Marrying and Sponsoring a Syrian Citizen
Listen to this articleMarriage to a Syrian Citizen
Every country has its own laws that apply to its citizens marrying a person from a different country. Getting married to a Syrian citizen with the goal of eventually bringing them to Canada to live is a process with many steps.
If you want to bring your Syrian spouse or partner to live in Canada, you must then file a sponsorship application for them to become a permanent resident. If they would like to visit you in Canada while their application is in process, they must also apply for a visitor visa. For more information, please see our family sponsorship page and our visitor visa page.
Syrian Marriage Basic Requirements
In order to marry a citizen of Syria, you must demonstrate to the Syrian government that you are eligible to do so. This includes:
- Proof of country of birth
- Proof of single status
- Proof of age requirement
Syrian Marriage Ceremony
The marriage ceremony to a Syrian citizen can legally take place in Syria, Canada, or any other country as long as both parties have the necessary visas to enter this country legally. This marriage can then be recognized when applying for a permanent residence or a visitor visa for your Syrian spouse. To learn more about ceremony customs, see below.
Family Members
If your Syrian spouse has dependent children, this does not affect the Syrian Marriage document application.
If you have dependent children, they have no effect on the application to marry a Syrian citizen.
List of Syrian Consulates in Canada
Marriage Certificate
Documents required before getting a Syrian marriage certificate
Documents from the Syrian
- A record from the relevant secretariat of the civil register
- A marriage license from the relevant recruitment section
- Photocopy Syrian ID
- Marriage certificate application with a 3 Syrian Pounds stamp attached.
Documents from the Canadian
- Original certificate or record from his/her country, translated into Arabic approved and endorsed by the Syrian embassy in their home country and by the Syrian Foreign Ministry
- Documented results of a negative test for HIV/AIDS
- Photocopy of the passport or a translation of the foreign name (the original name before marriage should be written in block capital Latin letters)
- Photocopy of the marriage certificate translated into Arabic and approved by the Syrian embassy in the country where the certificate was issued and by the Syrian Foreign Ministry.
Marriage documents should be submitted to the secretary of the civil register where the event has taken place within 15 days of becoming effective in the centre of the secretariat of the civil register, and 30 days if the event has occurred outside that centre.
After the legal period expires, the person concerned is liable to a fine of 10 Syrian Pounds in the form of a stamp.
The day when the certificate becomes effective is not calculated within the legal period. If a document is submitted within the legal period, but its registration was delayed because of the verification process, there is no penalty.
The civil registrar must mention the date of reference clearly to prove that it has been submitted within the legal period, and record it.
Currency
The official currency of Syria is the Syrian Pound abbreviated as SYP. Currencies such as the USD, CAD, GBP or Euro cannot be bought from Syrian banks or exchange companies.
The black market is the only source of foreign currencies available in Syria for those who want to travel abroad.
The maximum amount that is allowed to be taken out of Syrian is 3,000 USD per flight per year. Any amount exceeding that is confiscated by the authorities and the traveler risks spending a long time in what is called “economic affairs court”.
Requirement for a Syrian marraige Visa
- Passport (must be valid for six months on submission and have at least 2 blank pages)
- 2 colored passport photos
- 2 visa forms (for each of the couple) to be completed and signed
Other required documents
- Letter from current employer confirming employment and current position
- For students, a letter from university or a photocopy university ID card
- For unemployed applicants, please provide us with a letter from the job centre or a letter of the benefits that you receive
Bussiness travels
- A business card
- Copy of latest bank statement with name, company name and address
- A letter stating nature of business and your role
- A copy of self-assessment form from HM Revenue & Customs
- Utility bill with your name and home address
Syrian Consulate in Canada
Syrian Consulate General in Montreal116-235 Cote-Vertu Street Telephone:(+1) (514) 744-0084 |
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Canadian Embassy in Syria
There is no resident Canadian government office in Syria. The Embassy of Canada in Beirut, Lebanon has consular responsibility for Syria.
1st Floor, Coolrite building,43 Jal El Dib Highway Telephone: 961(4)726-700
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Calling Syria from Canada
-The exit code for Canada is 011
-The country code for Syria is 963
-Dial 011 – 963 – area code – local numbers
Calling Canada from Syria
-The international code is 00
-The country code for Canada is 1
-Dial 00 – 1 – area code – local number
| Province | Code | Province | Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alberta | 403 / 587 (southern Alberta) 587 / 780 (central and northern Alberta) |
Nunavut | 867 |
| BC | 236 / 250 / 778 (majority of BC) 236 / 604 / 778 (Metro Vancouver) |
Ontario | 226 / 519 (southwestern Ontario) 249 / 705 (northeastern Ontario) 289 / 365 / 905 (Greater Toronto Area) 343 / 613 (eastern Ontario) 416 / 647 (Toronto) 807 (northwestern Ontario) |
| Manitoba | 204 / 431 | PEI | 782 / 902 |
| New Brunswick | 506 | Quebec | 418 / 581 (eastern Quebec) 438 / 514 (Montreal) 450 / 579 (Greater Montreal) 819 / 873 (remainder of Quebec) |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 709 | Saskatchewan | 306 / 639 |
| Northwest Territories | 867 | Yukon | 867 |
| Nova Scotia | 782 / 902 |
Time Difference with Canada
The time zone for Syria is UTC/GMT +2
| Canadian Time Zone | # of Hours Syria is Ahead |
# of Hours during DST |
|---|---|---|
| Pacific (BC, Yukon) | 10 hours | 9 hours |
| Mountain (Alberta, western Nunavut, Lloydminster, Saskatchewan) | 9 hours | 8 hours |
| Saskatchewan | 9 hours | 9 hours |
| Central (Manitoba, Northwest Territories, central Nunavut, northwestern Ontario) | 8 hours | 7 hours |
| Eastern (most of Ontario, most of Quebec) | 7 hours | 6 hours |
| Atlantic (Labrador, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, PEI, eastern Quebec | 6 hours | 5 hours |
| Newfoundland | 5.5 hours | 4.5 hours |
Information for Canadians travelling to Syria
Sponsoring your Syrian Spouse
Want to Learn more about marrying in Syria? Let us know.
Sponsorship Review
Immigroup will review your completed spousal sponsorship application. . Immigroup will make sure you have not made any mistakes on your application or in gathering the documentation of your relationship. We will assess your sponsorship letter and give you peace of mind that you are submitting an application with a very good chance of success. Don’t lose sleep at night worrying about whether you’ve done enough. Call us at 1-866-760-2623 for a review.
