BootsnAll Travel Community

Hi folks,

I'm applying for visas with a friend of mine. We will be, hopefully, be travelling to Damascus in a little over a month. As my friend is American, I want to apply with him early (I am Canadian, however). We are both living in Cairo and have residency, so we can get visas from the local embassy.

My question is, I'm told the application requires a specific address and further, a reference in Syria. I can easily book a hotel and cancel, but what about the reference? We haven't arranged the trip yet, because I want to make sure my American colleague can get a visa first.

Will they be sticklers about that item or what?

Thanks

Mike

I don't know about the embassy in Cairo, but when I asked the same question of the one in Ottawa, I was told "it's just a question," and to leave it blank.

I got the visa without any trouble.

As with all visa questions, though, I must say that you're far better off asking the people who will actually process the visa, since experiences may vary.

Ditto to what Neil said.
I expect that if you state your reason for visiting as tourism, you shouldn't have too many problems with leaving those fields blank. I think we indicated our first stop as Damascus, and hotel unknown (there was no way we could make reservations as far in advance as when we had to apply for the visas).

As much as Syria is portrayed as scary and Anti-west in our media, they really have been trying to boost tourism there (believe it or not!), and unless there are other reasons for red flags, there should be no problems.

But again, best to check with the local embassy.

I just filled in a random hotel address in the first city we'd be stopping. We didn't actually book it, and we didn't even end up staying there. A lot of countries ask questions like this -- it's no big deal.

I don't recall the "reference" question, or what my answer was. If you're pressed to put something down, then I'd say write the name and number of a hotel in the first city you'll be visiting.

Just be sure not to go to Syria via Israel since the stamp will qualify you for an unwelcome status!

I have just got my passport back with the syrian visa. I applied at the emabssy in Ottawa and it took about 5 weeks to get my passport back. I also discussed with a few folks from the US that travel relatively often to Syria and the waiting time in the US is between 4 and 6 weeks.
Acoording to one of them if you call the embassy or go there in person you might be able to speed the process.

Hope this info helps.
Happy travels

5 weeks??
I think it took ours about 10 days-2 weeks.
it certainly didn't take 5 weeks.

crazy.

Less, exactly a week. I tracked the package in both directions, and turnaround time, from the time they signed for our passports to the time it was back in the mail was a single day. And that was only a little over a year ago. I wonder what's changed.

I got the distinct impression when I talked to him that the visa guy wasn't very busy.

Hard to say what went on with my passport. It sure was not the mail as I tracked the letters. I am only travelling in September so maybe they did not hurry at all. Who knows...

What kind of visa did you get? The single entry is only good for 3 months, so will expire in August.

I got the multiple entry which is good for 6 months. I want go to Lebanon for a brief visit.