The Syrian Ministry of Interior announced that committees receiving naturalization applications from Kurdish citizens covered by Decree No. 13 of 2026 have received 2,892 family applications, covering 10,516 individuals in several Syrian governorates.
According to the ministry, Hasakah (northeastern Syria) recorded the highest number of applications, with 2,772, followed by Aleppo with 75, then Damascus with 32, while the remaining applications were distributed between Raqqa and Deir Ezzor governorates.
The process comes as part of the implementation of Decree No. 13 of 2026, related to settling the status of Kurdish citizens and granting them Syrian citizenship.
15 Day Extension
Syria’s Director of Civil Status, Abdullah Abdullah, announced on May 7 the extension of the period for receiving citizenship applications from unregistered individuals, after the previous deadline expired on May 6.
Abdullah said at the time that the extension covers civil status centers in Hasakah, Qamishli, and al-Jawadiyah, to complete the receipt and organization of applications according to approved legal procedures, and giving applicants additional time to complete their official procedures.
A New Stage, Interviews and Verification
With the end of the application reception phase, the competent authorities are preparing to move to the second stage of the process, which includes conducting interviews with applicants to verify and match their data.
Aziz al-Muhaimid, director of civil affairs in Hasakah governorate, told Enab Baladi that this stage will be carried out through committees that include a judicial counselor, a civil affairs employee, and a local notable from the area, to ensure the accuracy of the procedures.
The interview is based on holding a direct conversation with the applicant, during which the accuracy of the information entered into the system is verified, including the name, family lineage, and any other details that may require clarification or correction.
He noted that this step aims to protect applicants’ rights and ensure that their data is entered correctly and definitively, in preparation for completing the remaining stages of granting citizenship.
Procedures for Expatriates
The registration mechanism also includes citizens living outside Syria, as a first-degree family member, such as a father, mother, older brother, or older sister, who is allowed to submit the application on behalf of the expatriate.
In this case, the applicant’s data is registered as an “expatriate,” provided that the person later completes the procedures in Damascus through a permanent committee specialized in following up on the files of unregistered individuals.
This step comes in an attempt to expand the circle of those benefiting from the decree and ensure that no group is excluded because it is outside the country.
Limited Difficulties
Regarding the obstacles that faced the registration process, al-Muhaimid said the work proceeded without major impediments, noting that the most prominent challenges involved the lack of clarity among some applicants at the beginning about certain requirements.
He said continuous communication with citizens and explaining the required documents helped gradually overcome these issues, which improved the course of the process in the following days.
Among the most notable points raised during the registration period was the issue of “supporting documents” required to prove residence or status, as the relevant authorities stressed the need to submit documents such as water or electricity bills, school documents, or any official document that could help confirm the data.
These “supporting documents” also included documents such as status confirmation decisions, property transfer documents, papers proving lineage, or even evidence of a previous application related to the status of an “unregistered” person.
According to al-Muhaimid, citizens showed noticeable cooperation with these requirements, and most applicants began bringing the required documents in full, which helped facilitate the registration process.
Lower Turnout in Recent Days
According to those overseeing the process, registration centers witnessed a relative decline in turnout during the final days of the deadline and during the extension phase, after a peak recorded at the beginning of the process, which started on April 6.
This decline is attributed to a broad segment of citizens completing their registration procedures early, in addition to improved awareness of the process requirements over time.
Registration Centers Spread Out
The Ministry of Interior had announced the distribution of application reception centers across several areas in Hasakah governorate, including the cities of Hasakah, Qamishli, al-Jawadiyah, al-Malikiyah, and al-Darbasiyah, as part of a plan to cover the largest possible number of residents.
The process also extended to other areas in Syria, including Aleppo, Raqqa, Deir Ezzor, and Damascus, as part of the comprehensive implementation of the decree nationwide.
Decree No. 13
This process is based on Decree No. 13, issued by Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa on January 16, which provides for granting Syrian citizenship to citizens of Kurdish origin, including unregistered individuals.
The decree includes the cancellation of exceptional measures linked to the 1962 census, which was a main reason behind depriving a broad segment of Kurds of Syrian citizenship for decades.
The decree also affirms that Kurdish citizens are an authentic part of the Syrian people, while guaranteeing their cultural and linguistic rights, including considering the Kurdish language a national language and allowing it to be taught in Kurdish-majority areas.
It also includes provisions criminalizing discrimination on ethnic or linguistic grounds, as part of strengthening the principle of diversity within Syrian society.
Multiple Stages Before Citizenship Is Granted
The citizenship-granting process goes through several stages, beginning with receiving applications and registering data, then moving to the interviews and verification stage, followed by submitting files to a specialized higher committee.
In the final stage, the official decision granting citizenship is issued, and the beneficiary is given a civil registration document, allowing them to enjoy full civil rights.
At the end of his statement, Hasakah’s director of civil affairs praised the cooperation of workers at registration centers and the support of Red Crescent volunteers, who provided awareness and guidance to applicants, in addition to the “Autonomous Administration,” which provided work sites and facilitated the work of the committees.
He confirmed that coordination among the various parties contributed to completing the first stage of the process, pending the completion of the later stages.
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