ISTANBUL

Syria said Thursday that passport issuance services for Syrian nationals living abroad will resume through diplomatic missions and consulates starting Sunday.

“We are pleased to announce the reactivation of the passport issuance system through our diplomatic missions and electronic consular offices,” the Foreign Ministry wrote on X.

The process will follow the appointment-based system currently used by each diplomatic mission.

The announcement follows remarks by Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani earlier this month about plans to improve services for Syrians abroad, including potentially extending passport validity and reducing associated fees.

In a previous statement on X, Shaibani directed consular offices to enhance services, waive document authentication fees temporarily and address expatriate concerns. “We are also evaluating measures such as extending passport validity and lowering fees to ease the burden on our citizens abroad,” he wrote.

The move comes one month after opposition forces ousted the Bashar Assad regime, signaling efforts to rebuild trust with expatriates and facilitate engagement with Syrian institutions.

Assad, Syria's leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia after anti-regime groups took control of Damascus on Dec. 8, ending the Baath Party's decades-long regime.

The takeover came after Hayat Tahrir al-Sham fighters captured key cities in a lightning offensive that lasted less than two weeks.

A new administration led by Ahmed al-Sharaa has taken control of the country.