Syria: Foreign arrivals surge, but where does the e-Visa stand?

Syria is gradually welcoming international visitors back. According to the latest figures released by the Syrian Ministry of Tourism, 3.52 million people visited the country during the first six months of 2026, more than twice as many as during the same period in 2025.

The increase has been particularly strong among foreign travelers, while Syria’s new authorities are also seeking to develop tourism and make it easier to enter the country.

The trend has brought renewed attention to the Syrian electronic visa, launched more than two years ago but currently unavailable in its original form.

719,000 foreign visitors to Syria in the first half of 2026

According to figures published in July by the official SANA news agency, Syria welcomed 719,000 foreign visitors between January and June 2026, compared with 131,000 during the same period in 2025.

That represents a 448% increase year over year.

Overall, 3.52 million visitors were recorded during the first half of the year, compared with 1.67 million a year earlier, an increase of 111%.

Visitors from Arab countries totaled 664,000, up 107%, while 2.13 million Syrians living abroad traveled to the country, 75% more than during the first half of 2025.

Turkey was the leading foreign market, followed by countries including Germany, Sweden, the US, the Netherlands, Canada and the UK.

In an interview published by The National on September 24, 2026, Syrian Tourism Minister Mazen Al Salhani said preliminary figures for the third quarter already showed nearly three million additional visitors.

For the authorities, the challenge is no longer simply to increase visitor numbers, but also to develop hotel capacity, transportation, air connections and the services needed to support the recovery.

An e-Visa launched back in May 2024

Simplifying visa procedures is not a new initiative in Syria.

On May 1, 2024, the authorities officially launched an electronic visa service, allowing Arab and foreign nationals to submit applications directly through the evisa.sy portal.

The system had been developed jointly by several government departments, including the ministries of Tourism, Communications, Interior and Foreign Affairs.

The Syrian Transport and Tourism Company said at the time that travelers outside Syria would be able to file their applications directly through the platform.

The rollout was initially rapid. By the end of May 2024, just a few weeks after the service went live, 8,035 e-Visa applications had already been registered, according to figures provided to Syrian newspaper Al-Watan.

By August 2024, a source within Syrian Telecom reported that 124,769 applications had been submitted through the platform, according to Syrian business outlet B2B-SY.

However, these figures refer to applications submitted, not necessarily the number of visas actually issued.

The change of government reshaped the situation

Just a few months after the system was launched, Syria’s political and administrative landscape changed dramatically.

Bashar al-Assad’s regime fell on December 8, 2024, ushering in a period of political transition and a reorganization of Syrian institutions. Ahmed al-Sharaa was subsequently named transitional president on January 29, 2025.

The e-Visa portal had therefore been designed and rolled out under the previous authorities, just months before this major political shift.

“EVisa Coming Soon”

The current situation reflects this period of transition.

When checked by VisasNews on September 24, 2026, Syria’s official e-Visa portal no longer displayed an application form and showed only the message “EVisa Coming Soon.”

In other words, it is currently not possible to apply for a tourist e-Visa through the official portal.

The situation is particularly confusing because some consular information continues to direct travelers to the service.

The Syrian Embassy in Paris still states that visa applications for entry into Syria must be submitted electronically through evisa.sy, adding that the embassy no longer accepts visa applications itself.

Official information remains difficult to reconcile

The situation is made even more confusing by the fact that several foreign governments continue to describe the Syrian e-Visa as an available option, even though the official portal is currently not accepting applications.

The UK authorities, for example, state that travelers should apply for their visa online through Syria’s e-Visa portal and cite a typical processing time of five to seven days.

Australian authorities also mention the possibility of applying for an e-Visa before traveling.

In France, information published by France Diplomatie does not describe exactly the same process: one section states that travelers need a visa issued by a Syrian diplomatic or consular mission, while another says visas can now be obtained at border entry points.

The Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for its part, said on April 29, 2026 that no general changes had been introduced to entry requirements and that procedures continued to be based on Decision No. 128 of July 1, 2025.

With some official and consular sources continuing to describe the e-Visa as accessible while the official portal itself remains unavailable, the practical process for obtaining a Syrian visa still needs clarification depending on a traveler’s nationality and point of entry.

Syria’s new authorities are working on an e-Visa system

Despite the current unavailability of the portal, an electronic visa remains part of the Syrian authorities’ plans.

In January 2026, Tourism Minister Mazen Al Salhani said Syria was working on an electronic visa system designed to make it easier for tourists to enter the country.

“With the e-visa and airport improvements, there will be a noticeable increase in visitors from all nationalities,” the minister said in an interview with The National.

The statement is particularly noteworthy given that an earlier system already existed.

It suggests that the new authorities intend to relaunch, reorganize or replace the system introduced in 2024, rather than simply restore the original portal in its previous form.

So far, however, no official timetable has been announced for the launch of a new system.

Syria Travel Show could provide new indications

The issue of easier travel to Syria could soon return to the spotlight.

From September 28 to 30, 2026, Damascus will host the inaugural Syria Travel Show, held under the patronage of the Syrian Ministry of Tourism.

The event is expected to bring together tourism industry representatives, airlines, hotel groups, tour operators, investors and government officials.

The conference program includes an appearance by Tourism Minister Mazen Al Salhani focusing on the “Syria 2030” strategy, as well as a panel discussion on the regulatory framework needed to support the revival of tourism.

No announcement concerning the e-Visa has officially been scheduled at this stage. But with 719,000 foreign visitors recorded in the first half of 2026, compared with just 131,000 a year earlier, clarifying and modernizing entry procedures is becoming an increasingly important issue as Syria seeks to rebuild its international tourism market.