Syria completes citizenship applications for Kurdish residents
Shafaq News- Al-Hasakah
Syrian authorities completed the application process for Syrian Kurds eligible for citizenship under Presidential Decree No. 13 of 2026, the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported on Thursday, citing the General Administration for Civil Affairs.
According to the administration, specialized teams and committees, including civil affairs experts, have begun reviewing applications, verifying data, and completing the technical and administrative requirements needed to finalize citizenship procedures.
The first batch of interview schedules for applicants covered by the decree will be published between June 14 and June 18, 2026, while the lists will be released through the ministry’s official platforms and state media outlets in the affected provinces.
Authorities also announced an additional grace period for Syrian Kurds living abroad whose applications were submitted by family members, allowing them more time to complete the required procedures.
Government offices in Al-Hasakah province began receiving citizenship applications in April, following the implementation of the presidential decree, according to Shafaq News' correspondent in Syria.
The decree, issued by Syrian transitional President Ahmad al-Sharaa in January 2026, revokes the effects of the 1962 census conducted in Al-Hasakah and grants Syrian citizenship to people of Kurdish origin, including those not registered in civil records. The measure also guarantees full rights and obligations under Syrian law.
This issue dates back to an exceptional census carried out in Al-Hasakah in 1962, which stripped hundreds of thousands of Kurds of Syrian citizenship and divided them into different legal categories, leaving many without access to key civil rights for decades. In May 2026, Anas al-Abdah, a member of the Higher Committee for Syrian People's Assembly Elections, told Shafaq News that Kurds would play an important role in building what he described as a "new Syria," stressing that a successful political experience could not be achieved without broad understanding among all Syrians.
Kurds recently gained five additional seats in Syria’s parliament, four in Al-Hasakah province and one in Kobani, adding to three existing seats representing Afrin. The increase raises Kurdish representation to eight seats out of 140 allocated to electoral constituencies.
Syria's parliamentary elections were held on October 5, 2025, resulting in the election of 126 representatives. Voting was postponed in Kurdish-majority areas and in Suwayda province due to political and security conditions.
