Turkish authorities have issued a decision allowing citizens of 10 countries to use land border crossings with Syria under Turkey’s existing visa rules, without obtaining additional prior permission.

The countries are Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Jordan, Yemen and Palestine.

Mazen Alloush, director of the International Relations and Cooperation Department at the General Authority for Ports and Customs, said on his official Facebook page that Syrian citizens who also hold foreign citizenship can now leave Syria through any land border crossing with Turkey to transit to their country of residence. This applies regardless of how they entered Syria, whether through border crossings with Turkey or neighboring countries, or through Syrian airports.

Alloush added that, at the Turkish crossings opposite Bab al-Salama and al-Rai (Aleppo governorate, northern Syria) and Tal Abyad, Turkish authorities require Syrian citizens holding foreign citizenship, except those with Turkish citizenship, to present a valid Syrian passport when departing. The personal details in their Syrian passport must match those in their foreign passport for them to be allowed to leave.

Alloush noted that all the decisions and instructions mentioned were issued by Turkish authorities and may be amended or canceled without prior notice. Implementation procedures may also vary between border crossings.

Opening the Nusaybin-Qamishli Crossing

Regarding movement across the Syrian-Turkish border, Turkish Trade Minister Ömer Bolat said Turkey had completed preparations to open the Nusaybin crossing, opposite Qamishli (al-Hasakah governorate, northeastern Syria), but the Syrian side had yet to complete the infrastructure needed to operate it.

Bolat said that, during a meeting two months earlier with Qutaiba Badawi, head of the General Authority for Ports and Customs, the Syrian side had informed him that it was working to complete preparations with the aim of being ready by the end of 2026.

The Turkish minister noted that opening the crossing would allow transit to Syria and Iraq. He added that Turkey was urging the Syrian side to accelerate the necessary work and confirmed that six border crossings between the two countries were currently open.

Passenger Traffic Picks Up

From the beginning of this year through the end of August, the Bab al-Salama border crossing with Turkey recorded more than 1,233,000 passenger crossings in both directions. It also received more than 73,000 Syrian citizens returning voluntarily.

The General Authority for Ports and Customs is implementing a comprehensive project to develop the Bab al-Salama crossing and increase its capacity. This includes upgrading its infrastructure and service and operational facilities, and strengthening its role as a gateway for passenger traffic and trade between Syria and Turkey.

The Tal Abyad border crossing with Turkey has also seen steady passenger traffic since the beginning of this year, with approximately 100,000 passenger arrivals and departures, supported by a comprehensive system of services and administrative arrangements to facilitate travel.

Meanwhile, the al-Rai border crossing with Turkey recorded approximately 181,000 passenger crossings in both directions during the first seven months of this year. Over the same period, it also received around 3,000 Syrian citizens returning voluntarily to Syria.