Updated 6 November 2026: The United States repealed the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act on 18 December 2025, after this article was originally written. That is a completed legal change, not a proposal awaiting approval. However, the repeal did not remove every U.S. sanction or restriction involving Syria. Targeted measures against designated individuals and entities remain, and banks, airlines and suppliers still carry out their own compliance checks. See the U.S. Treasury OFAC guidance for the current U.S. sanctions framework.

What was the Caesar Act?

The Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act was a U.S. sanctions law introduced as part of a 2019 legislative package. Named after a Syrian military defector who documented atrocities during the Assad era, it targeted foreign parties conducting specified transactions with the former Syrian state and connected sectors. Its potential secondary-sanctions consequences affected reconstruction, investment and financial relationships.

What changed in December 2025?

The U.S. legislation enacted on 18 December 2025 repealed the Caesar Act. According to OFAC, the repeal removed the threat of mandatory sanctions under that Act for foreign persons engaging in covered transactions with the Syrian government and certain Syrian industries. The wider U.S. policy also changed during 2025 and 2026, but targeted sanctions and other legal restrictions were retained. Repeal should not be described as permission to make every transfer or transaction with any Syrian counterparty.

For companies and travel businesses, implementation matters as much as legislation. Foreign banks, payment processors, airlines, insurers and suppliers may continue to refuse certain transactions or require further checks. Whether a particular transaction can proceed depends on the applicable law, institutions and parties involved.

What does it mean for people travelling to Syria?

In the long term, financial reintegration and renewed aviation connections may make bookings, transfers and tourism infrastructure easier to manage. But those improvements are gradual and cannot be assumed for a particular trip. Visa rules, border procedures, card acceptance and travel advisories are separate questions from whether a sanctions law has been repealed.

For now, visitors should prepare carefully: check our entry-route guide, visa requirements and money guide. Many international cards may still not function reliably, so do not rely on this legislation as proof that banking and payment services are available.

Syrian Guides continues to arrange private and group tours, subject to individual passport, access and security considerations. International visitors should read their home government’s travel warnings and check suitable insurance coverage before making any decision to travel.

Official source: U.S. Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control, FAQ 1220 (updated August 2026).