Syria: visa and entry rules

Syria's borders: every crossing point

Syria's land border crossings, listed by the neighbours it shares a border with:

With Lebanon: Masnaa — the main crossing on the Beirut - Damascus road, and in practice the only working tourist route into the country.

With Jordan: Nasib - Jaber in the south.

With Turkey: Bab al-Hawa and other crossings in the north; the regime depends on the situation and on who controls the territory.

With Iraq: Abu Kamal and Yarubiyah, both unsafe directions.

The border with Israel is closed: the two countries are in a state of war, and the Golan Heights are under Israeli control.

By sea — the ports of Latakia and Tartus.

The practical conclusion: there are few real routes into the country, and almost all of them go through Lebanon.

Bringing a car into Syria

Temporary import into Syria is handled under local rules, and those differ from country to country and change: find out the time limit and whether a carnet is needed in advance.

Insurance is taken out locally.

An International Driving Permit is required.

Moving around the country carries direct risk — this is not a matter of formalities.

Travelling to Syria with a pet

An international veterinary certificate is required, endorsed by the state veterinary service of the country of departure.

The rabies vaccination must be valid on the date of entry.

An import permit is arranged in advance.

Before bringing an animal into Syria, check with two authorities: the national veterinary service and your carrier. Failing either of the two lists is enough to be refused.

When the situation is unstable the veterinary services work erratically, and the paperwork takes an unpredictable amount of time.

Overstaying your visa in Syria

A fine is charged for exceeding the permitted period and is paid on departure.

The amount is calculated at the moment you leave. Published rates for Syria contradict one another and go out of date — count on cash and on an extra hour at the border.

When the situation is unstable an overstay is more dangerous than usual: document checks are more frequent and the consequences less predictable.

An extension is arranged in advance, before the permitted period runs out.