Before flying to Syria, confirm entry approval if your passport is on the restricted list

Travellers holding most passports can obtain a visa on arrival for Syria and pay a fee ranging from USD 25 to USD 400 in cash. The fees come from Syria's Decision No. 128, in force since 6 July 2025 and confirmed unchanged on 29 April 2026.

There is no working electronic visa. The country's e-Visa site showed only a "Coming Soon" page when checked on 21 October 2026, so visitors either pay on arrival or arrange clearance in advance through a licensed Syrian travel agency.

Key facts

• Cost: USD 25 to USD 400 for a 1-month single entry, depending on the passport; passports the decision does not name pay USD 50.
• Where: Damascus and Aleppo airports, plus the Masnaa crossing from Lebanon and the Nassib crossing from Jordan, at the same fees.
• Payment: cash only, in new, clean US dollar notes; cards are not accepted at the airport counter.
• Documents: a passport valid for 6 months with no Israeli stamps, plus a return ticket.
• Not allowed: Israeli passport holders, and passports carrying an Israeli stamp.

Which passports need approval first?

Entry approval before travel is widely reported for Afghanistan, China, Russia, Yemen and most African countries, with fees for those groups ranging from USD 25 to 75 depending on the passport. Iranian passports need prior authorisation, and some sources say Iranian travellers cannot enter at all.

Travellers in this category are advised to have a licensed Syrian travel agency arrange the approval. Reported waits run from 1 to 6 weeks, so non-refundable fares should be avoided until the clearance is in hand. A Syrian border official told Rudaw in June 2026 that Iraqi travellers need a visa from Syria's Interior Ministry.

What other country-specific rules apply?

Jordanian passport holders pay no visa fee under Decision No. 128 and may stay up to 6 months. Lebanese passports are admitted without a fee only in set cases, such as having a Syrian parent or spouse, a Syrian residence permit, a residence permit elsewhere, or approval from a Syrian embassy or consulate; students at Syrian universities and patients travelling for treatment may also qualify.

Several other passport holders should check before booking. Kuwait is missing from most published copies of the fee table, but where listed it is USD 50. Qatari citizens are advised to contact their embassy before crossing by land from Jordan. Saudi Arabia's passports directorate was reported in November 2025 to require a travel permit for Syria, requested on Absher. Airline systems may list Turkish passports as visa-free, but travellers should expect to pay the fee on arrival anyway.

flydubai will not check passengers in without an OK-to-board approval, which must be requested from a flydubai Travel Shop at least 48 hours before departure.

What is the length of stay and can I extend?

The visa covers 1 month, though officers often stamp 15 to 30 days. Extensions can be arranged at the Immigration and Passports Department in Damascus. Turkish land crossings are not open to foreign tourists.

What this means for travellers

Check which fee applies to your passport and whether prior entry approval is required before paying for flights. Bring the exact cash amount in clean US dollar notes, a passport valid for at least 6 months without Israeli stamps, and a return ticket. Journalists need permission from Syria's media ministry before travelling.

Several governments advise against travel to Syria, including the UK Foreign Office, the US State Department (Level 4, Do Not Travel) and Smartraveller; Germany has a travel warning and says land borders do not always issue visas. Travel insurance may not cover trips to the country.