(MENAFN- The Peninsula) The Syrian embassy run by the country's national opposition here has stopped renewing expired passports of Syrian expatriates.
The move follows directives from the Syrian National Coalition (SNC) leaders who decided that the passport renewal initiative was illegal.
"There could be legal hassles. Those with passports renewed by the embassy in Doha could face imprisonment overseas for three to eight years," said Khaled Khoja. Only Qatar recognises the renewal, he added.
Head of the Syrian National Opposition based in Istanbul, Turkey, Khoja said they were now working to issue temporary travel documents to Syrians abroad through the United Nations.
The Syrian National Coalition announced recently it would renew those passports of Syrians in Qatar that had expired after six years but were valid for four-year renewal.
Last Thursday, the embassy here, in fact, accepted 21 applications for renewal and turned back many aspirants since their passports had outlived their 10-year validity.
Syrian passports are issued for six years and can be renewed for another four years, after which the holder must apply for fresh passport.
Khoja told reporters and Syrian media activists in Istanbul that only Qatar had recognised the validity extension stickers the Syrian embassy in Doha was putting on expired Syrian passports. "This means that the holders of these passports could not travel out of Qatar."
Khoja said they had sent a message to the embassy in Doha to immediately stop renewing expired passports of Syrian expatriates. "It was an illegal act."
According to Khoja, the National Coalition is talking to Germany to coordinate with the UN so that temporary travel documents could be issued to Syrians overseas.
"Like how Iraqis who were based abroad were issued such documents in 2003. We are trying to do a similar thing," Khoja told reporters in the Turkish city.
Talks with Germany were still going on led by Riyad Hijab, the former prime minister of the Syria under President Bashar Al Assad who defected in 2012, said Khoja, alaraby.co.uk, the website of London-based Arabic daily, Alaraby Al Jadeed, reported.
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