🇵🇾→🇸🇾Paraguay→Syria

Policy note

These nationalities do NOT get a genuine visa on arrival: at airports all travelers need prior visa approval before boarding, and at land borders these restricted nationalities specifically require advance approval (3 days to 1 month processing) - i.e. an advance-approval / pre-arranged visa, not a true VOA.

Pakistani (PAK) ordinary passport holders are therefore not eligible for unconditional Syria VOA and have been removed from the on-arrival expansion. (verified 2026-07). From January 2025, the Syrian transitional government allows essentially all nationalities (except Iran and Israel, and subject to pre-approval requirements for many nationalities) to obtain a visa on arrival at Damascus and Aleppo airports and at land borders with Lebanon and Jordan. Fees vary by nationality. At AIRPORTS: all travelers require prior visa approval before boarding regardless of nationality. At LAND BORDERS: most nationalities can obtain VOA directly; restricted nationalities require advance approval (3 days to 1 month processing). Restricted nationalities (not exhaustive): India, China, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Nepal, Egypt, Sudan, Libya, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Russia, Yemen, Iraq, Belarus, South Africa, South Korea, and others. Sample fees (single-entry, per syriascopetravel.com 2026): EU/Schengen ~$75; UK $150; Canada $100; Australia/NZ $150; USA $200; Russia ~$50; Turkey ~$50. Visa issued as stamp on separate sheet rather than in passport. Israeli nationals and those with Israeli passport stamps are denied entry. Iranian nationals require an advance visa from a Syrian embassy and are not eligible for VOA. Fee of $300 for North Korea and Democratic Republic of Congo noted in syriascopetravel.com but unverified from official source.