SYRIA PROGRAMME

The ‘Special Programme for the Issuance of Humanitarian Visas for Foreigners Affected by the Conflict in the Syrian Arab Republic,’ commonly known as the ‘Syria Programme,’ is one of the few initiatives in the world that enables individual persons and organisations (‘callers’) to directly support the arrival and integration of refugees.

The Syria Programme is addressed to people of Syrian nationality and their family members, regardless of their nationality, and people of Palestinian nationality who are habitual residents or have resided in Syria and received assistance from the United Nations Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). It is a concrete response to the serious humanitarian crisis besetting Syria and to the emergency situation and protection needs of the civil population. 

People who enter Argentina within the framework of this Programme are supported by a ‘caller’ person (sponsor) or a ‘sponsor institution’ undertaking to support them in their integration process during their first twelve months in the country. That is, callers or sponsors assume responsibility for covering basic needs in terms of housing, food and maintenance, and for supporting refugees in their process to learn the Spanish language, to find a job and/or enter the education system.

The procedure to apply for a humanitarian visa is performed by a caller person or sponsor institution at the National Directorate for Migration (in its headquarters or any of its 30 offices throughout the territory). Once the procedure has been initiated, refugees shall appear in person at the Argentine consulate nearest their place of residence to be interviewed and to submit the documents required. Once the procedure has been completed, and if there is no impediment, they shall obtain a humanitarian visa to enter Argentina.