Syria lifts visa restrictions on US travellers

Syria has lifted temporary restrictions that required US citizens to get prior authorisation before entering the country, a ports and borders official said Friday.

Mazen Allouch said entry procedures for US citizens travelling to Syria had returned to their previous state after the interior ministry cancelled the temporary requirement. He said there was no change for citizens of other countries, including Europeans.

Several US citizens had complained on social media this week that they were turned away because they needed a visa in advance.

Syria's current government has allowed Western travellers to obtain entry visas at Damascus airport or border crossings. The tourism ministry said 719,000 tourists, excluding travellers from Arab nations, visited Syria in the first six months of 2026, compared with 131,000 in 2025.

International flights have resumed to Syria, and Western nations including the United States have lifted sanctions imposed during Bashar al-Assad's rule as the country tries to rebuild after more than a decade of civil war.