Syria entry requirements for Australian passport holders (2026): visa and passport validity
Visa (Smartraveller): Read the official visa text below
Passport validity (Smartraveller): No country-specific rule: general advice only
Official source: Smartraveller (Australian Government) – Syria travel advice, section “Travel” · page updated 2 September 2026, still current at 18 October 2026 (Australian time) · checked on 17 October 2026 · Content from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's Smartraveller website - www.smartraveller.gov.au, licensed under CC BY 4.0 (copyright notice). Changes: we quote excerpts unchanged and leave out some general notes; the short summaries are ours.
Whether Australians need a visa for Syria and how long an Australian passport must be valid, as published by Smartraveller, the Australian Government's travel advice service, quoted word for word with the date of the official page.
Other passports: British passport · Canadian passport
Do Australians need a visa for Syria?
We quote the official text word for word and do not summarise it. The first official sentence does not match a wording we summarise.
Official text, “Visas and border measures”:
Each country or territory decides its own entry and exit rules, including health border screening measures. To find out what you need to enter a destination, ask their embassy, consulate or immigration office.
Visas
Entry and exit conditions can change at short notice. If you travel to Syria despite our advice and don't have Syrian identity documents, you'll need a visa.
You can apply for a Syrian eVisa online.
You should contact the nearest embassy or consulate of Syria for the latest requirements before you go to Syria.
Parts of Syria are controlled by groups that may issue local travel permits.
Border measures
Land border crossings between Syria and Lebanon have been the target of border clashes and bombings and could close without notice.
For measures regarding travel between Syria and Lebanon, contact Syrian and Lebanese authorities.
Due to the ongoing unpredictable security situation, Lebanese General Security have advised they will no longer allow dual Australian/Syrian nationals entry into Lebanon to renew expired Australian passports. Only holders of valid Australian passports can enter Lebanon. Contact the Australian Embassy in Beirut for further details on applying for an Australian passport from Syria.
If you have a residence permit, check with Syrian Immigration regarding the 'exit and return' requirements.
Be aware that:
- children born in Syria must have their father's permission to leave Syria
- a Syrian husband can stop his wife from leaving the country, regardless of her nationality
- unmarried women can be prevented from leaving Syria due to strict family controls
Travel to Israel
If there's evidence that you've travelled to Israel, authorities will refuse your entry to Syria or deport you. Evidence includes:
- Israeli exit or entry stamps in your passport
- Egyptian or Jordanian stamps from border crossings with Israel
- travel itineraries or tickets that include Israel as a destination
- souvenirs from Israel
- airline tags on your bags
- SIM cards, literature, or other items with obvious links to Israel
Leaving Syria
Contact local authorities for the latest information on travelling between Syria and bordering countries. Entry and exit requirements may change without notice. A limited number of commercial airlines fly to Syria. Other commercial air services and airports could stop operating without notice.
Civilian airports could come under attack at any time, including in Damascus and Aleppo.
Telecommunication and travel restrictions may limit your exit options:
- transport options to airports and seats on flights may be limited
- roads may close or be blocked without warning, affecting access to border crossings
- major highways may be blocked
- border crossings can be closed with little or no warning
- conflict can limit access to all border crossings
To minimise risks to your safety:
- seek local and expert advice
- make contingency plans
- check the status of routes to airports and borders
- always carry your passport and travel documents
Also in the official “Travel” section:
Other formalities
Check with your nearest Syrian Embassy or Consulate for regulations regarding bringing in electronic devices such as standalone GPS, handheld radio equipment and drones to Syria.
Do not use mobile phones at check points.
The Syrian Government enforces restrictions on prior travel to Israel.
Authorities can hold anyone, regardless of their nationality, for questioning for several days and then deport them.
Official source: Smartraveller (Australian Government) – Syria travel advice, section “Visas and border measures” · page updated 2 September 2026, still current at 18 October 2026 (Australian time) · checked on 17 October 2026 · Content from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's Smartraveller website - www.smartraveller.gov.au, licensed under CC BY 4.0 (copyright notice). Changes: we quote excerpts unchanged and leave out some general notes; the short summaries are ours.
How long must my Australian passport be valid for Syria?
In its “Travel” section, Smartraveller gives no passport validity period specific to Syria.
The official “Passport” text below is Smartraveller's general advice, the same on every destination page. Check the rule with the embassy of the country and with your airline before you travel.
Official text, “Passport”:
Validity
Many countries require your passport to be valid for at least 6 months before entering or departing. This includes for transit.
If your passport expires too soon, you might not be able to travel.
The Australian Government doesn’t make these rules. Check your passport’s expiry date before you go. If you’re not sure, it’s a good idea to get a new passport.
The same section also has Smartraveller's general notes (“Lost or stolen passport”, “Passport with ‘X’ gender identifier”), the same on every destination page: read them on the official page.
Official source: Smartraveller (Australian Government) – Syria travel advice, section “Passport” · page updated 2 September 2026, still current at 18 October 2026 (Australian time) · checked on 17 October 2026 · Content from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's Smartraveller website - www.smartraveller.gov.au, licensed under CC BY 4.0 (copyright notice). Changes: we quote excerpts unchanged and leave out some general notes; the short summaries are ours.
For Australian passport holders. These rules are published by Smartraveller, the Australian Government's travel advice service (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade), for Australian citizens. Before You Fly is an independent site: it is not an Australian Government site and is not endorsed by DFAT. The airline and the border officials of the destination decide whether you can travel or enter: this site is information, not legal advice. British passport? See the UK (FCDO) rules.
Read the full official travel advice for Syria (safety, health, local laws) before you travel.
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