Last checked against the official source: 29 August 2026
If you live in Syria and are looking for the German Embassy in Damascus to file a visa application, the short answer is that your application is not filed there. The German Federal Foreign Office states that filing is now restricted to three other missions — this page explains which one concerns you, and what to do if you already have an old registration.
The official position in brief
- Current status
- The German Embassy in Damascus is officially described as of limited capacity, supported by the mission in Lebanon in legal and consular matters.
- Date of the change
- With effect from 1 June 2026.
- Where applications are filed
- The visa sections in Amman or Beirut, or the Consulate General in Erbil.
- What the change covers
- Schengen visas (for visiting purposes, for example) and long-stay visas.
- Existing appointments
- Those allocated or booked before 31 May 2026 remain valid at the mission that is no longer responsible.
- Pending registrations
- Anyone who registered after that date without a personal appointment must re-register with Amman, Beirut or Erbil.
- Transferring an appointment
- Not possible — neither registrations nor appointments are transferred between missions.
What to do if you have an old registration
This is the point that confuses people most, and the official text distinguishes two situations clearly.
Case one — you have an appointment allocated or booked before 31 May 2026: your appointment is retained at the mission that is no longer responsible for processing. In other words, your appointment does not lapse.
Case two — you registered after that date and no personal interview appointment has been set: you must re-register with the visa office in Amman, Beirut or Erbil, depending on your visa category, in order to book an appointment or submit through the Consular Services Portal.
And in both cases the same hard rule applies: registrations and appointments cannot be transferred from one mission to another. Do not wait for a transfer that will not happen.
If you are Syrian but living outside Syria
The rule changes entirely. If you have lived outside Syria for at least six months and hold a valid residence permit in your country of residence, you must file with the German embassy or consulate general in that country — not in Damascus and not with the three missions named above.
What to do, step by step
- Establish where you actually liveHabitual residence in Syria, or six months or more abroad with a valid residence permit. That single fact decides which mission is competent for you.
- Choose among Amman, Beirut and ErbilIf your habitual residence is in Syria, those three are the official options. The Beirut visa section sits in Rabieh and is specifically responsible for Syrian applicants.
- Check the date of your existing registrationBefore 31 May 2026 an allocated appointment is retained; after that date, re-register with the competent mission.
- Do not expect a transferRegistrations and appointments are not moved between missions. Re-register from the start where you are competent.
- Confirm competence in writing before paying anythingSee the conflict note below. A written confirmation is far cheaper than a journey to a mission that turns out not to be competent for your case.
A conflict between two official sources — read this before booking or paying. The page of the German Embassy in Damascus restricts filing by residents of Syria to Amman, Beirut and Erbil as of 1 June 2026. The page of the German Embassy in Cairo, by contrast, states that it is “currently also” competent for applicants whose habitual residence is in Syria, Libya, Yemen and Sudan — with an express exception for family reunification and temporary protection.
We do not favour one source over the other, because both are official and one may be newer or may concern different categories. Contact the mission you intend to apply to and have its competence for your case confirmed in writing before you pay any fee or book travel.
The remonstration procedure has been abolished — this changes what you do after a refusal
The German Federal Foreign Office abolished the remonstration procedure against visa refusals worldwide with effect from 1 July 2025. If your application is refused after that date, do not send a remonstration to the mission — it will not be processed. The remaining legal route is an action before the Administrative Court in Berlin, which must be in German and involves court costs. And one door stays open always: submitting a fresh application. Which is why filing a complete file the first time now matters more than it ever did.
Official sources
The official notice — German Embassy Damascus · Jurisdiction of the Cairo embassy · Visa section — Amman embassy
Please note: this page is general guidance, not legal advice, and it is not an official page of the mission. Visa decisions are assessed individually, and the information here is taken from the official website on the verification date recorded above.
Frequently asked questions
Is the German Embassy in Damascus open?
It is officially described as of limited capacity and is supported by the German mission in Lebanon in legal and consular matters. Since 1 June 2026 Schengen and long-stay visa applications from residents of Syria are no longer filed there.
Where do Syrians file a German visa application?
At the visa sections of the German embassies in Amman or Beirut, or the Consulate General in Erbil. The Beirut visa section sits in Rabieh and is specifically responsible for Syrian applicants.
I have an old appointment in Damascus — does it lapse?
If it was allocated or booked before 31 May 2026, it is retained at the mission that is no longer responsible for processing. If you registered after that date without a personal appointment, you must re-register with Amman, Beirut or Erbil.
Can my appointment be transferred to another mission?
No. The official source states expressly that registrations and appointments are not transferred between missions. Do not wait for a transfer that will not happen — re-register from the start with the competent mission.
I am Syrian but live in a third country — where do I apply?
If you have lived outside Syria for at least six months and hold a valid residence permit there, you must apply to the German embassy or consulate general in your country of residence, not in Damascus and not at the three missions.
Which visa types does the change cover?
Schengen visas, for visiting purposes for example, and long-stay visas. Both are covered by the restriction to Amman, Beirut and Erbil.