Legal & Residency

Every foreigner, including refugees and asylum-seekers, living in the Syrian Arab Republic is obliged to have a valid residence permit.

If you do not have a valid residence permit, you are staying unlawfully in the country and may be prosecuted.

Without a valid residence permit you will not have access to a number of services and rights residents are normally entitled to (e.g. access to police stations to report any crime or security incident, access to the justice system, access to civil registries to register births, marriages or deaths).

You are strongly advised to obtain your residence permit after registration with UNHCR and make sure it is renewed in time.

If you need support with the renewal of your residency permit, please contact your nearby UNHCR Office on the numbers available on Contact us.

What should I do if I am stopped or arrested by the police?

If you are stopped / arrested by the police, you should:

  • Calmly cooperate with the police and try and find out the reason for your arrest.
  • Show the police your UNHCR Identification card or UNHCR case number and ask the police to call the nearest UNHCR Office to confirm your status
  • Inform UNHCR and your friends or family of your arrest as soon as possible.

When you call the UNHCR Hotline and inform your friends or family, remember to provide them with:

  • your UNHCR case number
  • place of arrest – which police station
  • the contact of Investigating Officer (if possible)

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