Do Finland passport holders need a visa to visit SY?

Finnish (FI) ordinary passport holders can get a Syria visa on arrival (30 days) at Damascus or Aleppo airport, but airlines require a prior entry approval document arranged in advance before boarding. Visa fees are paid in USD cash only; ATMs and cards do not work in Syria. Any Israeli stamp in the passport means refused entry. Syria is NOT visa-free for Finnish citizens and is NOT in the Schengen area, so ETIAS and the 90/180 rule do not apply. Following the fall of the Assad regime, the Syrian transitional government issued a new visa policy in January 2025. Under it, most nationalities (including Finland and other EU states) are granted a visa on arrival, typically valid for a 30-day stay, at Damascus and Aleppo International Airports and, conditionally, at the Lebanese and Jordanian land borders. However, for air arrivals a prior entry approval (security clearance) document must be obtained in advance, usually via a licensed Syrian tour operator or sponsor, because airlines will not let passengers board without it. Processing of this approval typically takes about 3 days to 1 week for European nationals. Visa fees are charged at the border or airport, payable only in US dollars in cash, since ATMs are non-functional and credit cards are not accepted in Syria. The eVisa platform announced in May 2024 (evisa.sy) is currently NOT operational. Critically, any evidence of travel to Israel (an Israeli stamp, or in some cases a Sharm El-Sheikh stamp) results in refused entry regardless of nationality. Note also that Finland's Ministry for Foreign Affairs and most Western governments maintain a strong advisory against all travel to Syria for security reasons; this guide covers entry formalities only, not safety. Travelers should confirm the latest requirements with a Syrian embassy/consulate and their tour operator before departure, as land-border policy in particular changes frequently.