Around 35,000 Syrian cars are in Jordan — Interior Ministry

AMMAN — Around 35,000 cars with Syrian licence plates are currently in the Kingdom, according to Interior Ministry figures.

Ministry Spokesperson Ziyad Zu’bi told Al Rai Arabic daily in a report published Saturday that authorities no longer allow Syrian cars to enter Jordan under a decision issued by the Council of Ministers last year.

Zu’bi said the Interior Ministry’s regulations for the renewal and expansion of temporary entry for Syrian cars only allow the entry of vehicles belonging to investors, teaching staff at local universities, Christian and Muslim religious leaders, and international missions.

The investor should be in possession of an investor card, while university faculty members should provide a formal letter from their universities, Al Rai quoted the official as saying.

He added that owners of cars which had entered the country before this decision were given a three-month grace period to rectify their status.

Violating cars, Zu’bi added, will be fined under special procedures by the Central Traffic Department and the Jordan Customs Department.

Meanwhile, the Interior Ministry has issued 685,000 service cards and 151,000 security cards for Syrians, Al Rai reported.

Regarding the service cards, Zu’bi said that the ministry is still presenting them to all Syrians to facilitate their transportation, residence and work, in addition to facilitating their receiving health and education services.

Zu’bi said the security card includes the personal information of its carrier while the service cards are issued to ease movement, residency and work procedures for all Syrians.