German Embassy in Damascus: where Syrians file a visa application now

Written under our editorial standards.

Targeted correction from official sources read on 12 October 2026: jurisdiction, category-specific registration and the operational details stated below. Not a complete legal audit or a test of telephone responsiveness or appointment availability. Check the category instructions and appointment letter before travel.

Current Damascus instructions direct new visa applications by Syrian residents from 1 June 2026 to Amman, Beirut or Erbil. Residence, category and an existing appointment determine the next step. This does not establish closure of every Damascus service or a route for every Syrian national abroad.

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.

Current German Cairo instructions preserve appointments assigned or booked by 31 May 2026 at the former mission. Arabic Damascus wording says before 31 May; this wording difference is stated rather than cancelling an appointment fixed on that day or requiring duplicate registration.

Registration or booking remaining pending after the stated date without a personal appointment follows re-registration by category at the three missions, or the portal where specified. Do not apply this to every fixed appointment or create a parallel channel.

Damascus says registrations and appointments are not transferred between missions. That does not cancel a preserved existing appointment; check the exception and category before re-registering.

If you are Syrian but living outside Syria

At least six months outside Syria with a valid local permit means filing at the residence-country mission. That can be Amman or Beirut itself; the rule does not automatically exclude all three missions.

What to do, step by step

1. Establish actual residenceInside Syria: follow new-application and existing-appointment instructions. At least six months abroad with a valid permit: residence-country mission, possibly one of the three. Nationality alone does not establish category.
2. Choose by mission and categoryFor new applications from 1 June 2026, Damascus directs residents or habitual residents of Syria to Amman, Beirut or Erbil, according to category. Appointments assigned or booked by 31 May 2026 remain at the former mission under current German instructions; an open registration without an interview date is not the same appointment. At least six months abroad with a valid local permit means the residence-country mission, which can be Amman or Beirut itself. Rabieh is the Beirut route’s address for Syrian residents, not the address of all three missions.
3. Check the specific existing appointmentCurrent German instructions preserve appointments assigned or booked by 31 May 2026; Arabic Damascus says before that date. Read your confirmation before cancellation or re-registration.
4. Do not assume a transferThere is no transfer between missions, but a preserved existing appointment is not a registration you must cancel. Check the exception and official category channel.
5. Read current category instructions before costsEstablish residence, the sponsor’s status and application category, then read the mission’s specific instructions. Registration, preliminary checks and booking links do not establish visa approval or guarantee a quick appointment.

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.

Frequently asked questions

Is the German Embassy in Damascus open?

This page does not certify all Damascus services as open or closed. Current instructions direct new visa applications by Syrian residents to Amman, Beirut and Erbil. Check other services in their own instructions.

Where do Syrians file a German visa application?

For new applications from 1 June 2026, Damascus directs residents or habitual residents of Syria to Amman, Beirut or Erbil, according to category. Appointments assigned or booked by 31 May 2026 remain at the former mission under current German instructions; an open registration without an interview date is not the same appointment. At least six months abroad with a valid local permit means the residence-country mission, which can be Amman or Beirut itself. Rabieh is the Beirut route’s address for Syrian residents, not the address of all three missions.

I have an old appointment in Damascus — does it lapse?

An appointment assigned or booked by 31 May 2026 is preserved at the former mission under current German instructions. Arabic Damascus says before 31 May; check the notice and do not cancel solely because of that wording difference.

Can my appointment be transferred to another mission?

Damascus says registrations and appointments are not transferred between missions. That does not cancel a preserved existing appointment; check the exception and category before re-registering.

I am Syrian but live in a third country — where do I apply?

At least six months abroad with a valid local permit means the residence-country mission, which may be Amman or Beirut. It does not automatically exclude all three.

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.