Syria Reciprocity Schedule

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Visa Classification	Fee	Number of Applications	Validity Period
A-1	None	Multiple	60 Months
A-2	None	Multiple	60 Months
A-3 [1]	None	Multiple	6 Months
B-1	None	Multiple	24 Months
B-2	None	Multiple	24 Months
C-1	None	One	3 Months
C-1/D	None	One	3 Months
C-2	None	One	3 Months
C-3	None	One	3 Months
D	None	One	3 Months
E-1 [2]	No Treaty	N/A	N/A
E-2 [2]	No Treaty	N/A	N/A
F-1	None	Multiple	24 Months
F-2	None	Multiple	24 Months
G-1	None	Multiple	6 Months
G-2	None	Multiple	6 Months
G-3	None	Multiple	6 Months
G-4	None	Multiple	6 Months
G-5 [1]	None	Multiple	6 Months
H-1B	None	One	3 Months [3]
H-1C	None	One	3 Months [3]
H-2A	None	One	3 Months [3]
H-2B	None	One	3 Months [3]
H-2R	None	One	3 Months [3]
H-3	None	One	3 Months [3]
H-4	None	One	3 Months [3]
I	None	Multiple	24 Months
J-1 [4]	None	Multiple	24 Months
J-2 [4]	None	Multiple	24 Months
K-1	None	One	6 Months
K-2	None	One	6 Months
K-3	None	Multiple	24 Months
K-4	None	Multiple	24 Months
L-1	None	One	3 Months [3]
L-2	None	One	3 Months [3]
M-1	None	Multiple	24 Months
M-2	None	Multiple	24 Months
N-8	None	Multiple	6 Months
N-9	None	Multiple	6 Months
NATO 1-7	N/A	N/A	N/A
O-1	None	One	3 Months [3]
O-2	None	One	3 Months [3]
O-3	None	One	3 Months [3]
P-1	None	One	3 Months [3]
P-2	None	One	3 Months [3]
P-3	None	One	3 Months [3]
P-4	None	One	3 Months [3]
Q-1 [6]	None	One	3 Months [3]
R-1	None	One	3 Months
R-2	None	One	3 Months
S-5 [7]	None	One	1 Month
S-6 [7]	None	One	1 Month
S-7 [7]	None	One	1 Month
T-1 [9]	N/A	N/A	N/A
T-2	None	One	6 Months
T-3	None	One	6 Months
T-4	None	One	6 Months
T-5	None	One	6 Months
TD [5]	N/A	N/A	N/A
V-1	None	Multiple	60 Months
V-2	None	Multiple	60 Months [8]
V-3	None	Multiple	60 Months [8]

Documents

Birth, Marriage, Divorce and Death Certificates

Available. The Bureau of Vital Statistics offices in major cities maintain records of birth, marriage, divorce and death for most Syrians. Birth/baptism, marriage and death certificates, as well as divorce decrees can also be obtained from Christian and Jewish religious authorities. There is no civil marriage in Syria. After certificates are issued by the religious authorities, marriages and divorces are registered with the Bureau of Vital Statistics in the nearest major city as well as at the office nearest the individual's place of permanent residence.

Civil documents are reasonably reliable for events occurring after 1924 but are usually unavailable for earlier dates. Church records are generally the only source of information for documents pertaining to events prior to 1924. Care should be taken; however, to ensure that information on documents has not been officially changed by court order. Certified extracts from the Bureau of Vital Statistics records are readily available upon request. Fee: A fee may be charged for this service.

Adoption Certificates

Islamic Shari’a law does not allow for full adoptions. However, the Islamic court grants custody of an orphan to a guardian and where that court understands that custody of the orphan to be transferred through guardianship, and that the parents intend to obtain a full and final adoption of the child once that child is in the United States and expressly signals that agreement. 

Only Catholic civil law recognizes adoptions as a legal convention and defines the conditions, rights and duties thereof.  Because adoption is a religious procedure in Syria, it must be supervised by authorized church authorities and must be approved by the relevant authorities. 

If a child is a foundling, it takes the religious affiliation of the orphanage that takes in the baby.  An adoption request must be submitted to the presiding judge of the religious court of the community to which the child belongs.  The religious court will investigate the case, which entails proof of the good moral reputation of the prospective adoptive parent(s) and financial support for the child.  If the court does not find any grounds for objection to adoption, the court will issue a decree confirming the adoption.  The court’s final decision on the adoption must be affirmed by the bishop of the same relevant jurisdiction.  To be valid, the adoption decree must be granted exequatur, or endorsed, by the Civil Courts Enforcement Bureau.  The adoption decree must then be submitted to the Syrian Bureau of Vital Statistics so that the civil status of the adopted child can be amended in the registry book.  The child will take the family name of the adoptive parents.  Approval of the institution or organization where the child was found may be sometimes required. 

Police Records

Police records in Syria are maintained by the Ministry of Interior, Criminal Security Department. Separate records are maintained by each jurisdiction. Some jurisdictions are computerized, but there is no central computerized database. Individuals can request copies of their police records from their respective jurisdictions of residence or previous residence. Third parties can request police records for an individual if they present the individual's Syrian I.D. number. Only police records, but not prison records, can be obtained through Syrian embassies abroad.

Prison Records

Available. Prison records can be requested from the Criminal Branch of the Ministry of Interior upon presentation of a valid Syrian Identification Card. This can be done in person or by an attorney. There is a nominal charge that must be paid in cash Syrian Pounds.

Information available on Prison Records is also available on the Syrian Police Record. The Syrian Police Record should be the requested document unless there is a specific concern that needs to be addressed. Syrian prison records cannot be obtained through Syrian embassies abroad.

Military Records

Available. A “Certificate of Military Service” is issued upon discharge from the military. If this document is lost or unavailable, a new certificate can be obtained from the Mobilization Department responsible for the person’s area of residence at the time of the military service. This new certificate can be obtained in person or through an agent.

Military service is mandatory for all Syrian males. However, the mandatory military service requirement can be waived if the candidate is a mother’s only male child, with the payment of an exemption fee, or if the candidate has a health condition. Additionally, the requirement can be postponed if the candidate is a student.

Passport and Other Travel Documents

The Syrian Government has started the issuance of the new photo-digitized machine-readable passport with newly introduced security features. In addition to the standard security features, new ultra-violet features have been added. The passport has been resized to a smaller passport size 5 inches by 3.5 inches (the size of the new Lebanese passport). The color of the passport remains navy blue and has the standard golden eagle seal in the middle.

The new Syrian passport displays the following key features:

• The passport is now 48 pages and is in ICAO format (smaller than the previous one).
• It is machine readable.
• The photograph is photo-digitized and printed on the bio-page.
• A small OVD eagle is printed onto the bio-page.
• Father and mother's names are added to the bio-page.
• The biographic page is page two and recovered on both sides by a thin plastic laminate.
• The perforations on the bio-pages are covered by laminate as well.
• Laminate is very thin (like saran wrap) and corners are not rounded (cut to 90 degrees, laminate soft die cutting).
• The signature is also printed at the back of the bio-page.
• The passport is laser perforated, with traces of burn, which are quite visible.
• There is micro-text printing on the regular pages underlining the word visas, and in a straight line down each page "Arab Republic of Syria".
• The background of the regular pages show historical or modern sites printed in blue.
• There are intaglio prints on the inside of the front and back pages of the passport.

As a fraud countermeasure, the Syrian passport incorporates newly introduced ultra-violet security features.

• The inside cover page and the back cover page of the passport display an eagle shaped design with a flag in the middle fluorescing under uv light.
• The data page has a Phoenician boat design that fluoresces under uv light and is located under the digitized photograph.
• All the pages of the passport incorporate a Syrian flag and the phrase "Syrian Arab Republic" written underneath that fluoresce under uv light.
• On the back of the bio-page under the signature, a blue planchette is visible under uv light.
• All passport pages have numbers on the middle side of each page that fluoresce under uv light, except the front cover and back cover pages of the passport.
• The middle stitching of the passport is uv reactive.
• The words "Imprimerie Nationale France" appear on the passport on the inside back cover.

The Department no longer accepts Syrian service passports for visa purposes. The requirements stated in INA 101(a)(30) are no longer being met, and Syrian service passports do not comply with the definition of a passport. This action is in keeping with U.S. Government efforts to tighten restrictions on the movement of terrorists; in this case those using third country passports. However, this will not affect the issuance of visas to holders of passports in the other three categories. Applicants should be informed that the United States Government is no longer accepting service passports for visas, but should the applicant wish to present any of the other three types of Syrian passports, the application will be considered.

There are four different types of Syrian passports:

1. Service (green),
2. Diplomatic (red),
3. Special (light brown), and
4. Regular (navy blue).

Visas will not be placed in the green service passports. Syrians who present these passports should be refused under INA 221(g). Form OF-232 may not be used to issue visas to Syrians who present service passports.

Special Clearance and Issuance Procedures

IMPORTANT: For all posts worldwide, all Syrian non-immigrant visa applicants age 16 and above (no upper age limit and to include both men and women), MUST be cleared prior to issuance via a Visas Condor SAO, unless already subject to a separate SAO clearance. All Syrian nonimmigrant visa holders age 16 and above (both male and female) must also exit register from the United States.  A comprehensive list of locations of USCBP exit registration booths is found at: http://damascus.usembassy.gov/special-registration.html .

VISAS BEAR Security Advisory Opinion Requests: A Visas Bear request must be submitted for all A, C-3, and G visa applications. When a Visas Bear security advisory opinion has been requested, the Department's response is required prior to visa issuance.

VISAS MANTIS Security Advisory Opinion Requests: Visas Mantis is strongly recommended for applicants with a background or purpose of trip that is listed in the TAL. Please see 9 FAM Appendix G 502.1-7.

Visa Issuing Post

Damascus, Syria (Embassy)

Street Address:
2, Al-Mansour Street
Abu Roumaneh

Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 29
Damascus, Syria

Tel: (963) (11) 3391-4444

Fax: (963) (11) 331-9678

E-mail: acsdamascus@state.gov

Visa Services

All visa categories for all of Syria.

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