Turkey has witnessed an acceleration in the return of Syrians residing there since December 8, 2024. According to data from the Directorate General of Migration Management at the Turkish Ministry of Interior, 411,649 Syrians have so far returned to their homeland.
The Directorate General of Migration Management announced, Thursday, August 14, that the total number of Syrians who have voluntarily returned since 2016 has exceeded 1,151,000, amid ongoing efforts to ensure a safe, dignified, and orderly return process, in coordination between the Directorate and all relevant authorities.
Among the main centers for carrying out return procedures is the “Voluntary Return Coordination Center” in the Arnavutköy complex in Istanbul.
A day earlier, a convoy consisting of five buses and two trucks departed from the Cilvegözü border crossing in Hatay to facilitate the return of 214 Syrian refugees, who had completed their procedures at the Sarıçam Temporary Accommodation Center, according to the Directorate General of Migration Management.
This process encompasses all stages of return, from registration procedures to organizing transportation and receiving returnees in a manner that preserves their dignity, as outlined by the Directorate General of Migration Management.
Temporary Protection
The number of Syrians under temporary protection in Turkey peaked in 2021 at 3.73 million, before decreasing to 2.55 million as of August 7, 2025.
According to the Directorate General of Migration Management, the Turkish provinces hosting the largest numbers of Syrians under temporary protection are Istanbul with 446,000 refugees, and Gaziantep with 355,000 refugees.
Half a Million in the First Half of 2025
More than 485,000 Syrians returned to Syria during the first half of 2025 from neighboring countries as part of the voluntary return process to Syria, according to the Director of Public Relations at the General Authority for Land and Sea Border Crossings, Mazen Alloush.
The border crossings have also witnessed the return of tens of thousands of Syrians residing outside neighboring countries, who decided to return permanently and settle in Syria again, benefiting from a package of facilitations approved by the General Authority for Land and Sea Border Crossings, in addition to services provided at the border crossings, according to what Alloush stated, Thursday, July 3.
According to the Director of Public Relations at the General Authority for Land and Sea Border Crossings, the Authority’s staff continue to work around the clock to receive returnees and provide hospitality services, including facilitating the swift and smooth completion of their paperwork, providing free transportation within the crossings, and exempting them from any fees on their luggage or household furniture.
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