Travel Summary
- The World Health Organisation (WHO) Pandemic Threat Alert Phase remains at Level 6. The WHO website at http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html has further details. Check Swine Flu for further information.
- There is a general threat from terrorism. Attacks cannot be ruled out and could be indiscriminate, including in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers. On 27 September 2008 a car bomb exploded on a main road outside a military facility in Damascus. Seventeen people were killed and many injured.
- Developments in the region may trigger public unrest. You should take care to avoid demonstrations, which can turn hostile, and be particularly vigilant in public places.
- You should not attempt to enter Iraq via the Syrian border, which is subject to restrictions on both sides.
- 28 British nationals required consular assistance in Syria in the period 01 April 2008 – 31 March 2009 for the following types of incident; deaths (0 cases); hospitalisations (3 cases); and arrests, for a variety of offences (10 cases). During this period assistance was also requested with regard to lost or stolen passports (9 cases).
- The British Embassy in Damascus offers a full consular service, but by appointment only. See the General (Consular and Public Services) section of this advice, or the British Embassy website for more details.
- We recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling to Syria. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake. See the General (Insurance) section of this advice and Travel Insurance for more details.
Safety and security
Terrorism
There is a general threat from terrorism. Attacks cannot be ruled out and could be indiscriminate, including in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.
On 27 September a car bomb exploded outside a military facility at the intersection of the Airport Road and Damascus South Circular Road in Damascus. Seventeen people were killed and many injured.
On 12 February 2008 an explosion in a car in the Damascus neighbourhood of Kaffr Sousseh killed one person and injured several others. The target of the attack was Imad Mughniyeh, Head of Lebanese Hizballah's military wing.
You should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks, which could be against civilian targets including places frequented by foreigners.
For more general information see Terrorism Abroad.
Crime
Personal crime levels are low. But care should be taken in the choice of accommodation - reputable hotels are safer than guesthouses. - You should also take care downtown, where there have been cases of pickpocketing. There has been an increase in the number of passports being reported stolen within the Old City you are advised to leave your passport somewhere secure and carry a photocopy with you.
For more general information see Victims of Crime Abroad.
Political Situation
Syria Country Profile
Tensions between Israel, Lebanon and Syria, or between Israelis and Palestinians, or developments in Iraq, can have an effect on public opinion in the whole of the region, including Syria.
You should follow news reports and be alert to regional developments, which might trigger public disturbances.
You should take sensible precautions for your personal safety and avoid public political gatherings and demonstrations, which can turn hostile, and be particularly vigilant in public places.
Local Travel
The situation on the Syria/Iraq border is unclear. Traffic across is restricted to certain categories of individuals (businessmen amongst others, but not tourists). You should not attempt to enter Iraq via Syria.
Road Travel
Buses/coaches are available between the major cities and tourist sites, but you should check timetables on arrival. Taxis are cheap and widely used. Driving standards and traffic systems are poor and the accident rate is high. Self-drive hire is best left to the experienced. Driving at night outside main cities is unsafe and should be avoided when possible.
For more general information see Driving Abroad
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Local laws and customs
You should respect local traditions, customs, laws and religions at all times and be aware of your actions to ensure that they do not offend other cultures or religious beliefs, especially during the holy month of Ramadan or if you intend to visit religious areas. For more general information see Travelling during Ramadan.
You should exercise discretion in behaviour and dress, especially when visiting religious sites.
The punishment for possession of drugs is life imprisonment. For drug trafficking, the death penalty applies. You are advised to carry a photocopy of the information page and the page displaying your visa and entry stamp of your passport, as proof of identity at all times. Homosexuality is illegal. Photography near military and many other government installations is prohibited. These zones are not always marked; you should exercise common sense and limit photography to traditional tourist sites. For more general information for different types of travellers see Your Trip.
Entry requirements
Visas
You require a visa for Syria. Whether or not you have a visa you should be aware that if your passport contains an Israeli stamp or stamps from other countries’ border crossing points with Israel, you will be refused entry to Syria. If you are planning to add in side-trips to Lebanon or Jordan, you should apply for a double or multiple entry visa for Syria, as these are otherwise difficult to obtain after arrival. If you intend staying for more than fifteen days you will need to have your visa extended at the immigration office, otherwise you may face difficulties when trying to leave the country. For further information contact the Syrian Embassy in London. Passport validity Passports should have a minimum of six months remaining validity on entry. Travelling with children Single parents or other adults travelling alone with children should be aware that Syria requires documentary evidence of parental responsibility before allowing lone parents to enter the country or, in some cases, before permitting the children to leave the country.
Health
Medical treatment is inexpensive but standards vary from one hospital to another, although most are well equipped. Doctors are generally well qualified though nursing standards vary. Many medical staff speak French or English.
You should exercise normal precautions to avoid exposure to HIV/AIDS. For more general information on how to do this see HIV and AIDS. You should seek medical advice before travelling to Syria and ensure that all appropriate vaccinations are up-to-date. For further information on vaccination requirements, health outbreaks and general disease protection and prevention you should visit the websites of NaTHNaC and NHS Scotland's Fit For Travel or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47. For more general health information see Travel Health.
General
Insurance We recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake. For more general information see Travel Insurance.
If things do go wrong when you are overseas then this is How We Can Help. Consular registration
Register with our LOCATE service to tell us when and where you are travelling abroad or where you live abroad so our consular and crisis staff can provide better assistance to you in an emergency. More information about registering with LOCATE can be found here. Consular services
The British Embassy in Damascus operates a full consular service, but by appointment only. This is due to security constraints at our current location.
Passport applications If you wish to lodge a passport application or need assistance you are now required to call our Consular enquiry number to book an appointment. The Consular enquiry number is 00 963 933315948 and can be called between Sunday to Wednesday 08:00 – 15:30 and Thursday 08:00 – 14:00. We apologise for any inconvenience that this might cause. Consular emergencies In a Consular emergency (detention, serious accident, etc) outside the working hours, British Nationals may call the Duty Officer on 00 963 933214342. See the British Embassy website for more details. Money Cash can be obtained from cash points (ATMs) in Damascus and Aleppo, but not easily elsewhere in Syria Most shops and restaurants do not take any bank cards. Even those that do may not recognise cards issued outside Syria. Travellers’ cheques are not accepted at most banks in Syria. In the rare cases where they are accepted, the handling process is complicated and time-consuming.
It is illegal to change money on the street. You should only change money in recognised exchange shops, banks and hotels.
