Syria sanctions and money transfers in 2026: what was lifted and what remains
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"Is it even allowed to send money to Syria?" For years the honest answer was "it's complicated". Since the end of 2024 most of the sanctions that made it hard have been lifted, but not all of them. Here is what changed, in order, and what it means for sending money to family.
Checked against official sources (US Treasury/OFAC, the Federal Register, the Council of the EU, the UK Treasury and FATF) on 28 September 2026. This is general information, not legal advice.
What was lifted
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| 6 Jan 2025 | The US issues General License 24, explicitly authorising personal remittances to Syria. |
| 6 Mar 2025 | The UK unfreezes the Central Bank of Syria. |
| 23 May 2025 | The US issues General License 25, authorising most transactions with Syria. |
| 28 May 2025 | The EU lifts its economic sanctions on Syria. |
| June 2025 | The first international transfer through SWIFT since the war is completed. |
| 30 Jun 2025 | US Executive Order 14312 ends the US Syria sanctions programme. |
| 18 Dec 2025 | The Caesar Act is repealed. |
| 24 Aug 2026 | The US rescinds Syria's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism. |
What is still in place
- The FATF "grey list". The Financial Action Task Force kept Syria under increased monitoring at its June 2026 review.
- The EU list of high-risk third countries for money laundering and terrorist financing. Banks and payment companies in the EU must apply enhanced due diligence to transactions involving Syria.
- Targeted listings: individuals and entities remain sanctioned by name in the US, and EU listings tied to the former regime run to 1 June 2027. US export controls also still apply.
- FinCEN's special measure on the Commercial Bank of Syria, softened by the May 2025 relief but not removed.
So the accurate summary is: most restrictions have been lifted, not all.
What this means when you send money
- Sending money to your family is legal from the EU, the UK, the US and Canada, as long as the recipient isn't a sanctioned person.
- Expect checks. Because of the grey list and the EU high-risk list, regulated services have to verify who you are and may ask where the money comes from or who it's for. That's the law working as intended, and not a sign that something is wrong.
- Use a service that does those checks. A regulated service that verifies identities and screens transfers protects you as well: it gives you records and a company that is accountable for your money.
How 7awel handles it
7awel verifies every customer's identity, screens transfers against sanctions lists, and keeps records as the law requires. Its operating entity is registered with FINTRAC (Canada) as a Money Services Business (registration N300001850) and works with licensed partners in the markets it serves. Your family collects US dollars in cash at more than 200 pickup points across Syria.
Read next: the ways to send money to Syria in 2026.