Turkey is working with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to prepare a new roadmap for the voluntary return of Syrians.

The program aims to move beyond the concept of return ending at border gates, introducing an integrated process designed to support returnees both before they leave Turkey and after they arrive in Syria.

Under the new program, Syrians wishing to return will receive a range of services, including travel documents, healthcare, land and air transportation, as well as the support and information they need before returning.

The program will also include receiving returnees upon their arrival in Syria, arranging transportation to their intended cities, and following up on their circumstances while monitoring their integration and adaptation to living conditions after returning.

Priorities for cooperation between Turkey’s Interior Ministry and the IOM include strengthening the capacity of border crossings and addressing issues related to identification, population registration and property deeds.

In this context, technical coordination will be strengthened between Turkey’s Migration Management authorities, the relevant institutions in Syria and the IOM, to accelerate identity verification procedures, issuing travel documents and facilitating returns.

In its new phase, the program focuses on enabling returning Syrians to build stable and sustainable lives in Syria by supporting their access to basic services, vocational training, employment opportunities and livelihoods, helping strengthen their ability to settle after returning.

Turkey Hosts Largest Syrian Refugee Population

Turkey became the largest host country for Syrian refugees following the outbreak of the Syrian revolution in 2011, particularly as military operations reached their peak in 2013 and 2014.

During those periods, Turkey hosted nearly four million refugees. That number later began to decline as Syrians moved to European countries, a trend that coincided with a new Turkish policy toward migration.

Meanwhile, voluntary returns among Syrians living under temporary protection in Turkey have increased, with the number of returnees currently reaching around 1,000 people, according to Turkish Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi.

During a televised interview with TV24 on July 9, the Turkish minister attributed the increase to the closure of schools.

He expected the number to increase in the future as safe, stable, and livable conditions in Syria improve.

According to the minister, around 1.5 million Syrians have voluntarily returned to Syria since 2016, including 710,000 who returned after the fall of the former Syrian regime on December 8, 2024.

According to statistics from Turkey’s Migration Management authorities published in early July, 2,251,509 Syrians remain in the country under temporary protection, known as kimlik.