The Secretary-General

12 August 2025

On International Youth Day, we celebrate the determination, creativity and leadership of young people everywhere.

This year’s theme – Local Youth Action for the SDGs and Beyond – reminds us that global progress begins in communities.  And in every corner of the world young people are leading the way.

They are driving sustainable development, building more inclusive communities, forging peace, and demanding a fairer, greener and more just future.

Young people are bold innovators, resilient organizers, and essential partners in in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

This year also marks a renewed commitment to the World Programme of Action for Youth – a recognition that when young people lead, societies thrive.

To every young person: your voice, ideas and leadership matter.

Let us work together to support youth-led solutions and build a more just, peaceful, and sustainable world, from the ground up.

UNHCR is conducting a survey to better understand the current needs and living conditions of families across Syria. The goal is to strengthen our support and assistance activities based on your feedback.

If you have received an SMS and followed the link to this page, you have been randomly selected to participate in this survey.

NAMA, a trusted survey company based in Jordan, will contact you by phone over the coming weeks on behalf of UNHCR. They will ask a few basic questions about your situation and the conditions in your area.

You will receive message from the below number only: 00962792246021

Your responses will be kept completely confidential and used solely for the purpose of this survey.

Participation is voluntary, and your input is highly valued. Please note that participation will not result in any direct personal benefits or assistance.

Note: UNHCR will never ask for sensitive personal information such as passwords, bank details, or identification numbers. Do not share such data with any unverified source.

Thank you for your time and continued support for UNHCR’s work in Syria.

At UNHCR, we are committed to protecting the personal data of the people with and for whom we work. Our Privacy Notice explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your information in line with international data protection standards.

Learn more about your rights and how your data is handled: https://help.unhcr.org/syria/unhcr-privacy-notice/

The UN Refugee Agency, addresses both sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), and sexual harassment (SH), and provides clarification for colleagues on how to contribute to this effort and seek support when needed.

Anyone concerned by potential misconduct is encouraged to report this and contact the Inspector General’s Office (IGO). Contacting the Inspector General’s Office (IGO) ·          By using the online complaint form  ·        By confidential email: [email protected] ·        In person or by post: 94, rue de Montbrillant, Case postale 2500, 1211 Geneva Mark all mail as CONFIDENTIAL.

As part of ongoing efforts to facilitate traveler crossing and reduce overcrowding, General Authority for Land and Sea Ports (GALSP) announces that, as of Monday, July 14, 2025, all border crossings with Türkiye will operate 24/7.

This aims to facilitate the return of our people to their homeland, relieve pressure on crossings during peak hours, and ensure smooth and speedy border crossing procedures, and thus ensuring the dignity and safety of all travelers.

In its pursuit to facilitate the crossing of Syrian passengers into/out of the country, GALSP, following several coordination sessions with the Turkish side, decides to adopt a new mechanism for Syrian expatriates [from] all over the world (except Türkiye) crossing through Bab Al Hawa border crossing to Syria.

Effective Date of the New Mechanism:

As of Thursday July 10^th, 2025, the new mechanism shall be applied, requiring the submission of a prior crossing permit request for the entry to/exit from Syria through filling out the following form:

www.babalhawa.net/crossing-sy

Important Information and Instructions:

• Documents to be attached with the request:

Copy of the Syrian passport.

Copy of the second nationality passport or residence card.

Copy of the airline ticket (if available).

• Request Processing Time:

Request processing might take up to 15 days, and the applicant will be informed of the result through the following link:

www.babalhawa.net/search        

• This will be done by inserting the passport number in the first search box and then pressing the check button.

Additional Remarks:

• This mechanism applies to Syrians living all over the world (excluding Türkiye), who hold the nationality of another country or a valid residence and wish to come to Syria through the Turkish territory.
• Adult Syrians who hold the nationality of another country shall be allowed to submit the request even if their Syrian passport is expired.
• A request for each family member must be submitted, and all the data must be filled out as written in English on the passport.
• Offsprings of Syrian expatriates below the age of 18 and hold the nationality of another country and do not have the Syrian passport shall be allowed to enter using their foreign passport.
• Everyone shall be allowed to drive their own cars through the border crossing as per the defined fees and required to adhere to the permitted residence period inside Syria.
• All applicants are requested to upload copies of the passports, residence cards, or airplane tickets in a clear and legible format, provided that these documents are scanned exclusively by a scanner. Any request with pictures taken by a mobile phone camera or any other means of photography shall be automatically rejected to ensure the quality of the documents and easy verification by the competent team.
• Syrians who entered Syria through Jordan, Lebanon, or Damascus International Airport cannot benefit from this mechanism, and they have to submit a crossing request to the Turkish embassy in Damascus or Turkish consulate in Aleppo.

UNHCR Syria regrets to inform you that, effective 1 July 2025, some of UNHCR- Supported Community Centers will be closing due to funding limitations.

UNHCR is working closely with partners to minimize the impact of such funding reductions on the affected communities. This closure should not affect your rights or access to the services provided by UNHCR.

A total of 73 Community Centres supported by UNHCR will continue to operate across the country, to learn about the locations and types of services offered through these centres, please check the closest Community Centre to your residnece.

Please note that “Syria is Home” website is updated with new information on Cash and Transportation Assistance. for more information, please visit the website and read the question under Assistance and financial support.

UNHCR and its partners enforce a Zero Tolerance Policy for fraud, corruption, sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment.

Please CLICK HERE to watch a video that provides a guide on when, how, and where to report sexual exploitation and abuse.

The UN Refugee Agency, addresses both sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), and sexual harassment (SH), and provides clarification for colleagues on how to contribute to this effort and seek support when needed.

Anyone concerned by potential misconduct is encouraged to report this and contact the Inspector General’s Office (IGO). Contacting the Inspector General’s Office (IGO) ·         By using the online complaint form  ·         By confidential email: [email protected] ·         In person or by post: 94, rue de Montbrillant, Case postale 2500, 1211 Geneva Mark all mail as CONFIDENTIAL.