Beirut to Damascus- overland - no visa

Just FYI for those trying to go overland from Beirut to Damascus.

I thought I would try my luck and get a Syrian visa at the border. No such luck.
I do not hold a US passport, have not been to Israel, no Israel stamp. Syrian border control just said no. Simple as that.

$11 USD to get there. Passed Lebanon border. Crossed No Man's Land. Turned back at Syria border.
Found a ride back across No Man's Land, took 30 mins to "cancel" my Lebanon exit stamp.
Caught a bus back to Beirut for $11 USD.

Take it for what you will, my advice is to get your Visa in Beirut before you hop on the bus.

Sorry to hear you got sent back. I had heard /rumor-wise) that Syrian immigration was getting a bit strickter, but you are the first person I have actually heard from that was turned back.
You state that you do not hold a US passport. May I ask which nationality you do have ?

Syria requires people to get their Syrian visas in their home country (even if they're not currently living there) so it's not likely that anyone could get the visa in Beirut.

Residents of many European countries can get visas at the border with no problems. Residents of many others cannot. There have been reports by Australians who have been given visas and Australians who have been denied. Americans can't get visas at the border, after the recent rule change. Without knowing what passport you hold, your advice isn't very useful.

#2 is right; if you can't get a visa at the border you won't be able to get one in Beirut either.

It used to be possible (2009 last time i tried) to travel to Syria without visa for Americans. There were signs even at the border saying it couldn't be done. All you had to do was show up and be prepared to wait. I remember at the Syrian / Turkish border just walking around the border offices and actually watching the ending to independece day in an empty office. Sometimes it took up to 12 hours, but they let us.

As of right now. I just checked with the Syrian Embassy, you have to apply via the embassy here. (if you are a resident I think..) and they will get it to you in a month. It will cost 170 dollars.

If the below might be useful for anybody.

I had to exit Syria in order to get a new visa. I stayed in Syria since September 2010 and extended my visa twice: first time for a month and for two months the 2nd time. However, when I came to the immigration office in early January 2011 with my landlord, they told us that the regulations have changed and now we need al-3aqad or the contract - your landlord's presence as b4 won't suffice. And as I had little time to get the contract I had to exit the country. I chose Beirut as they told me it is closer and cheaper than Amman. I travelled on January, 8th.

First I went to the southern bus station which is called Sumeyriah. The taxi cost me 150 SP, though the meter showed only 100 SP, the driver insisted that there is a law stipulating that to go to this bus station you have to pay additional 50% to the amount on the meter. I hate taxi drivers!!!

Well, when I arrived at the bus station there was a shared taxi missing just one passenger which was me, so I didn't have to wait at all. It cost me 600 SP. We started out at 10am and 12:18 I was already in Beirut. So when you reach the Syrian border, first you need pay the exit fee which is different for different nationalities; I'm Russian and it was 550 SP for me. Then you proceed to the officer who will stamp your passport. The taxi driver will be there to help you anyway if you are confused. Next you need drive a few minutes to the Lebanese border: it took me some 10 min overall getting the visa. And if you plan to stay less than 72 hours, I guess it is free - not sure about this, but I didn't pay anything. So it is recommended that you bring some Syrian and Lebanese (any exchange in Damascus will have them; 1 SP = 33 LP) currencies with you.

Though the driver asked me back in Damascus where I wanted to go in Beirut and I wanted to go to the bus station in Charles Helou avenue, he didn't keep his promise and dropped on some road though thx God in Beirut itself. I had to get into a service minivan for 1000 or 2000 LP to get to the bus station. So buses to Damascus are only twice a day, one being in the morning and the other at 14:30. As it started raining and I was wet, cold and hungry I decided to come see Beirut some other time and to head back to Syria same day. The ticket cost me 500 SP or 17000 LP. But... I got on the wrong bus which was going to Aleppo. So be really careful and make sure that you make sure several times b4 you get on any bus that it is the right one. So after some 20 min when they started checking our tickets, they realized I was on the wrong bus. They told me to get off. It was raining cats and dogs, luckily I had brought with me an umbrella - recommended if u r travelling in winter months. I took a taxi back to the bus station and it cost me 8000 LP or 5 $. When I arrived at the bus station my bus had gone so I approached the lady who sold me the ticket and explained the situation. She was helpful and asked one of the shared-taxi drivers to take me. I had to pay additional 3000 LP (or 100 SP) as he charged 600 SP. I had to wait for an hour b4 he got his van full. The trip back was longer as there was mist and snow and near the Lebanese border they forced drivers to put metal chains on the wheels of their cars.

The border passing was quick. By the way, when exiting and entering both Syria and Lebanon the taxi driver will give you some form to fill in. At the Syrian border after paying for the visa if u already don't have one you proceed to the immigration officer who'll decide your fate. The visa fee for different nationalities is different. For Russians it is 20$, there was a Jap with me and he paid either 32 or 33 $. Anyways carry smaller US $ banknotes or even if you don't they will give you change in $. If you pay in SP, you might not get exact change or any change at all. And they gave me only 2 weeks and the Jap got a month. I call it unfair. Again the driver dropped me somewhere in Damascus quite away from the center, so I had to take a taxi to Bab Tuma.

Good luck.