Citizenship interviews continue in Jal Agha, 700 applicants complete process

The second phase of the Syrian citizenship process for stateless Kurdish applicants is continuing at the Jal Agha centre in the Jazira region, following the completion of the review and verification of approved citizenship applications under Legislative Decree No. 13 of 2026.

At the beginning of July, the General Directorate of Civil Affairs at the Ministry of Interior launched this phase, which involves conducting in-person interviews with applicants through dedicated centres in Jal Agha, Hasakah, and two centres in Qamishlo.

The interview process is conducted through three specialized committees. It begins with a reception committee, which verifies each applicant's identity using the registration code assigned during the application process and confirms their attendance before referring them to the fingerprinting and photography committee.

Applicants then proceed to have a personal photograph taken and all ten fingerprints recorded before being referred to the interview committee, which consists of a judge and his assistants. The committee verifies the applicant's personal information and supporting documents before deciding whether to approve or reject the application. If approved, the applicant's details are immediately entered into the central database of the General Directorate of Civil Affairs.

The interviews are intended to verify the accuracy of the information provided, confirm the applicant's personal attendance, and complete the assessment of naturalisation files in accordance with the applicable legal and administrative procedures.

To streamline the process, the General Directorate of Civil Affairs has also launched an electronic application to schedule interview appointments, ensuring an orderly workflow and allowing each applicant to receive a pre-arranged interview date.

During a visit by ANHA agency to the Jal Agha centre, the supervisory committees said that approximately 3,600 applications have been scheduled for interviews. So far, interviews have been completed with between 600 and 700 applicants, representing around 30 families. The committees noted that some families did not attend their scheduled appointments and will be given another opportunity once the current phase of the process has been completed.

They added that, in an effort to accelerate the process, the number of applicants interviewed each day will be increased to between 40 and 60, with the interview phase expected to continue until the end of September.

ANHA