

- Three months valid for a single trip.

- Three months valid for multiple entries.

6. Entry or transit visa could include the foreigner’s wife and underage children in the condition that their names and ages would be recorded in the space provided.
7. A foreigner who wants to stay in Syria for more than fifteen days after the date of entry, have to inform the immigration office or its branches in the provinces to apply for a residence permit or to extend his visa.

. 8-Permission of residence is granted directly for both Arabs and foreigners who were born in Syria and the wives of Syrian citizens

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9. In case of loss or damage of the residence card, the card holder have to check the immigration department in Damascus or its branches within three days from the date of loss or damage to replace it with a new one.
10. The granted residence permission is not a license to work and those who wish to engage in employment in the Syrian Arab Republic should obtain permission from the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor.
11. Every Arab or foreign visitor whose age exceeded fifteen years and was recorded on his parents' card should get an independent new residence visa similar to his parents' card in terms of type, remaining period, and date with new fees, regardless of carrying a passport of his own.
12. Arabs and foreigners, who have special or ordinary residences, are not allowed to be absent abroad for more than six months.
13. Arabs and foreigners who have temporary residencies (exit and return visa) are not allowed to stay outside the country for more than three months.

Lebanese citizens should check the nearest police station within six days from the date of entry into Syria in order to obtain an ID card to facilitate their stay and movement in Syria.

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Second - facilities and exemptions for coming tourists

1. Arab nationals are allowed entry to the Syrian Arab Republic without obtaining an entry or transit visa, and registering them as asset in the arrivals & departing records is sufficient after signing passports or travel documents or the entry card of Lebanese nationals, who enter regarding their identity cards or an individual civil registry record, sealed upon entry or departure.
2. "Foreign tourists of non –restricted nationality' categories in accordance to documents issued and sealed by tourist offices or travel agencies whether they were individuals or groups, in accordance to a collective passport that has photos of its holders or an individual passport for each of them, to be received by licensed tourist offices stated in the country, and leave on its guarantee, entry visa are given to them for free.

. 3- Children from all the Arabic countries, the Gulf, Emirates and sultanates are exempted of entry visas, transit visas, residence permission, and exit visas. .

4. Exempted from visa:

• -Foreign and Arab students who are officially registered in one of the recognized universities.
• ¨ Clerics
• ¨ Experts, and Arabs and foreign contractors.
• ¨ Journalists and correspondents of news agencies.
• ¨ Non- diplomatic workers in Arabic and foreign political and consulate assemblies.
• ¨ Parents of the member of diplomatic or consular mission accredited in the country and his children, wife, brothers, sisters and his followers of governesses and servants.
• ¨ Palestinian refugees and under-age children.
• - Foreigners and Arabs, who the director of Emigration and Passports Department exempt them for special considerations to an international courtesy, or because they are unable to pay fees.

5. Exempting the Syrian Arab expatriate citizens ,who hold a foreign passport from obtaining residency and commissioning the unregistered ones to register in the civil records and subjecting them to an exit visa when they want to leave using their foreign passports within one month of their entry, after presenting the approval of recruitment for those who are in the age of recruitment  and personal card for those who exceeded fifteen and assigning them to pay the exit fee when they check-out just like the Syrian citizens and allowing them to enter using  foreign passports if it is sealed with entry of the Syrian Arab missions abroad and the necessary features could be given free by the border centers.

Facilities offered to investors:

1. Raising the rate of exchange with neighboring countries to be parallel to the outer markets.
2. Increasing the amount of money intended to be replaced from the foreign currencies that remained with the travelers when they leave the country during / 15 / days.
3. Exempting people coming to the country of paying / 100 / USD, which the bank used to take from all comers.
4. The Bank is working on the completion of credit cards’ project.

Customs Facilities:

1. Foreigners are allowed to bring along gifts, personal luggage, and travelers’ tools intended for personal usage, without any customs duties.
2. The car owners, who are residing permanently abroad, and coming to Syria for a temporary residence, are allowed to bring their cars that are rented or lawfully registered in the country of expatriate under a power of attorney, using touring driving license outside the country of registration in accordance with the following tariffs:

Due for the automotive fees under a temporary entry for / 15 / day in the amount of / 1685 / SP card is switched to its equivalent amount of / 40 / USD or equivalent in other foreign currencies + / 30 / USD mandatory insurance paid for the Syrian warranty company.

Fees of the book granted to cars registered in the Arab countries are / 5035 / SP with a switched equivalent of / 117 / USD or its equivalent in other currencies + / 30 / USD mandatory insurance paid for the Syrian warranty company.

The foreigner’s wife or an adult family member are allowed to bring a car or to drive it in the Syrian Arab Republic, provided that they meet the residency conditions outside the country.

Health Regulations:

1. Travelers coming from areas infected with yellow fever should reveal a vaccination certificate against this disease.
2. Those wishing to stay in Syria for more than a year should show a Devoid of AIDS certificate (CVI).
3. Any tourist bringing a pet along should carry with him its health certificate written in English, authenticated in his country. As for cats and dogs, they must be accompanied by a certificate of vaccination against rabies