14.06.2026 08:40
Syria opened its new consulate general in Gaziantep. The representation, which will serve hundreds of thousands of Syrians living in southern Turkey, will offer a wide range of consular services, primarily including passport, civil registration, and power of attorney transactions. Planned to have a capacity of more than 1,000 transactions per day, the consulate general aims to reduce the need for Syrians to travel to Istanbul.
Syria expanded its diplomatic presence in Turkey by opening its new consulate in Gaziantep. The new mission will provide basic consular services such as passports, civil registration, and power of attorney procedures to hundreds of thousands of Syrians living in southern Turkey.
HIGH-LEVEL PARTICIPATION IN THE OPENING
The opening ceremony of the Syrian Consulate in Gaziantep was attended by Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, as well as Syrian and Turkish officials.
The new mission was established especially to facilitate easier access to consular services for Syrians living in Turkey's southern provinces.
"CITIZENS WILL NO LONGER HAVE TO GO TO ISTANBUL"
Muhammad Yacoub al-Omar, Director of Consular Affairs at the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated that the consulate will serve hundreds of thousands of Syrians living in southern Turkey.
Al-Omar noted that previously citizens had to go to Istanbul for consular procedures, adding that the new representation will reduce both time and cost burdens.
CAPACITY FOR OVER 1,000 TRANSACTIONS DAILY
The Gaziantep Consulate will offer passport services, attestation procedures, civil registration, powers of attorney, and other basic consular services. Officials announced that the scope of services provided will be the same as that of the Istanbul Consulate.
Designed with a modern service model, the consulate has 20 separate service counters. After the consulate begins full-capacity operations, it is expected to reach a capacity of processing over 1,000 transactions daily.
APPOINTMENTS TO BE MADE DIGITALLY
Consular services will be managed through an electronic appointment system via the "MOFA SY" application, launched by the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2025.
Officials stated that the new system will ensure faster and more organized processing of transactions.
NEW STEP FOR SYRIANS IN TURKEY
According to data from the Turkish Directorate General of Migration Management, the number of Syrians living under temporary protection status in Turkey exceeds 2.2 million. Approximately 318,000 of this population reside in Gaziantep.
The Gaziantep Consulate is one of the missions Syria has recently opened as part of efforts to restructure its diplomatic network abroad. The Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs opened consulates in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in May and in Bonn, Germany in February.
Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, in previous statements, described the opening of new diplomatic missions and consulates as part of a "fundamental transformation" in Syrian diplomacy.