- The Semalka crossing is now an official Syrian entry point following a 2026 integration agreement with Damascus.
- USCIS extended Temporary Protected Status work permits for Syrians until July 17, 2026 amid ongoing litigation.
- The State Department initiated a 45-day congressional notification period to remove Syria from the terrorism sponsors list.
Mazen Aloush said on July 12, 2026, that the Semalka crossing is official and that visas issued there valid anywhere in Syria. The notice changed the paperwork. Fast.
The declaration follows a January 2026 integration agreement that shifted the border point from local Kurdish administration to the central Syrian government in Damascus. The crossing sits between the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and northeast Syria. The deal came after a U.S.-mediated ceasefire.
Officials now treat visas and entry stamps from the site as carrying the same legal weight as those issued at Damascus International Airport or other official land borders. The agency put them on the same level. No separate class remains.
Free toolDS-160 Form Filling Online Helper ToolThe authority also sent about 200 government employees to customs and immigration at the site. Travelers now pay official state customs fees and follow the regulations that apply there. The desk is staffed.
Thousands of Syrian citizens living in Europe and Iraq had used the water crossing to avoid central government checkpoints. They can now use it as a legally recognized entry point. That route is no longer informal.
USCIS said on July 10, 2026, that Temporary Protected Status for Syria remains in a court-ordered extension while litigation continues. The agency said Employment Authorization Documents in category A12 or C19 that were set to expire between 2021 and 2025 now run through July 17, 2026. The Supreme Court's June 25, 2026, decision in Mullin v. Doe affirmed DHS authority to terminate TPS for Syria and Haiti. The clock keeps moving.
The site now behaves like a state-run border post
| Change at the crossing | What the authority said |
|---|---|
| Official status | The site is now an official entry point under the General Authority of Land and Sea Border Crossings and Customs. |
| Papers | Visas issued there are valid anywhere in Syria, and entry stamps carry the same legal weight as those from Damascus International Airport or other official land borders. |
| Internal movement | Secondary security approvals and internal transit cards are no longer required, if standard residency laws are followed. |
| Administration | About 200 government employees manage customs and immigration, alongside official state customs fees and regulations. |
USCIS kept Syrian TPS workers on a short clock
DHS said in guidance:
“TPS and employment authorization are extended per court order. Please check the USCIS TPS Syria webpage regularly for updates.”
The court order gives Syrian TPS holders temporary breathing room. It does not give them a new long-term status.
That extension covers people whose A12 or C19 work permits were originally set to expire between 2021 and 2025. The current date on that calendar is July 17, 2026. After that, the litigation-driven placeholder extension ends unless another order changes it.
The Supreme Court decision in Mullin v. Doe on June 25, 2026, upheld DHS authority to end TPS for Syria and Haiti. USCIS then moved to the limited extension now in place. The result is a short runway, not a reset.
Washington opened a 45-day sanctions clock
On July 8, 2026, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the administration intended to remove Syria from the State Sponsors of Terrorism list. That starts a 45-day congressional notification period before any lifting of long-standing sanctions. The process could eventually affect visa processing and trade.
“Today @POTUS informed Congress of his intent to rescind Syria’s designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism. This historic step opens new possibilities for economic opportunity and recovery, giving the Syrian people a chance at greatness.”
The change follows the same regional reset that moved the crossing under Damascus control. It also puts two separate clocks on Syria at once. One runs through July 17.
The other runs for 45 days.
