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New Procedures for Entry and Exit of Syrians and Facilitation for Students in Turkey
Mazen Aloush, Director of Public Relations at the General Authority for Border and Marine Crossings, confirmed that entry and exit from Syria through Bab al-Hawa border crossing will only be permitted with prior approval from the Turkish side. In a post on “X” platform today, Saturday, July 12, he explained that this new mechanism has been in effect since July 9 and applies to the transit of expatriates into Syria via Bab al-Hawa, including residents outside Turkey.
He pointed out that approval is obtained by filling out an electronic application through a designated link, and responses typically take about 15 days. He clarified that this is the only official mechanism approved by the Turkish side and that it does not involve any procedures from the Syrian side. He also mentioned that the authority is ready to receive expatriates through crossings with Lebanon and Jordan, where no such procedures are in place, and transactions are processed quickly and smoothly.
Aloush also stated that the number of applications received through the link has exceeded 6,000 so far, and that the link is functioning efficiently without issues. Approval is granted by submitting a completed application form along with supporting documents such as a copy of the Syrian passport, the passport or resident card of the destination country, and flight bookings if available.
Families are required to submit a separate application for each individual, filling out all data in English. Processing time is up to 15 days, and applicants are informed of the results via the designated link using their passport number in the search box.
As part of the facilitation measures, the authority announced an agreement with the Turkish migration administration to provide new privileges for Syrian students studying in Turkish universities to visit their relatives in Syria. Under this arrangement, students are granted four exit and return permits per year to visit first-degree relatives during official holidays such as mid-year break, summer vacation, and religious festivals.
To apply, students must provide proof of their family residence within Syria through official documentation, and the permit period must coincide with the academic holidays. Required documents include the application form, student ID, a valid personal ID or passport, academic calendar, residence certificate, civil registry record, and marriage certificate if married.
Applications are submitted individually by sending all required documents to the relevant authorities, either manually or via mail, either to the governorate overseeing the border crossing or to the migration administration of the governorate where the student is residing.
