Since 8 December 2024, Syrians have been unable to complete any civil registry transactions—locally known as Al-Nufus—following the Directorate of Civil Affairs’ suspension of new event registrations and the issuance of personal identification cards. Services have been limited to issuing only select documents required for formal transactions with government institutions.
The suspension, triggered by damage to data networks and electronic registration systems, has crippled operations and halted the provision of essential civil documents such as ID cards.
Despite repeated official assurances of a “gradual resumption” of services, the reality on the ground remains unchanged. Most citizens are only able to obtain basic registration certificates, while more vital transactions remain indefinitely stalled.
Newborns Unregistered and Former Detainees Left in Limbo
The suspension has had severe consequences for Syrians both inside the country and abroad, as many official procedures—including inheritance settlements—require documentation issued by the Syrian government. A growing number of Syrians abroad are now unable to manage legal matters, secure residency, or travel due to the lack of documentation.
Youssef Fayyad, a Syrian resident in the United Arab Emirates for over a decade, has been unable to register his daughter in Syria’s civil registry despite acquiring all necessary paperwork from UAE authorities. He secured an official birth certificate, duly authenticated by Syrian and local authorities, yet was informed that the electronic system does not permit the registration of new events.
Fayyad has spent two months attempting manual registration via a facilitator, on the recommendation of acquaintances, but to no avail. Speaking to Al-Hal Net, he said: “I feel like my daughter is stuck between two countries. My biggest fear is that she won’t be able to get a passport or legal residency.”
The situation is equally critical for former detainees released from Saydnaya prison following the collapse of the previous regime. Many, like 30-year-old Khaled Hijazi—who spent six years in detention—lost all forms of identification upon arrest and remain unable to obtain new ID cards.
“All they gave me was a temporary registration paper,” Hijazi told Al-Hal Net. “To the state, I exist—but in everyday life, I can’t do anything. I can’t work, open a bank account, or even handle basic tasks without personal documents.”
Hijazi’s experience mirrors that of thousands of former detainees now trapped in a legal vacuum. Meanwhile, families of individuals still missing in detention are unable to access essential documents needed for inheritance claims.
Fraudulent Brokers Exploiting the Crisis
With registry services paralysed and oversight mechanisms lacking, some Syrians have turned to unofficial intermediaries claiming to expedite civil transactions. However, many have fallen victim to fraud, compounding their hardship amidst an already dysfunctional system and absence of viable alternatives.
Mona Khalil attempted to obtain a crucial document but was conned by a broker after weeks of fruitless efforts. “I was trying to get an essential document for over a month, visiting the civil registry every day with no success. Someone promised to get it for me within a week for $100—I paid him, and he disappeared. His phone’s off. No one knows who he is. I lost the money and got nothing.”
Similarly, Laila and her husband Mahmoud, married four months ago, have yet to register their marriage. Mahmoud narrowly avoided being scammed while trying to process his paperwork. “Someone offered to help for a fee, but I didn’t trust him. We still haven’t registered our marriage, and my wife is now pregnant. I don’t know if we’ll be able to resolve this before our child is born. Our family’s future hinges on a single document.”
Recently, in an attempt to alleviate the backlog, the Syrian Post Corporation, in cooperation with the Ministry of Interior, resumed limited civil registry services at the central Hijaz Hall in Damascus. Available services include issuing registration certificates, family statements, and death, divorce and marriage records. However, registration of new events remains suspended.
A Crisis Beyond Technical Failure
Lawyer Samer Al-Hassan considers the situation far more serious than a “temporary disruption”, describing it instead as a “wide legal void” unprecedented in modern Syria. He emphasised that civil registration is fundamental to legal existence: “Without it, children are deprived of education and healthcare, women lose access to marriage and inheritance rights, and families are unable to establish legal lineage.”
He added: “The official silence around this crisis raises grave concerns. This is not just a technical glitch. Thousands of Syrians are being born and dying outside of the official record.” Al-Hassan warned that the lack of identification blocks access to essential services such as opening bank accounts, transferring property, or securing employment—effectively rendering citizens “invisible” to the state and increasingly vulnerable to exploitation.
According to him, solving the crisis will require far more than patchwork fixes or partial resumptions. A national plan must be devised to restore and modernise the civil registration system. This includes rebuilding the network infrastructure, safeguarding data integrity, establishing effective oversight, and—where necessary—engaging international assistance to restore citizens’ full legal rights.
Syrian Passports: Between Administrative Failure and Broker Exploitation
Between 9 December 2024 and 20 May 2025, Syria recorded an estimated 269,000 births and 55,400 deaths, according to United Nations data and estimates from sources such as MacroTrends and TheGlobalEconomy.com. These figures—based on sound demographic modelling—highlight that hundreds of thousands of life events occurred in Syria during this period without formal documentation.
In a country already burdened with civil registry gaps dating back to 2011, this suspension threatens to deepen those voids into an administrative abyss.
Ultimately, the ongoing civil registry crisis exposes the fragility of Syria’s bureaucratic infrastructure and its profound impact on citizens’ legal rights and daily lives. The state’s loss of a vital mechanism for demographic data collection undermines its ability to design and implement effective public policies—further distancing the population from its institutions.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
