Indian legal services for clients in Syria

Document route

Syrian notary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs legalisation, then Indian Embassy attestation

Time difference

IST is 2h30 ahead of Syria all year

Foreign judgments in India

Not reciprocating: fresh suit

Apostille with India

Not in force as far as known: consular attestation (check current status)

Who we help with ties to Syria

Thousands of Syrian students have studied in Indian universities under scholarship programmes, and many have married and settled in India or kept close ties. Syrian patients come to Indian hospitals, and Syrian businesspeople have traded in textiles, pharmaceuticals and food with India. Indian professionals and workers have lived in Syria, and some Indian families have relatives there through marriage. Displacement over the past decade means many Syrian families now have members in Germany, Turkey, Lebanon and the Gulf.

We help with powers of attorney, succession to assets in India, property disputes, registration of marriages between Indian and Syrian nationals, wills, and buying and selling property in India.

Signing documents for use in India

Syria is not, as far as we are aware, a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, so documents from Syria follow the legalisation route. Since the change of government in December 2024 some procedures have changed, so please check with us first. The usual chain is:

1. Sign before a notary in Syria with your passport or identity card.
2. Have the document legalised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates in Damascus.
3. Have it attested by the Embassy of India in Damascus, then courier it to India and stamp it within three months.

Family members now living in Germany, Turkey or another Apostille country can instead sign before a notary there and obtain an apostille, which is usually simpler. Arabic documents need a certified English translation. Where Syrian civil records are hard to obtain, Indian courts may accept other evidence of relationships.

Most requested services from Syria

These six services cover most of what Syrian families and Indians with ties to Syria need from an Indian lawyer.

Sanctions, banking and moving money

International sanctions on Syria have been partly lifted since 2025, but banking links remain limited and Indian banks screen any transaction involving Syria carefully. Families usually receive Indian funds in an Indian account or in a third country where a relative lives. NRIs in Syria can repatriate up to USD 1 million per financial year from an NRO account after tax. India and Syria signed a double taxation avoidance agreement; check with us whether it applies to your income.

Property in India

NRIs in Syria can buy and sell Indian residential and commercial property, other than agricultural land and farmhouses, freely. Syrian citizens are not on the list of nationalities that need special RBI permission, but as foreign nationals living outside India they generally cannot buy property in India unless they hold OCI status; they can lease and inherit. Syrian spouses of Indian citizens can usually obtain OCI after two years of registered marriage, subject to security clearance.

Syrian judgments and family matters

Syria has not been notified as a reciprocating territory under section 44A of the Code of Civil Procedure, so a Syrian judgment can only found a fresh suit in India. Syria is a party to the New York Convention. Syrian personal status law depends on religion, and a marriage performed in Syria is recognised in India if valid under the applicable law. For mixed Indian and Syrian families, wills and succession should be planned with each family member's nationality and residence in mind.

All services for clients in Syria

NRI Property Law

• Property Disputes
• Encroachment & Illegal Possession
• Partition of Family Property
• Buying & Selling Property
• Title Search & Due Diligence
• Tenant Eviction
• Builder Delay & RERA

Inheritance & Documents

• Wills & Probate
• Succession Certificate
• Mutation & Transfer
• Power of Attorney
• Apostille & Attestation

Cross-Border Family Law

• Divorce for NRIs
• International Child Custody
• Maintenance & Alimony
• Marriage Registration
• 498A & Dowry Case Defence
• OCI Card Issues

Doing Business in India

• Company Setup for Foreigners
• Indian Subsidiary Setup
• Branch & Liaison Office
• FDI & FEMA Compliance
• Trademark Protection in India
• Commercial Contracts
• Employment Law for Foreign Employers
• GST for Foreign Businesses
• Investing in Indian Startups
• Legal Advisory for NRI Investors

Disputes & Enforcement

• International Arbitration
• Enforcing Foreign Judgments
• Money Recovery from India
• Shareholder Disputes & NCLT
• Accident Compensation Claims
• Cyber & Investment Fraud
• Criminal Defence & Look Out Circulars

Cross-Border Tax & Money

• NRI Income Tax & DTAA
• TDS on Property Sale
• Repatriation of Funds
• FEMA Compliance for NRIs

Indian missions in Syria

The Embassy in Damascus has remained open and provides passport, consular and attestation services. Check its current procedures before planning a visit.

• Embassy of India, Damascus

Frequently asked questions