By MOHAMED OSMAN
DOHA: A large number of Syrian expatriates converged on their country’s Interim Government-run embassy here yesterday to get their expired passports renewed.
But many of them had to return disappointed as the mission accepted only 21 passports for renewal for “technical reasons”.
Embassy sources told The Peninsula that as per the Syrian law, a passport is issued with six years’ validity and it can be renewed for another four years.
“So we accepted those passports whose validity had expired after six years, but the 10-year period (after issuance) had not lapsed,” said an embassy source.
He said that legally, those passports whose 10-year validity has lapsed cannot be renewed because the holders need to apply for fresh passport. Many of those who had turned up at the embassy looking for renewal of their passports had them issued more than 10 years ago, so they had to return disappointed.
Asked why they were not issuing Syrian Interim Government passports and only renewing passports that are issued by the Syrian regime led by President Bashar Al Assad, the source said that in the next phase that possibility will be explored.
“We are discussing the possibility and talking to countries that recognise us (the Syrian Interim Government),” said the source.
As regards renewing the passports of Syrians overseas, the source said the Syrian Interim Government had contacted so many governments across the world and only Canada had replied and that too, with a no. “Other governments didn’t even respond,” said the source.
When told that the Syrian regime can cancel the passports renewed by them (the Interim Government), the source said: “We have just begun to renew the passports. We now need to see how the regime reacts”.
Yesterday was the first day the embassy received the passports of Syrian nationals for renewal. The process will continue.
The Syrians who want to get their passports renewed or a fresh one issued by the Syrian regime, can go to Dubai, a Syrian living here told this newspaper.
Talking of renewal of passports in Doha, the embassy source said it would take four to seven days. “This period we need to confirm a passport data and whether a passport is genuine,” said the source. “As said earlier, we are renewing passports only for four years as per our country’s law and charging QR50 for each year of renewal.”
There are an estimated 60,000 Syrians living in Qatar. According to international wire agency AFP, as per estimates last year, 40,000 Syrians had Qatar’s residency, while another 20,000 were on temporary visitors’ visa.
The Peninsula
