Investment Residency Permit

Syria's Investment Residency Permit is a residency entitlement for foreign investors established under Investment Law No. 18 of 2021, which replaced the earlier Legislative Decree No. 8 of 2007. The law was substantially amended by Presidential Decree No. 114 of 2025, which restructured the Syrian Investment Agency (SIA), introduced stronger property protections, allowed international arbitration, and lifted restrictions on salary repatriation. Under Article 30 of the law, a non-Syrian investor who obtains an investment license from the SIA is entitled to residency and work permits for themselves, their family members, and their parents for the duration of the investment project's execution and operation. The SIA operates as a semi-autonomous body overseen by the Supreme Council for Economic Development, chaired by the President. Foreign investors may own up to 100% of their investment projects without requiring a local partner.

The program covers permitted sectors of the Syrian economy including agriculture, industry, transport, information and communications technology, environment, services, and energy. There is no fixed minimum investment threshold specified in the law -- unlike many regional investor visa programs, the investment must instead meet sector-specific requirements and demonstrate economic viability through a feasibility study submitted to the SIA.

• Completed investment license application form
• Preliminary economic feasibility study including technical specifications, manufacturing stages, machinery and equipment, products, raw materials, estimated production capacity, and working hours
• Pre-approval from relevant sector-specific ministries depending on the project's sector (e.g., health, oil, defense, internal trade, agriculture, communications)
• Legal power of attorney (notarized)
• Copy of investor's passport
• Real estate registration statement for the investment property
• Receipt of payment of the investment license service allowance through the Commercial Bank of Syria
• Foreign capital must be transferred through authorized banks
• Valid passport and entry visa issued by the Ministry of the Interior or a Syrian diplomatic/consular mission abroad
• Security clearance through the general immigration process
• HIV/AIDS testing is mandatory for foreigners aged 15-60 seeking residence; a permit will not be issued until the applicant tests negative

Significant tax incentives are available depending on the sector. Agricultural projects are exempt from profit tax. Development projects receive a 75% income tax discount for 10 years. Industrial projects in technology, medicine, pharmaceuticals, renewable energy, waste recycling, and crafts qualify for 50-75% income tax exemptions. Imports of equipment, machinery, assembly lines, and transport systems are exempt from customs duties and tariffs. Tourism, hospitality, and recreational investments are also exempt from customs duties.

Applications are submitted at the SIA Investor Services Center in Damascus or a regional branch, which operates as a one-stop-shop with representatives from relevant government ministries. The application must include a preliminary economic feasibility study and pre-approvals from sector-specific ministries. All fees and allowances are paid through the Commercial Bank of Syria at the Investor Services Center. Industrial licensing requests are processed within 3 actual working days, not exceeding 4 working days. The Supreme Investment Council reviews and approves investment licenses within 15 days. Once the license is granted, the investor applies for residency and work permits through the Immigration and Passports Department in coordination with the SIA. Online investment license applications are also available through sia.gov.sy. Foreigners who wish to stay beyond 15 days must register with the Immigration and Passports Department.

The investor must demonstrate the financial viability of their project through the economic feasibility study submitted with the license application. Foreign capital brought into Syria must be transferred through authorized banks. The investor has the right to re-transfer foreign capital that was brought in if the investment license is not issued within specified deadlines or if the project was not implemented for reasons beyond the investor's control. Financial statements must be audited by a certified external auditor, and all financial obligations, taxes, and duties must be settled before transferring profits abroad.

Under Article 30 of Law No. 18 of 2021, the investor's entitlement extends to residency permits for their spouse, children, and parents for the duration of the project. Work and residency permits may also be obtained for non-Syrian workers, experts, and technicians employed at the enterprise, in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.

The investment permit itself is a form of residency. Naturalization may be pursued after 5 consecutive years of residence in Syria, subject to additional requirements including Arabic language fluency. There is no direct citizenship-by-investment pathway.

Investors must keep project accounts in accordance with International Accounting Standards. Insurance must be exclusively with the Syrian General Insurance Corporation in cases where any public entity holds a stake in the project. Investors must settle all financial obligations, taxes, and duties before transferring profits abroad.

Presidential Decree No. 114 of 2025 introduced significant reforms including lifted restrictions on salary repatriation for expatriates, allowance for international arbitration in investment disputes with the state, strengthened property protections through judicial oversight and market-value compensation for expropriation, streamlined licensing through faster approvals, and expanded scope to cover rehabilitation of Syria's idle industrial base. The EU lifted most economic sanctions on Syria on 28 May 2025, and the US terminated the Syria Sanctions Program on 30 June 2025, enabling new foreign investment for the first time in over a decade. However, EU listings of individuals and entities linked to the former Assad regime remain in place until at least 1 June 2026. Enterprises licensed under the investment law cannot be seized or expropriated except for public use with immediate and fair compensation equal to the enterprise's current value. Disputes between investors and Syrian public bodies must first be attempted to be settled amicably within three months; if unsuccessful, parties may resort to arbitration, competent Syrian courts, the Arab Investment Court, or mechanisms under bilateral investment treaties.