How to get a Syrian certificate without travelling
Syria is the corridor of the great Brazilian diaspora: millions of Brazilians descend from Syrians — and the SIJIL MADANI (the Syrian civil registry, remarkably solid despite everything) keeps families across generations in the QAYD (the family record). Outside The Hague: the Syrian MFA chain plus the Brazilian embassy in Damascus (which stayed open through the decades — the rare link Brazil kept) closes it. The sworn translation from Arabic is the most established in the Brazilian market.
The sijil madani and the qayd
The Syrian registry is organised around the family QAYD: the whole family in one record, with the number that descendants keep across generations. The ikhraj qayd (the record extract) is the classic document — individual or family — and the basis of countless Syrian-Brazilian roots cases.
The war and the archives
The system survived better than expected: the directorates operate in the cities; the devastated zones have gaps that reconstitution and the central archives cover in part. An honest search says what exists — and the family's old qayd is often still there, waiting.
The typical route
Ikhraj qayd via an executor/wakala (consular for the diaspora — the Syrian embassy in Brasília draws it up) → the MFA chain in Damascus → the Brazilian embassy in Damascus → courier (5-10 days on the operating routes, via Beirut when needed) → sworn translation from Arabic in Brazil (the most available in the market).
The Syrian-Brazilian treasure is the qayd number: a family that keeps the record (village plus number) unlocks the extract in days — without it, searching by name at the directorates takes weeks. Ask the elders BEFORE starting: a grandfather's qayd number is worth more than any form.
Frequently asked questions
I am the grandchild of Syrians — does the qayd still exist?+
Probably yes — the sijil keeps records across generations. With the village of origin and the names, the search recovers the family's record; with the number, in days.
The Syrian embassy in Brazil?+
In Brasília — it draws up wakalas and guides the largest Syrian diaspora in the Americas. The rite is well-worn on both sides.
Informative content about request procedures. We do not cover citizenship or visa eligibility. Rules and amounts may change; always confirm before acting.