Special Information for Syrian Applicants

Effective February 6, 2012, the U.S. Embassy in Damascus suspended operations and closed for most routine consular services. Visas to the United States can no longer be issued in Damascus. 

Nonimmigrant Visas:

All nonimmigrant visa applicants must overcome Section 214(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).  This statute contains a presumption that nonimmigrant visa applicants are intending immigrants.  Visa applicants can overcome this presumption by proving that they have a permanent residence abroad which they have no intention of abandoning.

Unfortunately, it is extremely difficult for individuals fleeing war zones to overcome the presumption of immigration if they have no safe home to which they can return.  This is generally established by the documentation of family, social, employment, economic, academic connections to another country that will lead them to return there after a temporary stay in the United States. 

For information on scheduling an appointment, see our website: http://turkey.usembassy.gov/non-immigrant_visas.html

Immigrant Visas:

U.S. Embassy Ankara is currently able to accept I-130 immigrant visa petitions filed for Syrian relatives of American citizens for immediate processing. Parents, spouses, and children of U.S. citizens, as well as spouses and children of Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs), can apply for immigrant visas at the Embassy.  

Returning Residents:

Applicants who were Lawful Permanent Residents of the U.S. but who have stayed outside of the United States for more than one year may be eligible for Returning Resident status. To qualify, applicants must demonstrate to the consular officer’s satisfaction that they departed the United States with the intention of returning to an unrelinquished residence and that their stay abroad was for reasons beyond their control.

More information on this procedure can be found here: http://turkey.usembassy.gov/iv_returning_residency.html  

If you believe that you qualify for this status, please contact the Immigrant Visa Unit at http://turkey.usembassy.gov/iv-form2.html for additional details and to schedule an appointment.

For Refugee Inquiries:

The U.S. Embassy in Ankara is not a designated post for refugee case processing. In Turkey, The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has responsibility for assistance to, and protection of, refugees.

Please direct your questions to The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) office in Ankara.