General Security announces additional measures to 'facilitate' return of Syrians

The Directorate General of General Security announced Tuesday new measures to "offer additional facilities to Syrian nationals and Palestinian refugees from Syria who wish to return to their homes, whether they entered Lebanon legally or illegally and regardless of the degree of their non-compliance with Lebanese laws."

In its statement, General Security said that "all those who wish to return to Syria by land will be exempt from taxes or fines, and will not be subject to any prosecution, for the period from July 1 to Sept. 30, 2025." General Security issued these measures in the hopes of "facilitating the rapid and effective return [of the displaced] to their country, after the reasons for their exile have faded and the political and security conditions in Syria have improved."

After the outbreak of the war in Syria in 2011, Lebanon welcomed waves of displaced people, whose official number was estimated at 1.5 million. This Syrian presence in Lebanon, often in informal camps, has constituted a significant economic burden and fueled security fears. The regime change in Syria in December 2024 paved the way for the return of these displaced persons, and the recent lifting of U.S. and European sanctions on Syria is expected to encourage their return.

In its statement, General Security warned that after the deadline, "the laws and regulations in force for illegal residents in Lebanon will apply to all non-Lebanese in an irregular situation."