Syria removes visa restrictions on US travelers after backlash

DAMASCUS: Syria has lifted restrictions on the entry of US citizens imposed several days ago, an official told AFP on Friday, after the limits sparked uproar online.

The current Syrian government, in place since Islamist-led fighters overthrew Bashar Assad in December 2024, has allowed Westerners to obtain entry visas at Damascus airport or border crossings.

However, this week, several US citizens complained on social media that they had been turned away on the grounds they needed a visa in advance.

“The entry procedures for US citizens traveling to Syria have returned to their earlier state, after the cancelation of the obligation to obtain prior authorization, which was imposed temporarily by the interior ministry,” Mazen Allouch, an official with the ports and borders authority, told AFP.