Moving to United States from Syria

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Syria to United States — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Syria to United States, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Washington averages 66°F vs 78°F in Damascus, making it significantly cooler.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Syria to United States, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
4,250 ↑ 35% vs 2022

people moved from Syria to United States · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to United States?

Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Syria and United States stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

SY
2.1
US
6.4
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

SY
29.9
US
14.2

Syria generally does better on safety, though United States leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

SY
$122
US
$13,473
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

SY
11.9
US
36.1

Syria generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

SY
83.0
US
14.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

SY
1.3t
US
13.6t

Syria generally does better on environment, though United States leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

SY
7.3
US
37.8
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

SY
124.4%
US
28.2%

United States performs significantly better than Syria across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

SY
13.5%
US
3.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

SY
$2,900
US
$73,600

United States generally does better on employment & economy, though Syria leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

SY
74.3 yrs
US
80.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

SY
15.9
US
5.2

United States performs significantly better than Syria across all family life metrics.

Data: Ministry of Finance, Syria, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Damascus Rain: 5.3 in/yr (134 mm)
78° / 47°F

Avg. annual high / low

Washington Rain: 41.5 in/yr (1055 mm)
66° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Damascus Washington
Jan–Mar 60°/35°F (15°/2°C) 48°/28°F (9°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 85°/51°F (29°/11°C) 75°/51°F (24°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 96°/60°F (35°/15°C) 85°/62°F (29°/17°C)
Oct–Dec 70°/40°F (21°/5°C) 57°/35°F (14°/2°C)
View all months
Month Damascus Washington
Jan 55°/33°F (12.6°/0.4°C) 42°/24°F (5.8°/-4.5°C)
Feb 59°/34°F (14.8°/1.3°C) 46°/26°F (8.0°/-3.3°C)
Mar 66°/39°F (18.9°/3.7°C) 56°/33°F (13.1°/0.5°C)
Apr 76°/45°F (24.5°/7.0°C) 67°/42°F (19.3°/5.6°C)
May 85°/51°F (29.7°/10.5°C) 75°/51°F (23.9°/10.7°C)
Jun 94°/58°F (34.2°/14.2°C) 84°/61°F (28.8°/16.1°C)
Jul 98°/62°F (36.5°/16.9°C) 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.6°C)
Aug 97°/62°F (36.2°/16.5°C) 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.9°C)
Sep 92°/55°F (33.4°/13.0°C) 79°/56°F (26.3°/13.5°C)
Oct 82°/48°F (28.0°/8.9°C) 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.6°C)
Nov 69°/39°F (20.3°/4.0°C) 58°/35°F (14.2°/1.8°C)
Dec 58°/34°F (14.2°/1.3°C) 46°/27°F (7.8°/-2.7°C)

Data: Ministry of Defence Meteorological Department Ministry of Defence Meteorological Department, National Weather Service National Weather Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Syria and United States. To live, work, or study long-term in United States, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United States's immigration authority.

Syria passport

Syria passport holder visiting United States

Visa Required
Syria passport holders need a visa to enter United States.
United States passport

United States passport holder visiting Syria

Visa Online (e-Visa)
United States passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Syria.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from United States?

With 37.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, United States can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Syria and United States.

Is United States safe for expats?

Syria generally does better on safety, though United States leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in United States is 6.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.1 in Syria.

How is healthcare in United States compared to Syria?

Syria generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 36.1 doctors per 10,000 people in United States, compared to 11.9 in Syria. United States scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Syria: 64).

What's the weather like in United States compared to Syria?

The average high temperature in Washington is 66°F, compared to 78°F in Damascus. Washington receives around 41.5 in of rainfall per year, while Damascus gets 5.3 in.

What language do they speak in United States?

The official language in United States is English. In Syria, the official language is Arabic.

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At a Glance

SY US
Population 21,563,800 337,341,954
Currency Syrian Pound (SYP) United States Dollar ($)
Languages Arabic English
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +963 +1
Time zones 1 11
Emergency number 911