Moving to Syria: visas, cost of living & immigrant guide

19,398,448

note: approximately 20,500 Israeli settlers live in the Golan Heights

0.15%

56.100000

Aleppo 3.164 million; DAMASCUS (capital) 2.65 million; Hims 1.369 million; Hamah 933,000

31.950000

22.700000

23

3.67

2.77

58.3%

58.3%

1.060000

-17.89

Arab 90.3%, Kurds, Armenians, and other 9.7%

Syrian(s)

76.9%

89.7%

64%

age 15 and over can read and write

5.1%

12.000000

75.140000

14.630000

14.630000

70

1

1.5

3.7%

27.1%

92.300000

96.200000

10.1%

• Inflation: The conflict has had a devastating effect on Syria's economy, leading to a significant contraction in GDP. Inflation rates have been high, and the Syrian pound has depreciated substantially, causing further economic challenges for the population. Energy
• Sector: Syria's energy sector, particularly oil and gas production, has been severely affected by the conflict. Many oil fields and infrastructure have been damaged or destroyed, resulting in a decline in oil production and a loss of revenue from exports. Trade and
• Sanctions: International trade has been hampered by the conflict and various economic sanctions imposed on Syria. These sanctions, imposed by several countries and international organizations, have restricted foreign investment, financial transactions, and access to global markets, further straining the economy. Humanitarian
• Situation: The conflict has led to a significant humanitarian crisis, with millions of Syrians internally displaced and millions more seeking refuge in neighboring countries. The strain on resources and infrastructure has been immense, exacerbating the economic challenges faced by the country. Reconstruction
• Efforts: While the conflict continues, discussions on post-war reconstruction have started. However, the scale of destruction and the economic challenges faced by Syria make the reconstruction process an enormous undertaking, requiring significant financial resources and international support. Informal
• Economy: Due to the disruptions caused by the conflict, an informal economy has emerged in Syria. Many Syrians have turned to small-scale, informal businesses and activities to sustain their livelihoods, contributing to a fragmented and unregulated economic landscape.

petroleum, textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco, phosphate rock mining

$5,100.00 (USD)

-9.9%

$50,280,000,000 (USD)

$5,100.00 (USD)

-9.9%

$24,600,000,000 (USD)

• consumption: 100.9% government
• consumption: 28.1% investment in fixed
• capital: 10.9% investment in
• inventories: 3% exports of goods and
• services: 18.1% imports of goods and
• services: -60.8%

the war driven deterioration of the economy resulted in a disappearance of quality national level statistics

19.5%

18.9%

61.6%

6%

5.9%

Syrian pound (SYP)

Syrian Pound (SYP)

calendar year

10.5%

5,527,000

8.3%

petroleum, textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco, phosphate rock mining

wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas, olives, sugar beets; beef, mutton, eggs, poultry, milk

11.9%

192,915

4%

17%

16%

67%

$12,530,000,000 (USD)

45%

-8%

3.7%

Syrian Arab Republic

Syria

Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah

Suriyah

United Arab Republic (with Egypt)

name ultimately derived from the ancient Assyrians who dominated northern Mesopotamia, but whose reach also extended westward to the Levant; over time, the name came to be associated more with the western area

17 April 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration)

Independence Day (Evacuation Day), 17 April (1946); note - celebrates the leaving of the last French troops and the proclamation of full independence

presidential republic; highly authoritarian regime

• history: several previous; latest issued 15 February 2012, passed by referendum and effective 27 February 2012; note - UN-sponsored talks, which began in late 2019 between delegates from government and opposition forces to draft a new constitution; in March 2022, the 7th round of the Syrian Constitutional Committee ended in Geneva with no results
• amendments: proposed by the president of the republic or by one third of the People’s Assembly members; following review by a special Assembly committee, passage requires at least three-quarters majority vote by the Assembly and approval by the president

mixed legal system of civil and Islamic (sharia) law (for family courts)

• chief of state: vacant; former President Bashar al-ASAD was overthrown by Islamist rebels on 8 December 2024; ASAD and his family flew to Moscow where they were granted political asylum
• head of government: Prime Minister Muhammad al-BASHIR (since 8 December 2024)
• cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president election/appointment
• process: president directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for a 7-year term (eligible for a second term); the president appoints the vice president and prime minister most recent election
• date: 26 May 2021
• election results: 2021: Bashar al-ASAD elected president; percent of vote - Bashar al-ASAD (Ba'th Party) 95.2%, Mahmoud Ahmad MAREI (Democratic Arab Socialist Union) 3.3%, other 1.5% 2014: Bashar al-ASAD elected president; percent of vote - Bashar al-ASAD (Ba'th Party) 88.7%, Hassan al-NOURI (independent) 4.3%, Maher HAJJER (independent) 3.2%, other/invalid 3.8% expected date of next
• election: 2028

• Description: unicameral People's Assembly or Majlis al-Shaab (250 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by simple majority preferential vote to serve 4-year terms)
• Elections: last held on 19 July 2020 (next to be held on 31 July 2024)
• Election Results: percent of vote by party - NPF 80%, other 20%; seats by party - NPF 200, other 50;
• Composition: men 224, women 26, percentage women 10.4%

• office: Court of Cassation judges appointed by the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), a judicial management body headed by the minister of justice with 7 members, including the national president; judge tenure NA; Supreme Constitutional Court judges nominated by the president and appointed by the SJC; judges serve 4-year renewable terms
• subordinate courts: courts of first instance; magistrates' courts; religious and military courts; Economic Security Court; Counterterrorism Court (established June 2012)

14 provinces (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Hasakah, Al Ladhiqiyah (Latakia), Al Qunaytirah, Ar Raqqah, As Suwayda', Dar'a, Dayr az Zawr, Dimashq (Damascus), Halab (Aleppo), Hamah, Hims (Homs), Idlib, Rif Dimashq (Damascus Countryside), Tartus

• legal parties/alliances: Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party [Bashar al-ASAD, regional secretary]
• Arab Socialist Renaissance (Ba'th)
• Party [President Bashar al-ASAD]
• Arab Socialist Union of Syria or ASU [Safwan al-QUDSI]
• Democratic Arab Socialist Union [Hassan Abdul AZIM, general secretary]
• National Progressive Front or NPF [Bashar al-ASAD, Suleiman QADDAH] (alliance includes Arab Socialist Renaissance (Ba'th)
• Party, Socialist Unionist Democratic Party)
• Socialist Unionist Party [Fayiz ISMAIL]
• Socialist Unionist Democratic Party [Fadlallah Nasr al-DIN]
• Syrian Communist Party (two branches) [Wissal Farha BAKDASH, Yusuf Rashid FAYSAL]
• Syrian Social Nationalist Party or SSNP [Ali HAIDAR]
• Unionist Socialist Party [Fayez ISMAIL] major Kurdish political organizations: Kurdish Democratic Union Party or PYD [Saleh MUSLIM, Asia ABDULLAH]
• Kurdish National Council or KNC [Sa'ud MALA]
• Self-Administration of Northeast Syria or SANES [Abd Hamid al-MAHBASH]
• Syrian Democratic Council or SDC [Ilham AHMAD] other: Syrian Democratic Party [Mustafa QALAAJI]

18 years of age; universal

• birth: no citizenship by descent
• only: the father must be a citizen of Syria; if the father is unknown or stateless, the mother must be a citizen of Syria dual citizenship
• recognized: yes residency requirement for
• naturalization: 10 years

Damascus

33 30 N, 36 18 E

UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

• ABEDA
• AFESD
• AMF
• CAEU
• FAO
• G-24
• G-77
• IAEA
• IBRD
• ICAO
• ICC (national committees)
• ICRM
• ICSID
• IDA
• IDB
• IFAD
• IFC
• IFRCS
• IHO
• ILO
• IMF
• IMO
• Interpol
• IOC
• IPU
• ISO
• ITSO
• ITU
• LAS
• MIGA
• NAM
• OAPEC
• OIC
• OPCW
• UN
• UNCTAD
• UNESCO
• UNIDO
• UNRWA
• UNWTO
• UPU
• WBG
• WCO
• WFTU (NGOs)
• WHO
• WIPO
• WMO
• WTO (observer)

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICC

• Chief of Mission: Ambassador (vacant); note - on 6 February 2012, the US suspended operations at its embassy in Damascus; Czechia serves as a protecting power for US interests in Syria
• Mailing Address: 6110 Damascus Place, Washington DC 20521-6110
• Email: USIS_damascus@embassy.mzv.cz
• Website: https://sy.usembassy.gov/

• Chief of Mission: Ambassador (vacant); note – operations at the embassy were suspended on 18 March 2014

Middle East

35 00 N, 38 00 E

71,498 Square Miles 185,180 Square Kilometers

70,900 Square Miles 183,630 Square Kilometers

598 Square Miles 1,550 Square Kilometers

1,400 Miles 2,253 Kilometers

Iraq 605 km, Israel 76 km, Jordan 375 km, Lebanon 375 km, Turkey 822 km

120 Miles 193 Kilometers

primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain; mountains in west

2,814 Meters

Mount Hermon 2,814 m

-200 Meters

unnamed location near Lake Tiberias -200 m

petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt, iron ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum, hydropower

5,178 Square Miles 13,410 Square Kilometers

UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

The Syrian Arab Republic comprises several distinct climatic conditions.

The western coastal plain is the most humid area of the country, with milder winters and summers than the rest of the country.

East of the Orontes Valley begins the desert region.

In general the climate is mostly desert; hot, dry, sunny summers (June to August) and mild, rainy winters (December to February) along the coast There are four seasons in Damascus, with spring, winter, and fall generally lasting 8 to 12 weeks apiece.

Summers can be long, dry, and hot.

Short winters can be cold and rainy, with occasional snow.

Annual rainfall in Damascus averages 81.6 millimeters (3.21 inches.) Temperatures in Damascus range from lows 0 °C (32 °F) at night to highs of 20 °C (68 °F during the day in the winter, and in the summer from 16 °C (60 °F) to 38 °C (100 °F).

Though snow falls infrequently in Damascus, it does snow in the mountains near the city, and some roads are impassible during these storms.

primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain; mountains in west

Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon and Turkey

71,498 Square Miles 185,180 Square Kilometers

Iraq 605 km, Israel 76 km, Jordan 375 km, Lebanon 375 km, Turkey 822 km

• deforestation
• overgrazing
• soil erosion
• desertification
• water pollution from raw sewage and petroleum refining wastes
• inadequate potable water

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

$12,840,000,000 (USD)

$13,570,000,000 (USD)

crude oil, petroleum products, fruits and vegetables, cotton fiber, clothing, meat and live animals, wheat

machinery and transport equipment, electric power machinery, food and livestock, metal and metal products, chemicals and chemical products, plastics, yarn, paper

Germany 17.5%, Italy 15.9%, Turkey 7.1%, France 6.8%, UAE 6.6%, Lebanon 4.8%

Italy 8.1%, Germany 7.4%, China 5.6%, South Korea 4.6%, France 4.4%, US 4.3%, Turkey 4%

Germany 17.5%, Italy 15.9%, Turkey 7.1%, France 6.8%, UAE 6.6%, Lebanon 4.8%

Italy 8.1%, Germany 7.4%, China 5.6%, South Korea 4.6%, France 4.4%, US 4.3%, Turkey 4%

In light of the escalating violence and volatility of the current security situation in Syria, the Department of State has issued a Travel Warning advising U.S. citizens against travel to Syria and strongly recommending that U.S. citizens remaining in Syria depart immediately.

Those who choose to remain in Syria or to visit despite this advice should be aware that the U.S.

Embassy in Damascus suspended operations in February 2012 and therefore cannot provide protection or routine consular services to U.S. citizens in Syria.

The Government of the Czech Republic, acting through its Embassy in Damascus, serves as Protecting Power for U.S. interests in Syria.

The range of consular services the Czech Republic provides to U.S. citizens is extremely limited, and those services may require significantly more processing time than at U.S. embassies or consulates outside of Syria.

The Syrian Arab Republic is ruled by an authoritarian regime dominated by the Socialist Ba'ath Party.

The Ba'ath party espouses a largely secular ideology; however, Islamic traditions and beliefs provide a religious foundation for the country's customs and practices.

While the 1963 Emergency Law, which authorized the government to conduct preventive arrests and override constitutional and penal code provisions against arbitrary arrest and detention, was rescinded on April 19, 2011, the practice of arbitrary arrest and detention has not abated.

The Syrian government conducts intense physical and electronic surveillance of both Syrian citizens and foreign visitors.

U.S. citizens visiting Syria should be aware that any encounter with a Syrian citizen could be subject to scrutiny by the General Intelligence Directorate (GID) or other security services.

Sustained interactions with average Syrians – especially if deemed to be of a political nature – may subject that Syrian to harassment and/or detention, and other forms of repressive actions by state security elements.

Furthermore, loitering or photographing of facilities or buildings or behavior deemed suspicious may result in U.S. citizens being arrested or detained by security services.

Since 1979, the United States has designated Syria a State Sponsor of Terrorism due to its support for organizations such as Hizballah, Hamas, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

The combination of terrorist organizations, a porous border with Iraq and long-standing border issues with all of its neighbors (Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Turkey and Israel) have made Syria a destabilizing factor in the region and a potential target for reprisal.

Tourist facilities are available and vary in quality depending on price and location.

Many establishments will only accept cash.

The Department of State continues to warn U.S. citizens against travel to Syria and strongly recommends that U.S. citizens remaining in Syria depart immediately.

The Syrian regime has used deadly force to quell anti-government protests and is engaged in a full-scale civil war with the armed Syrian opposition.

Syrian opposition groups have utilized car bombs, improvised explosive device/indirect-fire attacks, sniper fire, and kidnappings throughout the country.

Foreign combatants – including Iranian regime elements, Hizballah fighters, Islamic extremists, and al Qaida-linked elements – are participating in hostilities.

Military operations have involved the use of ballistic missiles, aerial attacks, and heavy artillery against civilian centers.

Attacks from these various groups could happen with little or no warning, no part of Syria should be considered immune from violence, and the potential exists throughout the country for unpredictable and hostile acts, including kidnappings, sniper assaults, terrorist attacks, large and small-scale bombings, as well as arbitrary arrest, detention, and torture.

The United States intelligence community assesses with high confidence that the Assad regime has used chemical weapons, including the nerve agent sarin, on a small scale against the opposition multiple times over the past year.

The continuing violence, deteriorating security situation, and Syria’s chemical and biological weapons program creates a particularly volatile situation.

The security situation throughout the country is very likely to remain volatile and unpredictable for the foreseeable future, with some areas, especially in the contested population centers, experiencing substantially increased levels of violence.

The conflict has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths with many thousands wounded, 1.6 million refugees and over four million internally displaced persons.

Thereis an ongoing and increased risk of kidnapping of U.S. citizens and Westerners in general throughout the country.

In August 2012, a U.S. citizenjournalist was kidnapped near Damascus and in November 2012, another U.S. citizenjournalist was kidnapped in Idlib Governorate; the status of these U.S. citizens is unknown at thistime.

In early April 2013, an Italian journalist was kidnapped, and in late April 2013, two Orthodox Christian Bishops were abducted in the northern city of Aleppo.

It is unknown if regime forces or opposition elements conducted these kidnappings.

Most recently, on June 7, two French journalists were taken in Aleppo.

Since the start of the uprising against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime in March 2011, at least 24 foreigners, primarily journalists, have been reportedly kidnapped or killed in the fighting A porous border with Iraq and long-standing border issues with Iraq,Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey and Israel, have contributed to a complex security environment in Syria, which has been compounded by the protracted violent conflict and an influx of foreign fighters.

There have been multiple reports of Syrian shelling of neighboring countries’ border areas throughout 2012 and 2013, most significantly in Lebanon, Turkey, and the Golan Heights.

On October 3, 2012, Syrian military forces fired artillery shells that hit the town of Akcakale on the Turkish side of the Turkish-Syrian border, killing five people and wounding a number of others.

Turkey responded with retaliatory artillery fire and cross-border incidents have continued sporadically since that time.

Likely linked to the regime offensive in al Qusayr, indirect fire has crossed into Lebanon on several occasions, illustrating the continued potential for spillover of Syria’s conflict throughout the region.

Syria has been a State Sponsor of Terrorism since 1979 and has given political support to a variety of terrorist groups affecting the stability of the region.

The Al-Nusrah Front has claimed responsibility for numerous terrorist acts in Syria since December 2011, including four b

The rate of crime in major Syrian cities is difficult to determine due to the continued fighting throughout the country.

The current unrest and significant deterioration of the Syrian economy have led to a perceived increase in criminal activity.

You should apply the same personal security awareness practices overseas as you do in U.S. cities.

Women in Syria, particularly those dressed in a style perceived as Western, have reported harassment, stalking, and unwelcome advances of a sexual nature.

Many of these incidents have involved taxi drivers.

Incidents typically entail verbal sexual harassment, staring, and/or touching.

Women should take precautions including dressing conservatively (especially in the Old City), not traveling alone, and avoiding travel to unfamiliar areas at night.

Women should not generally sit in the front seat of a taxi.

Unnecessary conversation with the taxi driver may be perceived as an invitation for closer personal relations.

Both men and women should always carry a cell phone, if possible.

Don’t buy counterfeit and pirated goods, even if they are widely available.

Not only are the bootlegs illegal in the United States, if you purchase them you may also be breaking local law.

While you are traveling in Syria, you are subject to its laws even if you are a U.S. citizen.

Foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different from our own.

For example, under the Narcotics Act, article 39, Syria imposes the death penalty for drug trafficking or cultivation.

Women who are arrested under suspicion of immoral behavior (e.g. being alone in a room with a man who is not the woman’s husband, or being in a residence where drugs or alcohol are being consumed) may be subjected to a virginity test.

In addition, the Syrian government monitors the activities of all groups, including religious groups, anddiscourages proselytizing, which it deems a threat to relations among religious groups.

In some places you may be taken in for questioningif you don’t have your passport with you.

In some places, it is illegal to take pictures of certain buildings.

In some places, driving under the influence could land you immediately in jail.

These criminal penalties will vary from country to country.

There are also some things that might be legal in the country you visit, but still illegal in the United States, and you can be prosecuted under U.S. law if you buy pirated goods.

Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime prosecutable in the United States.

If you break local laws in Syria, your U.S. passport won’t help you avoid arrest or prosecution.

It’s very important to know what’s legal and what’s not wherever you go.

While some countries will automatically notify the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate if a U.S. citizen is detained or arrested in a foreign country, that might not always be the case.

To ensure that the United States is aware of your circumstances, request that the police and prison officials notify the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate as soon as you are arrested or detained overseas.

Basic medical care and medicines are available in Syria’s principal cities, but not necessarily in outlying areas.

Serious illnesses and emergencies may require evacuation to a Western medical facility.

While in Syria, you may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States.

The information below concerning Syria is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance.

Driving in Syria may be hazardous and requires great caution.

Although drivers generally follow traffic signs and signals, they often maneuver aggressively and show little regard for vehicles traveling near them.

Lane markings are usually ignored.

Vehicles within Syrian traffic circles must give way to entering traffic, unlike in the United States.

At night, it is very hard to see pedestrians, who often walk into traffic with little warning.

Outside major cities it is common to find pedestrians, animals and vehicles without lights on the roads at night.

Pedestrians must also exercise caution.

Parked cars, deteriorating pavement, and guard posts obstruct sidewalks, often forcing pedestrians to walk in the street.

Vehicles often do not stop for pedestrians, and regularly run red lights or “jump” the green light well before it changes.

Because of the ongoing conflict, there has been an increase in the potential that visitors will encounter hostile activity or harassment at both official and unofficial security checkpoints on roadways throughout the country.

90

29

6

1,275 Miles 2,052 Kilometers

43,417 Miles 69,873 Kilometers

39,184 Miles 63,060 Kilometers

559 Miles 900 Kilometers

Baniyas, Jablah, Latakia, Tartus

1,970 Miles 3,170 Kilometers

1,261 Miles 2,029 Kilometers

3,871,000

6,700,000

3,470,000

.sy

8,114

• state-run TV and radio broadcast networks
• state operates 2 TV networks and a satellite channel
• roughly two-thirds of Syrian homes have a satellite dish providing access to foreign TV broadcasts
• 3 state-run radio channels
• first private radio station launched in 2005
• private radio broadcasters prohibited from transmitting news or political content

• assessment: fair system currently undergoing significant improvement and digital upgrades, including fiber-optic technology and expansion of the network to rural areas; the armed insurgency that began in 2011 has led to major disruptions to the network and has caused telephone and Internet outages throughout the country
• domestic: the number of fixed-line connections has increased markedly since 2000; mobile-cellular service growing with telephone subscribership nearly 60 per 100 persons in 2011
• international: country code - 963; submarine cable connection to Egypt, Lebanon, and Cyprus; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey; participant in Medarabtel

27,350,000,000

1,400,000,000

40,500,000,000

9,630,000,000

250,000,000

7,870,000,000

240,700,000,000

258,800

152,400

403,800

2,500,000,000

adopted 1936, restored 1961; between 1958 and 1961, while Syria was a member of the United Arab Republic with Egypt, the country had a different anthem

• Composition: Nebu Juel Issabey
• Lyrics: Yosip Bet Yosip