Immigration law in Syria

The main legal framework includes Law No. 2/2014, amendments including Law No. 4/2023, nationality rules under Legislative Decree No. 276/1969 and current entry practice based on Decision No. 128/2025. The Ministry of Interior and its Directorate of Immigration and Passports (DoIP), together with governorate branches and border centers, handle most immigration matters. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates issues visas through Syrian missions, while the Ministry of Labor approves the employment of foreign workers. Entry and exit take place through designated ports. A visa issued by a Syrian mission or a DoIP border center does not automatically guarantee admission because border authorities must also approve entry. Transit and work visas follow ministerial rules. A general local-sponsor requirement for visitors from Maghreb countries was officially denied in 2026, but travelers still need to verify the current requirements for their nationality, purpose and border point before departure. A foreign national intending to remain in Syria must submit a personal statement to the DoIP within 15 days. A move to another governorate must be reported within 3 days, and a lost passport must be reported within one week. Hotels and landlords generally have reporting duties within 3 days. The usual evidence includes a passport or recognized substitute, visa, stated purpose of stay and proof of financial solvency. Residence permission is tied to the approved purpose. Changing the purpose requires approval from the Ministry of Interior, and a person generally has to leave when the permit expires unless it has been renewed. Special residence may last 5 years, regular residence 3 years, temporary residence 1 year and tourist residence up to 3 months. Work residence may last up to 1 year after Ministry of Labor approval. Spouses and minor children living with a permit holder may benefit from the holder's residence status under the applicable rules. Temporary residence can cover approved students, scientists, artists, businesspeople, refugees with supporting evidence, husbands of Syrian women, wives of Syrian men, patients, family visitors, investors, property owners and cases approved by the Director for public-interest reasons. Regular residence is available in cases such as being born in Syria with at least 3 years of actual stay, being a child of a Syrian woman or having at least 5 years of lawful stay. Special residence can follow at least 15 years of lawful actual stay, or 5 years combined with valuable national economic, scientific, cultural or technical work, or an exceptional service. Syria has no separately evidenced indefinite residence title; renewable 5-year special residence functions as the closest equivalent, without an automatic transition from long-term stay. Syria is not party to the 1951 Refugee Convention or its 1967 Protocol and has no national asylum statute evidenced in the supplied research. UNHCR is the sole registration and documentation actor for non-Syrians seeking protection. Voluntary registration is available in Damascus, Aleppo, Tartous, Homs and Qamishli, followed by case review and refugee status determination. Registration and UNHCR services are free, but a UNHCR identity card or asylum file does not replace residence permission from Syrian authorities. A passport or national identity document, civil records, a written account of flight and family documents may be requested; complete and accurate information is required. Fighters are excluded from this protection process. Implementation can be disrupted when immigration services stop operating, and residence absence can restrict access to police, courts and civil registration. There is no distinct integration course or test evidenced for immigration status. Lawful stay that matches the approved purpose remains central. Arabic reading and writing are required for ordinary naturalization. Under the nationality law, Syrian nationality is mainly transmitted through a Syrian father, and birth in Syria alone does not generally confer citizenship. Exceptions include children of unknown or stateless parents, foundlings, people who have no foreign nationality at birth and certain people of Syrian ancestry. Ordinary naturalization requires a decree on a proposal from the Ministry of Interior, a written request, age of at least 18, 5 years of continuous lawful residence, health, good conduct, no disqualifying conviction, a useful skill or legitimate means of support and Arabic literacy. Additional rules apply to Arab nationals, adult children of a naturalized parent and some foreign spouses. Syria has no verified citizenship-by-investment program. Nationality disputes fall within the competence of the Council of State. The Ministry of Interior controls banned-entry decisions, delisting procedures and deportation measures. A person previously deported generally needs Interior approval to return. The supplied research does not independently verify a general judicial appeal process for entry or deportation decisions, so the available objection or review mechanism should be confirmed for the specific case. Overstay can lead to a daily fine of 100 SYP for up to 6 months, with unpaid or delayed cases referred onward. An overstay exceeding 6 months can lead to 1 to 6 months of imprisonment and a fine of 25,000 to 50,000 SYP. Illegal entry or exit can carry 1 to 5 years of imprisonment and fines of 5,000,000 to 10,000,000 SYP. Work or residence violations can lead to 1 to 6 months of imprisonment, a fine of 50,000 to 100,000 SYP, deportation and a generally applicable 3-year return restriction. Statutory residence-card fees are 5,000 SYP for temporary residence, 10,000 SYP for regular residence and 15,000 SYP for special or work residence. The card includes entry and exit visa fees during its validity. Refugees, spouses and minor children may receive a one-time exemption. Other entry, work and exit fees are set by ministerial schedules and can change with currency conditions. A 2025 waiver covered some residence violations of up to 6 months when the person regularized status within 45 days. Extensions were temporarily suspended for months in 2025 because of service disruption, alongside two reported amnesties. The national DoIP framework applies in government-controlled areas, but governorate-level execution varies. In SDF-administered areas, reports indicate local residence permits and neighborhood-council registration may be required for access to services; their legal recognition and coordination with the national system are variable. This makes the exact authority, document and procedure dependent on the area of stay as well as nationality, purpose, protection status and the intended length of residence.