Do Hong Kong passport holders need a visa to visit SY?

Hong Kong SAR passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival (VOA) for short tourist visits to Syria, paid in cash USD at Damascus airport or land borders under the post-2025 transitional government policy. Passports showing any Israeli connection are refused entry. Following the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, Syria's transitional government overhauled its visa policy in January 2025. The old eVisa platform was discontinued and traditional advance tourist visas from embassies were effectively suspended; instead, visa on arrival is now the standard channel for the vast majority of nationalities, including Hong Kong SAR ordinary passport holders. A traveler from Hong Kong simply arrives at Damascus International Airport or an open land border (commonly from Lebanon or Jordan) and pays the visa fee in cash. Fees follow a reciprocity principle and vary by nationality; Hong Kong is not separately listed in most published fee tables, so travelers should budget for the general/default Asian band (roughly USD 25-75) and carry extra USD cash. The visa typically grants a single-entry short stay of 15-30 days. The single most important restriction is absolute: anyone holding an Israeli passport, or whose travel document shows any stamp, visa, or evidence of a visit to or connection with Israel, is refused entry without exception. Because Syria remains an active conflict-affected country with shifting on-the-ground conditions and many governments (including widespread travel advisories) warn against travel, all figures should be reconfirmed close to departure. Syria is not in the Schengen area, so the Schengen 90/180 rule and ETIAS do not apply.