The Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates has made significant strides in improving its consular services, responding to a notable surge in demand for document authentication. Over the past four months, the ministry has processed over 1.2 million consular transactions.
Mohammad Al-Hammoud, the ministry’s media official in charge of consular affairs, reported that transaction volumes peaked in September with 406,952 completed services. The figures for previous months include 212,983 in June, 228,746 in July, and 310,652 in August.
In response to the increasing demand, the ministry has introduced a series of measures to improve efficiency, including an electronic appointment system, digital stickers for document authentication, expanded service halls, and additional service windows. These upgrades aim to reduce wait times and enhance the overall experience for citizens.
The ministry is also planning to broaden the reach of its consular services by opening new offices in provinces such as Idleb and Deir Ezzor. This move is intended to alleviate the need for citizens to travel to Damascus and make consular services more accessible in the regions.
The new digital sticker system, which streamlines document authentication, is already in place at consular offices in Aleppo, Homs, and Daraa. Previously available only in Damascus, this service will soon be expanded to all consular offices across Syria.
Additionally, the ministry has taken steps to extend its consular services to Syrians living abroad. A technical delegation has begun providing services to the Syrian community in Libya, while interviews were recently held at the Syrian embassy in Berlin to recruit new consular staff and improve the services offered to Syrians overseas.
