Guide to importing and trading with Syria
After years of isolation there are real opportunities with Europe, the USA and China. But international trade has its own language, paperwork and rules. This guide covers the basics that protect you from the expensive mistakes.
1.Incoterms — who pays for what, and where risk changes hands
Incoterms are three-letter rules that decide where the seller's job ends and yours begins. Choosing the wrong one is the most common and most expensive mistake a new importer makes.
- • EXW — you collect from the seller's door. Cheapest on paper, most work for you.
- • FOB — the seller loads at their port; freight and insurance are yours.
- • CIF — the seller pays freight and insurance to your port, not to your door.
- • DDP — delivered, duties paid, to your address. Simplest, and what most of our clients want.
2.The paperwork a real shipment needs
Customs anywhere reads documents, not intentions. A missing or sloppy document is what turns a two-week shipment into a two-month one.
- • Commercial invoice — real values, real description, seller and buyer details.
- • Packing list — pieces, weights, dimensions, what is in which box.
- • Certificate of origin — where the goods were actually made.
- • HS code — the tariff classification that decides your duty rate.
- • Airway bill or bill of lading — the transport contract and your title to the goods.
3.How to vet a supplier before you pay
The fastest way to lose money in international trade is a supplier who looks legitimate on a website. Verification is a process, not a feeling.
- • Check company registration, VAT/EIN number and how long the domain has existed.
- • Ask for a proforma invoice with full company details and bank details that match the company name.
- • Never pay to a personal account, and never pay 100% up front on a first order.
- • Ask for an inspection or use an agent on the ground — we do this for clients.
4.Paying abroad from Syria
Most foreign sellers cannot receive a payment from Syria at all. This is not a pricing problem, it's an access problem — and it's exactly the gap we fill.
- • We pay the seller with our own cards, PayPal or bank transfer from abroad.
- • You settle with us locally, in the currency and method that works for you.
- • One invoice covers goods, freight, customs and delivery — no surprises.
5.Choosing air, sea or cargo
The right mode depends on value per kilo, urgency and volume — not on habit.
- • Air express — small, urgent, high value per kilo.
- • Air economy — the same route, slower, noticeably cheaper.
- • Sea LCL — a few cubic metres shared in a container.
- • Sea FCL — your own container, best cost per kilo at volume.
Want someone to walk the file with you? Send us the supplier's offer and we'll tell you the true landed cost into Syria and the documents you need.
Contact usFrequently asked questions
Do Syrian forwarders offer a buy-for-me service?
Almost none. Classic forwarders move freight that you already own; buying on your behalf requires foreign cards, PayPal and foreign bank accounts plus someone who can talk to the seller. That is exactly what Ish7anli has done since 2018.
Can I buy from Amazon or eBay and receive it in Syria?
Yes. Send us the link, we buy it with our accounts, receive it in our warehouse, consolidate it with anything else you ordered and ship it to your door in Syria.
We're a company importing for the first time. Where do we start?
Start with the Incoterm and the paperwork, not the price. Send us the supplier's offer and we'll tell you what it really costs landed in Syria, what documents you need, and what to change before you sign.
How do I know a shipping company here is credible?
Ask three things: how many years have you operated, can you show me the documents you'll issue, and who pays if the goods are lost. A company that answers all three clearly is worth talking to.
Do you deliver to my door inside Syria?
Yes — door-to-door delivery across Syria, with tracking and a written update at each step.