VISA
My Experience
My application was processed by my tourist agency. I sent a photocopy of my passport to them and they did the rest.
They then send the application to multiple security organizations, apparently an expensive process. Once that is security clearance is approved, your application is sent to the Tourism Ministry who issue a Permit that is forwarded to the land border between Beirut and Syria.
At the Syrian border, enter the large hall with several wickets for immigration officers and a bank. Pay the fee of $US 90 (a price considerably different than below) and take the receipt to one of the immigration officers. They only asked what I did for a living and gave me two stamps in my passport for a 15-day tourist visa.
From Wiki Voyage
Visa restrictions: Entry will be refused to citizens of Israel and travellers with any evidence of having visited Israel (which includes stamps of Egyptian/Jordanian neighbouring land borders with Israel in addition to Israeli visas and entry stamps), any products with Hebrew labelling, etc. Passports are meticulously checked for Israeli stamps page-by-page at the border, so if you have an Israeli stamp, then you will need to get a new passport.
Entry requirements.
Visas are needed for most individual travellers. These are available in 6-month (single/multiple entry), 3-month (single) and 15 day (land borders only) versions. Citizens of Arab countries do not require visa, except unaccompanied Moroccan women below 40 years old. In addition, citizens of Malaysia, Turkey and Iran do not require visas.
Getting visas in advance is expensive and confusing. Americans are required to apply in advance at the Syrian embassy in Washington DC, even if they live elsewhere, and pay USD131 or €100.
Most other travellers, though, can get them anywhere, a popular choice being Istanbul where they are generally issued within one day for €20 (Canadian citizens) or €30 (EU citizens). A “letter of recommendation” stating that your consulate has “no objection” to your visit to Syria may be required. The visa issued must have two stamps and a signature, otherwise the visa is considered invalid and you will be turned back at the border. It is necessary to keep the blue arrival form as it must be submitted upon departure.
Official policy says that if your country has a Syrian embassy or consulate, you should apply for your visa in advance. Most nationals must apply for a Syrian visa in the country in which they are a citizen. Alternatively a foreign national may apply for a Syrian visa from a Syrian Consulate in a country other than their own if they hold a residency visa valid for at least 6 months for the country in which they are applying. There are very few exceptions to this rule. In practice it is possible to obtain a visa on the border for most nationals.
Almost every national can get a visa at the border, regardless of the fact it is not officially written or recommended. But do not buy a bus ticket that will take you all the way across the border. They will always leave you there because it does take 2-10 hours for US citizens and they will not tell you that in advance at the time of purchasing of the bus ticket. Buy a ticket to the border via minibus/shared taxi (servees) then do the same when you get to the other side.
The cost for me in November 2019 was $US 90.
The following are from Wiki Voyage and I don’t think are accurate. US citizens cost US$16 or €12, while others are more costly, Japanese are USD12-14 or €9-11, Singaporeans are USD33 or €25, Australians/New Zealanders are about USD100 or €75.99, Swiss are USD63 or €47.88. They only take US dollars or euros. You may only receive a 15-day single-entry tourist visa and will have to go through this process if you ever re-enter Syria. When you exit Syria, you will have to buy/pay an exit card for about USD12 or €9.15.
If going by land, and you are planning to get a visa on the border, bring US dollars, euros or Syrian pounds. Other foreign currency will not get a good exchange rate and at most crossing there are no facilities for credit/debit cards. Travellers cheques are also not accepted.
American citizens need to beware of sanctions on Syria. While travelling and spending money in Syria is permitted, you may not fly with Syrian Arab Airlines, and more importantly, many US banks err on the safe side and ban all business with Syria. Some credit or ATM cards may not work, although many Americans today experience little problems in this regard. Be wary, however, as some travellers have had their bank account access frozen, regardless of whether or not they informed their bank of travel to Syria.
Due to the conflict various areas of Syria are not under the control of the Syrian central government. Areas near to Turkey are under control of Kurdish forces and rebel forces. Foreigners will not be allowed to cross at these borders, and Turkey/Syria borders in general are closed now because of the conflict. From the Kurdish Region of Iraq there are people crossing over the river into Syria at a place called Faish Khabour, however the crossing is only for humanitarian workers and any non-aid workers may not be allowed crossing.
By plane. Syria has two functioning international airports: Damascus International Airport (DAM), 35 km (22 miles) southeast of the capital and Bassel al-Assad International Airport (LTK), south of Latakia, the main sea port of the country. Due to the ongoing civil war, most airlines have suspended service to these airports. As of 2018, Damascus International Airport is operational, though there are just a dozen of departures daily.
Upon arrival, a free entry visa can be delivered to almost all travellers if they are being received by a local travel agency. Call the Syrian Embassy in your home country for more information.
Syria levies a departure tax (~US$13) at land and sea borders. Airport departure tax is included in the ticket price, and airlines will put a manual stamp on your boarding pass.
One of the practical and reasonable ways to enter Syria from Turkey is to take a domestic flight to Gaziantep and then taxi to Aleppo through Oncupinar border-gate in Kilis. The journey takes around 2 hours including custom formalities. The fare is USD60, per car with max 4 and one way. Taxis holding licence can be arranged in Kilis or Gaziantep. Turkcan Turizm, 0348 822 3313
By train. As of 2018, all international trains and almost all domestic trains have been suspended indefinitely. Former international routes included the historical Toros Express from Istanbul to Aleppo and an overnight trains from Tehran to Damascus.
By bus. Buses run from Turkey, with frequent connections from the city of Antakya (Hatay). You can also travel by bus from Jordan & Lebanon. Buses to Damascus run from Beirut.
When arriving into Damascus by bus, make sure to move away from the bus terminal to find a taxi to the centre of town. Otherwise, you run the risk of paying several times the going rate, as cars posing as taxis operate next to the terminal.
This is normally a two-man operation, with one person trying to distract you, while the driver puts your suitcase into the trunk of the “taxi” and locks it.
By car. When travelling from Lebanon, service taxis (taxis that follow a fixed route only, usually from near one bus station to another) are a convenient way to reach Damascus, Homs, Tartus, Aleppo or other Syrian towns. A shared service taxi from Beirut to Damascus will cost about USD17 per person, based on four people sharing the same taxi. If you want a private taxi then you will have to pay for every seat. In most cases it is necessary to buy a Syrian visa before leaving home, often costing about USD130 or less, depending of the country of residency. It’s possible, to obtain free entry visa for tourists if being received by a local Travel Agency. It is also possible to arrive by car from Turkey. A private taxi from Gaziantep Airport (Turkey) will cost about USD60.
Service taxis run from Dar’a across the Jordanian border to Ramtha; from there microbuses are available to Irbid and Amman — the stop in Dar’a permits a side trip to Bosra, with UNESCO-recognised Roman theater and ruins.
By boat. The nearest car ferry port is Bodrum in Turkey.
Occasional passenger ferries run between Latakia and Limassol, Cyprus. This service has come and gone over the years. Confirm that the departure will occur with Varianos Travel before making plans that incorporate this route.
Latakia and Tartous serve as ports of call for a number of Mediterranean cruise lines.
SYRIA TOUR
I arranged a 10-day tour with Mihra Travel Damascus, PO Box 11190, Tel +963 11 2336677, info@mithratravel.biz or mityratravel@yahoo.fr. They were listed as one of the “fixers” on the Nomad Mania website.
10 days– 9 nights
Day 1 : Arrival Beirut Airport – Damascus – overnight
Day 2 : Damascus – Bosra – Damascus – overnight
Day 3: Visit of Damascus – overnight
Day 4 : Damascus – Maaloula- Hama – Aleppo – overnight
Day 5 : Visit of Aleppo – overnight
Day 6 : Aleppo – Crack des chevaliers – Al-Mashtaya – overnight
Day 7 : Al-Mashtaya – Safita tower – Ugarit – Lattakia – overnight
Day 8 : Lattakia – Saladin Castel – Amrit – Tartous – Homs overngiht
Day 9 : Homs – Palmyra – Damascus O/N.
Day 10 : Damascus – Beirut Airport.
The Hotels:
Damascus: (Boutique Hotel) 5*
Aleppo : Aleppo Palace 4*
Al-Mashtaya: Villa Rosa 3* (near krak)
Lattakia: Vetro 4*
Homs: New Basman: 3*
Price: Basis 1 pax: $US 2260
The Price included:
Accommodation in the mention hotel or similar.
2 transfers (Beirut – Damascus – Beirut)
Transport by tourist car.
Professional guide.
Approvals for visit and visa.
Entrance fees for all sites in Syria.
Breakfast.
Departure tax.
Assistance 24/24 on mobile phone, in Syria (+963944212051 ).
The Price did not include: Drinks, Lunch, Dinner, Cost of visa in Syrian borders, Personal expenses.
My guide was , a 60-year old man and very knowledgeable. I was the only client and thus paid a premium, both as a single supplement for the hotels and as the only one on the tour. Cost US$2260.
Visa $US 90. This is, along with the non included items was brought into the country as cash. $US are the main currency and Euros not accepted. ATMS and credit cards do not work in Syria.