I suggest she call or email her sister-in-law or mother-in-law, tell them that she wants to make sure she fits in, and ask them what clothing to take. They will appreciate it tremendously, and if she does need a headcovering, they will likely have it available for her. I have a friend who married a man who is both Indian and Muslim. His mother has traditional clothing made for her for events that call for it. I think it's helped them bond.

She'll be fine. Syrians are very nice people & will treat your daughter well. They can distinguish between the US government & the American people and between the Syrian government & the Syrian people.

As we have no idea who your daughters inlaws and other family member are, I would suggest she ask her husband.

- Is your family traditional or secular?
- What am I to expect, greetings, clothing, food.
- What should I wear? Can wear?
- Make-up, jeans, other?
- Where will we be staying? Hotel, with family? Our own room? What about meals?
- Will be have time to ourselves?
- What gifts should we bring?
- etc, etc.

Many Syrians do not cover or are outwardly traditional; many are very western in dress. But I believe it's best to hear it direct from her husband; he should know his family, culture and what she should expect. And, also make her feel comfortable about this visit.

As long as your daughter isn't representing the US government, Americans are welcomed warmly.

women have no RIGHTS in Syria and she is subject to her husband's command.

That includes her leaving the country at will. She cannot make that choice without har husband's consent.

She will be a virtual prisoner if her husband wishes her to stay indefinitely without any way to leave.

Syria is both a fascist and anarchiadal society. They survive in the tribal ways....

Just curious Gene1414, where and when did you get this information? Of what social class are you speaking? What type of Moslem? Rural or urban?

Unlike the State Department travel warning for Kenya which basically states Americans should be aware of security threats but does not recommend not traveling to Kenya; the State Dept warning for Syria states "the Department continues to urge U.S. citizens to defer all non-essential travel to Syria".

I believe you will be safer than the average American because you are traveling with your Husband but you should be aware this is a strong travel warning.

Frankval - I strongly urge you to read the State Department Consular Information Sheet on Syria.

A few highlights: Although her husband cannot explicitly forbid her from leaving the country, he can obtain a court order to the same effect even if the wife is an American citizen. The American Embassy will not interfere once there is a court order.

Also, If her husband is between 18-45 and has not served in the Syrian Military, he is likely to be conscripted while there. This applies even if he has dual citizenship or even if he never lived in Syria but his father is Syrian - he will be considered as Syrian. The way to get around it is to have the Syrian Embassy or Consulate IN THE US give him a written exemption before he travels. Once there it is too late. It may be possible for him to buy his way out once there.

Any kids going along? They will be considered Syrian. If kids are over 18, the above applies.

Staying more than 15 days? Will have to register with Syrian immigration and likely take an AIDS test.

Paranoid? Only if it isn't true.

"Staying more than 15 days? Will have to register with Syrian immigration and likely take an AIDS test."
interesting. where did you get this information? have you actually been to syria lately? i have, and i can tell you that the 15 days rule is no longer true, (and i have not heard of any traveler being reqd to get an aids test.) although the stamps at the airport still say 15 days, you can now - and have been allowed to for a while - stay 30 days without getting an extension, and there is certainly no medical testing involved.

The 15 day info comes from the State Department's Consular Information Sheet on Syria dated 4/2007. There was another travel source that added the part about the AIDS test after 15 days, but the CIS says the AIDS test is applicable if one is requesting residence. Perhaps registering with the immigration authority is considered requesting residence - I really don't know but taking an AIDS test and did use the word "likely" rather than "must," but an AIDS test is really not a big deal. The other caveats are important to consider.

Check this out, very informative.
http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/06/24/travel/24Syria.html

Great article eag.

I have no immediate plans for Syria, but it's on the back burner so I'm posting to bookmark this thread. This is a fascinating discussion.

basingstoke2 - Thanks for the clarification...sorry to hear that the State Department has still not updated their information on the 15 days (their information is wrong). Applying for residency is very different than asking for a visa extension, however, as much as I enjoyed my travels there I definitely wasn't looking to become a Syrian resident so can't speak to what is involved in that process

Or it could simply be that 15 days is still what is official and the extension is the unofficial practice. In that case, the State department can only give out the official line. It wouldn't be the first time that laws on the books are bent or not enforced. By keeping the 15 days on the books they can enforce it if it suits their purpose - or not. We do that all the time.

well, not to nit pick, but according to the syrian authorities, the official practice is now 30 days, and not 15...

Does the stamp at the airport still say 15 days? Not wishing to be argumetative, my only point is that leaving something on the books that is not enforced or differently enforced still gives a government leeway to "go by the book" when it suits their purpose.

Don't you find it interesting that gene1414 hasn't responded to my request for the source of his information?

basingstoke2-

All I know is that the men in the uniforms in Syria say that it is now 30 days, and they will not extend your visa at day 15, they will not even make a notation in your passport that you attempted to prematurely extend, and you will (currently) be told to come back on day 29 or day 30 to extend. Anyone traveling there should obviously confirm this upon arrival. As I mentioned, yes, the stamps still say 15 days, which is why people are still making pointless trips to the immigration office to have their visas extended. Whether this is sheer laziness on the part of the government not to change the stamps or part of a master plot to throw tourists in the slammer, I don't know

Now, if the point you are making is that the Syrian government might arbitrarily enforce laws, their visa policies, etc - with this I am in 100% agreement. I still wouldn't make a pointless trip down to the immigration office though.

Well I guess we will just differ about that. If my visa says 15 days I will take what is in writing over what I am told and make that "pointless" trip to the immigration office. The inconvenience is worth it to me not to give the authorities pretext on that account although I am not naive enough to believe that if they wanted to give me a hard time for whatever reason they would not need a pretext. Different strokes for....

by all means, prematurely extend away! (i can completely understand why people would make "pointless" trips. I, however, am not one of those people if a man in uniform tells me something.) I'm not providing this information for the person that will never, ever go there, but it is most certainly useful information for anyone that might actually go, and will stay more than 15 days as I did. If you recall, you originally stated that someone would need to get an AIDS test if they wanted to stay more than 15 days. I was not comfortable not correcting this misstatement.

I've outlived my usefulness on this thread so I'm bowing out now....

Just to clarify any confusion over AIDS testing in Syria, according to AIDSNET, testing is required of anyone applying for residency including work or study and of anyone extending an existing permit. A positive test results in denial of the application and expulsion from the country. If as the State Department and Visa stamp says, the permit is for 15 days, then anytime after that would be an extension. If for 30 days, then after that and so on. Regulation and enforcement are often two different things.

Getting back to the beginning, my responce to Frankval was primarily as an alert that the husband can get a court order for the wife not to leave, and once ordered, the State Department says it will not interfere, even if the wife is an American Citizen. That is not to say that such an order is easy to get or not or for that matter that the State Department means what it says about non-interference. Also there is the bit about possible military obligations that may apply. Important to know if it does.

Bowing out of this thread too.

I would love to Thank each one you for all your help and suggestions.

EAG: Its funny you sent this, as my daughter sent me the same site to read..

I have written to the Damascus US Embassy and asked questions to them. I am waiting for the answers.

Again Thank you so much

Jean