All nationalities · Updated 12 November 2026: According to the latest immigration-department information received by Syrian Guides, tourist visitors of all nationalities must arrange travel through a travel agency or tour operator and receive visa pre-approval before arrival, whether entering by air or by land. Approval must be arranged through a tour operator; the immigration authorities decide approval and entry. Do not travel while approval is pending. Read the current entry guidance and source note.
Entry update · 12 November 2026
Based on information received by Syrian Guides from immigration-department contacts and recent client experience, EU passport holders need visa approval before travelling to Syria, whether arriving by air or by land. This includes land entry from Lebanon and Jordan and arrivals at Damascus or Aleppo airports.
Arrange and receive your visa approval before departure. Do not rely on visa on arrival without prior approval, including when travelling overland.
What this means for your trip
Before booking or starting your journey, check the requirements for your passport nationality, travel dates and intended border crossing or airport. A pending application is not an issued approval. Airline boarding permission does not replace Syrian entry requirements.
If you are travelling with Syrian Guides, contact our team to confirm your arrangements before departure. This update does not announce a change in visa fees or promise a processing deadline.
Source and scope
This is a Syrian Guides operational update based on immigration-department contacts and recent client experience as of 12 November 2026. We have not located a publicly accessible official circular confirming the expanded all-nationalities requirement. Older published guidance may differ, so confirm your individual arrangements before travel.
This earlier EU notice is superseded in scope by our latest all-nationalities update above. EU travellers remain covered; the requirement is no longer reported as limited to U.S. or EU passports.
Read the latest all-nationalities update for the current operational advice.