Accounts and pages on social media circulated a post whose publishers claimed that Syria's new ID card was about to be issued at the end of September 2026, with current ID cards to be replaced before the end of this year. The post included details indicating that the issuing process would be completed within a single day, that the card would contain a barcode and an electronic chip for use in official transactions and banks, and that legal accountability would be imposed on anyone who failed to replace their card.
The fact-checking team verified the circulating report by reviewing what has been issued by the Civil Affairs Directorate and the bodies concerned with civil status records, along with what local media have published. It emerged that these reports are untrue: no official announcement has been issued confirming the launch of the new ID card at the end of this September, or the replacement of all current cards before the end of the year, or the imposition of any legal accountability in this regard.
Previous official clarifications likewise contained no confirmation of the circulating details about completing the issuance within a single day, or about the card containing a barcode and an electronic chip for the stated use.
Why is this claim false?
Invented administrative decisions: The claim rested on unofficial dates and technical details about the launch of Syria's new ID card, its replacement mechanism and its specifications, without relying on any official decision issued by the bodies concerned.
