President Bashar al-Assad issued a legislative decree yesterday requiring Syrians who wish to renew their passports through Syrian consulates or embassies to pay USD $400 or its equivalent in euros.
Assad issued legislative decree No.17 for the year 2015, which included an amendment to Article 1 of Law No.1 of 2014, concerning the consular fee for the granting or renewal of travel documents for Syrians living abroad.
According to the first section of the new decree, the consular fee for the granting of a Syrian passport or travel documents to citizens living outside the Syrian Arab Republic is USD $400.
The second section of Article 1 states: "USD $200 – or its equivalent in euros – as a consular fee for the renewal of passports or travel document to Syrian citizens living outside the Syrian Arab Republic".
Economic analysts believe the regime’s insistence on fees and taxes in US dollars or euros confirms its desperation for foreign currency in order to prevent the collapse of its economy.
Translated and edited by The Syrian Observer
