Tourism in Syria after the fall of President Assad is possible. But is it safe? And what are the conditions that are imposed on foreign visitors. As a foreign national that crossed the border into Syria a mere 6 days after the regime collapsed, and as someone who runs group tours to the country, you’re in the right place to be asking!

Is it true that visas are not required?!

Currently (8th February 2025), all nationalities are exempt from visas (which are not currently being issued anyhow), but certain nationalities face restrictions. For instance, if you’re Iranian or Israeli, it’s not possible to enter Syria. For Lebanese, there are certain conditions. But for most nationalities, it is MUCH easier than under the days of Assad.

Currently, it is possible to enter Syria as a foreign tourist by land from Lebanon or Jordan (currently prohibited in most cases from Turkey and Iraq). In most cases, upon arrival at Syrian immigration, you will be asked your purpose of visit, and whether they allow you to enter or not is up to their discretion. In most cases, you’ll be stamped through and welcomed quickly, but there have been cases or people being turned away for seemingly arbitrary reasons (having too many tatooes for instance). Having a document indicating that you have booked a tour, or its itinerary, certainly helps. Entry is also free of charge.

If you choose to fly into Damascus, authorities at the airport are easily letting foreigners in without questions, but they have to pay 50 USD to enter. One issue, though, is whether the airline will let you board without a valid visa. I suggest checking with the airline before booking. Turkish Airlines has announced that foreigners will be allowed to board their flights, but other airlines (particularly Qatar Airways) appears less lenient.

What is INSANE though is that currently, you are allowed to stay in Syria as long as you wish, as no time limit is being enforced.

Is independent travel allowed?

Tourism in Syria during Assad was very tightly controlled! Meaning that most foreign tourists had to have a guide assigned to them from the moment of entry until the moment of exit, with large surveillance from the intelligence services. Now, tourists are not bound by such conditions, and if you manage to enter Syria, then you can travel freely across most areas of the country (SDF controlled areas such as Raqqa still require special permission). Does that mean that I recommend independent travel? No. Syria has just come out of turmoil, and it is a complicated place to navigate if you’re not familiar. It is safer to go with a guide, and you’ll be having a richer experience.

Is tourism in Syria safe, after Assad?

Currently, parts of the country are still unstable, especially rural regions along the Syrian coast and Homs province. Furthermore, Kurdish forces still control swathes of the East, and it is not clear whether they will come to an agreement with the new government. Also, an Israeli occupation is still holding territory in the south. It is also true that elements of the new government were members, or supporters, of extremist groups. This might sound worrying, but the reality on the ground is that major cities are all safe, as are most areas of touristic interest. Hence, we have decided to resume our group tours to Syria, starting in April. If you are interested, be sure to let us know.