Syria offers an easy Visa On Arrival (VOA) procedure for the majority of visitors. Simply show up at an airport or land border and pay the required amount. The cost of the visa, which is determined by the reciprocity principle, is determined by how costly and difficult it is for Syrians to travel to your country, though there are some exceptions. Currently, Syrian embassies and consulates overseas do not issue tourist visas; they are only available upon arrival. Don't trust any other online offers for Syrian visas; the official e-visa website, evisa.sy, is currently inactive.
Typically, you will receive a 30-day tourist visa; however, you should verify the precise validity by checking the stamp on your passport. Save all of the documents and receipts that came with your visa in case there are issues when you depart the country.
There is also a transit visa, which is about half the price of a regular visa and is typically valid for 15 days, for people entering Syria by land from Lebanon or Jordan and leaving for another country. There are no transit visas available at Syrian airports. Recent travellers report that using a transit visa to return to the same country can result in a $25 fine and possibly a long border wait.
Both transit and regular tourist visas can be extended by visiting the Immigration & Passport Administration office, Idaret al-Hijra, in the al-Merjeh district of Damascus (map) where a 15- or 30-day extension for a regular visa or a 7-day extension for a transit visa can be arranged for a few dollars, taking 1-2 hours. Visit a few days prior to the expiration of your visa, as the extension period begins right away. It is more difficult to apply from offices in other parts of Syria because they might have to wait a few days for permission from Damascus. Although it is against the law and not recommended, travellers have been known to overstay their visas for up to 10 days and only pay a small fine of about 5,000 SYP per overstayed day, or even none at all, when they depart.
Currently, multiple entry visas can only be obtained for residential, employment, or educational purposes. People who were born in Syria or have a Syrian father should not be charged for a visa, regardless of their nationality. This may also apply to people who have a Syrian mother or spouse.
The issue for tourists is that Syrian visa requirements are subject to changes, and as of March 2026, there is no official publication or website that offers details on fees and requirements. The most recent information is available to Syrian travel agents, though, and they can help you arrange your visa confirmation documents. Travellers from a list of restricted countries now require advance approval, which may take 3 or 4 weeks to process. We recommend checking the websites of the Syria Scope and Syrian Guides travel agencies and asking for their help if necessary.
Although people with EU, American or other ‘easy’ passports can expect a smooth trip when flying to Syria, some travellers are turned away for no apparent reason; it is known that just trying again the following day or at a different time can help. Other travellers report problems when boarding flights, with some airlines refusing boarding based on incorrect visa information. Travellers report that Turkish Airlines, Royal Jordanian and DanAir all know about the VOA rules, but that there are problems with Jet Airways and Flydubai. It’s a good idea to check with your airline beforehand that they have the correct information and will let you board. You can check what IATA’s Timatic says for your situation at their Travel Centre website. Many airlines use this to determine visa requirements, but it’s incorrect for EU citizens, as it states that nationals of countries with a Syrian representation need to get a visa in advance, and also links to the inactive e-visa site. This problem can be avoided by flying to Lebanon or Jordan instead and entering Syria through one of the land borders, where travellers are admitted without fuss.
Visa fees
As of March 2026, these were the Syrian tourist visa fees applied at the airports and land borders. Nationals of Iran and Israel are not permitted to enter Syria, and any evidence in your passport of a visit to Israel will also result in rejection. If your country is not in the list below, the visa fee is US$ 50. The fees can be paid in US dollars, but other major currencies are also accepted. Check all visa regulations and prices with a local travel agent before travelling.
| Free visa or no visa necessary | Jordan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mauritania, Serbia |
| US$25 | Algeria, Angola, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Botswana, Cambodia, Chad, China, Cuba, Ecuador, Egypt, Mauritius, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Namibia, Pakistan, Peru, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Yemen |
| US$50 | Albania, Armenia, Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Chile, Colombia, Comoros, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Georgia, Grenada, Guinea, Guyana, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Ireland, Jamaica, Japan, Kuwait, Laos, Liberia, Libya, Luxembourg, Malawi, Mali, Mexico, Mozambique, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, Niger, Qatar, Russia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, South Korea, Suriname, Thailand, The Gambia, Timor-Leste, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Zambia, Zimbabwe |
| US$75 | Austria, Bahrain, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guinea-Bissau, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lesotho, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova, North Macedonia, The Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Paraguay, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, The Bahamas, Tunisia |
| US$100 | Canada, Djibouti, Sierra Leone, Uganda, United Arab Emirates |
| US$150 | Afghanistan, Argentina, Australia, Burundi, Cameroon, Dominican Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Fiji, Ghana, Kenya, New Zealand, Nigeria, São Tomé and Príncipe, United Kingdom, Uzbekistan |
| US$200 | Gabon, Kyrgyzstan, United States of America |
| US$300 | Democratic Republic of the Congo, Marshall Islands, North Korea |
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