Syria Drops Visa Rules for US Citizens Following Online Backlash

Syria has cancelled new entry rules for United States citizens after the restrictions caused anger online earlier this week. The entry steps for American travellers are back to how they were before. A temporary rule by the interior ministry had made people get permission ahead of time. Mazen Allouch, an official with the ports and borders authority, confirmed the change. Several Americans had shared on social media that guards turned them away because they lacked advance papers. Rules for citizens from other nations, such as European countries, did not change at all.

Background

The current government in Syria took power after Islamist-led fighters removed Bashar al-Assad from office in December 2024. Since then, Westerners could usually get entry visas right at the Damascus airport or at land border crossings. Syria's Tourism Ministry reported that 719,000 tourists from outside the Arab world visited in the first half of 2026. That number is a big jump from the 131,000 visitors recorded in 2025. The country is still trying to rebuild after more than ten years of civil war and later tensions. International flights are running again, and Western nations like the United States have lifted old sanctions on Damascus to help the country recover.