How to Get Syria CitizenshipKey facts
- Residence for naturalisation
- 5 years
- Language
- Required, no test
- Dual citizenship
- Accepted
- Civic test
- No civic knowledge requirement
- Criminal record
- A criminal record or good character condition applies
- Income condition
- Income or economic resources must be shown
- Dual citizenship in detail
- Accepted in both directionsNew citizens do not have to give up their previous citizenship.Citizens who naturalise abroad keep their citizenship.
- Available routes
- Region
- Asia
- Law in force as of
- 1 January 2024GLOBALCIT baseline, plus 1 later in-force change applied where the data records a new value.
- Last checked
- Not yet checked by our team
What changed since 2024
- In force
Decree 13 of 2026 grants Syrian citizenship to all residents of Kurdish origin living in Syria, including those previously unregistered, and annuls measures that followed the 1962 census in Hasakah. The Interior Ministry set 6 April 2026 as the start of applications.
The rule text in the sections below was coded for the law on 1 January 2024. 1 later in-force change in the timeline above takes precedence where it differs.
Naturalisation (residence)
This route covers foreign residents who seek citizenship after living in Syria, subject to the conditions below. Meeting the legal conditions does not guarantee approval, since authorities retain final discretion.
- Residence
- 5 years
Person has been resident in Syria for at least 5 years.
- Previous citizenship
- New citizens do not have to give up their previous citizenship
- Language
- Required, no test or certificate specified
Person can read and write Arabic.
- Civic knowledge
- No civic knowledge requirement
- Criminal record
- A criminal record or good character condition applies
Good character, may not have been convicted for a dishonoring crime.
- Income or economic resources
- Income or economic resources must be shown
Person is in physical health and holds qualifications that may benefit the country.
Marriage or civil partnership
This route covers people married to a citizen of Syria, subject to the conditions below. Meeting the legal conditions does not guarantee approval, since authorities retain final discretion.
Person is the wife of a male naturalised citizen.
Descent (citizen parent)
Descent from a citizen parent is the basis of this route in Syria. Syria grants citizenship by operation of law, requiring no decision from any authority.
Descent (born in country)
Person born in Syria to a male citizen, or to a female citizen and the father is unknown.
Descent (born abroad)
Person is born abroad to a male citizen.
Child of a new citizen
For children whose parent becomes a citizen of Syria, the rules below set out what applies. Where the legal conditions are met, an application leads to a mandatory grant of citizenship.
Transfer to a child
Upon recommendation by the Minister provided that the children of a naturalised father have resided in the country for a minimum of two years.
Child coacquisition
Person is the child of a parent who is acquiring citizenship by naturalisation, unless the child resides abroad and he/she retains the citizenship of his/her other parent. Child acquires citizenship at the same time as the parent.
Other family members of citizens
For certain relatives of citizens, former citizens or new citizens of Syria, the rules below set out what applies. Meeting the legal conditions does not guarantee approval, since authorities retain final discretion.
Person is the wife of a male citizen. Other conditions: minimum 2 years of marriage, and legally residing in the country during marriage.
Person is the wife of a male citizen and is the national of an Arab state, of Syrian origin, or a former Syrian Arab citizen.
Former citizens (reacquisition)
For former citizens of Syria, the rules below show when citizenship can be reacquired. Meeting the legal conditions does not guarantee approval, since authorities retain final discretion.
Only by a proposal by the Minister when the individual declares his/her intention.
Citizens of specific countries
Holding the citizenship of a particular country is the basis of this route in Syria. Meeting the legal conditions does not guarantee approval, since authorities retain final discretion.
Person is a citizen of another Arab state may have facilitated naturalisation if the minister requests. Other conditions: legal capacity, resident in Syria, good health, good character, not convicted for a dishonoring crime.
Stateless persons
This route covers stateless people and children who would otherwise be stateless, subject to the conditions below. Syria grants citizenship by operation of law, requiring no decision from any authority.
Foundlings
Person is born in Syria to unknown parents.
Otherwise stateless (born in country)
Person is born in Syria and would otherwise be stateless.
Special achievements
Special achievements, or a national interest in granting citizenship, are the basis of this route in Syria. Meeting the legal conditions does not guarantee approval, since authorities retain final discretion.
Person has special skills. No other conditions prescribed.
Not available in Syria: Birth in the country, Adoption, Ethnic or cultural affinity, Residence during childhood, Very long residence, Refugees, Public or military service, Investment. This follows the GLOBALCIT coding, with in-force changes applied.
Dual citizenship
Dual citizenship is accepted in Syria for new citizens and for citizens who naturalise abroad.
- New citizens
- New citizens do not have to give up their previous citizenship
- Citizens who naturalise abroad
- Citizens who naturalise abroad keep their citizenship
Compare with neighbours
Across Western Asia, the most common requirement is 5 years, and Syria sets the same period.
Check where Syria sits in the full residence ranking
| Country | Residence | Language | Dual citizenship |
|---|---|---|---|
 Armenia | 3 years | Required, no test | Accepted |
 Azerbaijan | 5 years | Test or certificate | New citizens only |
 Jordan | 4 years | Required, no test | Citizens abroad only |
 Lebanon | 5 years | None | Accepted |
 Saudi Arabia | 5 years | None | Not accepted |
 Türkiye | 5 years | Required, no test | Accepted |
Official sources
This page was located by search and has not yet been checked by our team.
Naturalisation provisions: Nationality law: Art. 4(b).
Cite this page
TravelDecl. (n.d.). How to Get Syria Citizenship. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://traveldecl.com/citizenship/syria/
<a href="https://traveldecl.com/citizenship/syria/">How to Get Syria Citizenship</a> (TravelDecl, retrieved 5 November 2026)
Sources and licence
Vink, van der Baaren, Bauböck, Džankić, Honohan, Manby (2025). GLOBALCIT Citizenship Law Dataset v3.1. Global Citizenship Observatory, https://hdl.handle.net/1814/73190. CC BY 4.0. Modified by TravelDecl.
Modified by TravelDecl: updated with changes after 1 January 2024.
GLOBALCIT codes the law as written. Fees, processing times, quotas and how officials apply the rules in practice are not in this dataset: check them with the official authority.
FAQ
How many years to become a Syrian citizen?
Ordinary naturalisation in Syria requires 5 years of residence, plus the other conditions in the law.
Does Syria allow dual citizenship?
Yes. Syria accepts dual citizenship in both directions, as coded in the data.
Do I need a language test for Syrian citizenship?
Knowledge of the language is required, yet no formal test is defined.
Is there a civic knowledge test for Syrian citizenship?
There is no civic knowledge requirement for Syrian citizenship.
Do I have to give up my current citizenship to get Syrian citizenship?
Your current citizenship does not need to be given up to get Syrian citizenship. The law of your current country may have its own rules on this.
Can I get Syria citizenship by marriage?
Yes. Marriage to a citizen is a route to citizenship in Syria. Procedure: discretionary.
Can I get Syria citizenship by descent?
Yes, Syria has a descent route. Procedure: automatic.
Can I get Syria citizenship by investment?
No. The data codes no citizenship-by-investment route for Syria.
Related pages
Also see: Syria passport, visa-free access and entry rules. Latest law changes.
Corrections to this page are handled by Sarah Kim, Fact-Checker.