GitHub Access for Syrian Developers After Sanctions Relief Announcement

[mar-rih]

Hi GitHub Team and Community,

Today, President Trump officially announced the removal of U.S. sanctions previously applied on Syria. This is a significant step that could potentially open access for Syrian developers and tech professionals to platforms and services like GitHub, which were previously restricted due to OFAC regulations.

I’d like to ask:

1. When can we expect GitHub to lift the current restrictions and bans for users in Syria?

2. Are there any steps that the Syrian government or individual Syrian developers need to take to regain legal access to GitHub's full services?

3. Will GitHub issue a public update or guidance regarding these changes soon?

Many talented engineers and open-source contributors in Syria are eager to rejoin the global tech community and collaborate legally. We appreciate any clarity or timelines you can provide.

Thank you for your time and support.

Best regards,
A Syrian Developer

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[mar-rih]

I’d appreciate an official update or guidance from GitHub staff like @github or @githubsupport on this topic.

[shinybrightstar]

Hi @mar-rih

Thank you for reaching out.

We understand the importance of clarity around the recent changes related to sanctions affecting Syrian developers. A response from a GitHub staff has been provided in this post.

[mar-rih]

Hi @shinybrightstar

Thank you for addressing this topic in other threads, I’m grateful to see GitHub is engaging on the issue.

I had opened this thread earlier and it gained significant community interest (50+ interactions), but we haven’t received any response yet. Could you please provide an update here as well?

Specifically:

Is there an estimated timeline (ETA) for removing the current GitHub restrictions and bans on users in Syria?

Are there any required actions from the Syrian government, or steps that developers in Syria should take to accelerate this process or ensure access is restored legally?

We really appreciate GitHub’s attention to this matter and hope to see full access restored soon so Syrian developers can rejoin the global open-source community.

[mar-rih]

Hi is there any update or answer for my questions
cc @github @githubsupport

[abdullatif-tech]

Hi is there any update or answer for the question
cc @githubsupport

[rharoub]

Hello, we haven't got any response from you yet ? @githubsupport @github

[AHMAD-KANJO]

Any update @githubsupport https://github.com/github

[mar-rih]

Hi @mar-rih

Thank you for reaching out.

We understand the importance of clarity around the recent changes related to sanctions affecting Syrian developers. A response from a GitHub staff has been provided in this post.

Hi GitHub team

Recent U.S. actions eliminated the country-wide Syria program and relaxed export controls while keeping list-based controls in place:

• (1) OFAC removed the Syrian Sanctions Regulations (31 CFR part 542), effective Aug 26, 2025;
• (2) BIS issued the Final Rule “Relaxing Export Controls for Syria” (FR Doc 2025-16724), amending EAR §746.9, removing General Order No. 2, creating License Exception SPP for EAR99, and adding Syria to CCD—with Part 744 end-user/end-use and SDN screening still applying;
• (3) all of this implements E.O. 14312.

Given this shift, what are GitHub’s next steps and timeline to move from blanket geoblocking to list-based screening and restore access for non-designated Syrian developers?

https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2025-16724.pdf

[mar-rih]

@shinybrightstar
Hi is there any update or answer for the question

[mar-rih]

cc @github @githubsupport

[MohammadTabbaa]

It is Finally Happenning !

[ahmadalwareh]

Thank you guys for all the work done here!

[KaloudasDev]

Hi @mar-rih and everyone following this thread,

This is an incredibly important and timely topic, and it’s great to see so much engagement from the community.

From a legal and compliance standpoint, you're absolutely right — the recent U.S. actions represent a significant shift in export control policy toward Syria. The combination of:

1. OFAC’s removal of the Syrian Sanctions Regulations (31 CFR Part 542)
2. BIS’s final rule (FR Doc 2025-16724) creating a new License Exception SPP and including Syria in License Exception CCD
3. The revocation of General Order No. 2
4. The implementation of E.O. 14312

…all signal a move from blanket, country-wide restrictions to a more nuanced, list-based control system (e.g., SDNs, MEUs, military end-use/end-users per 15 CFR Part 744).

What this means for GitHub:

GitHub, as a U.S.-based company, has to ensure strict compliance with OFAC and BIS regulations. Now that the country-wide restrictions have been lifted, the next steps will likely involve:

• Transitioning from IP-based geoblocking to user-level due diligence (e.g., screening for SDNs or other restricted parties).
• Updating internal export compliance policies to reflect the new License Exception SPP and CCD applicability.
• Engaging with legal counsel and regulators to ensure any re-enablement of access does not risk violating residual export controls.

Expected Timeline?

While there's no public ETA yet, based on similar historical policy transitions (e.g. for Cuba, Iran, Sudan), companies like GitHub usually need:

• A few weeks to months to review the final rule
• Time to implement compliance screening systems
• Legal sign-off before restoring services

What Syrian Developers Can Do Now:

• Stay patient — things are moving in the right direction.
• Avoid creating new accounts via VPNs, as this could complicate future access verification.
• Do not attempt to bypass restrictions manually — once GitHub updates its policies, full access will likely be restored for eligible users not on restricted lists.

This community’s persistence and professionalism have absolutely helped bring visibility to this issue. Let’s hope we see an official GitHub announcement or policy update soon 🙏

Happy to help track and interpret any further developments from OFAC, BIS, or GitHub.

[mar-rih]

Hi @KaloudasDev and @mlinksva — thanks for the detailed compliance context. One clarification:

On Sept 4, 2025, GitHub publicly announced it is enabling broader access in Syria, restoring private/paid features and GitHub Copilot, with changes “underway and expected to reach accounts within the next week.” Could you reconcile this with the earlier message suggesting no public ETA and that changes may take weeks to months? ([The GitHub Blog]1)

Concretely:

1. Are private repos, Actions/Packages/Pages, and Copilot actively rolling out now? If so, what’s the rollout window you’re targeting? ([The GitHub Blog]1)
2. Is GitHub moving from country IP geoblocking to list-based screening (e.g., SDN / 15 CFR Part 744 end-use/end-user)?
3. If a Syrian user still sees restrictions this week, what’s the appeals / verification path?
4. Any residual carve-outs we should expect (e.g., specific ECCNs or sensitive end-uses) under the BIS final rule?

Appreciate any concrete next steps and timeline you can share.

[KaloudasDev]

Hi @mar-rih, really great questions, and thank you for calling this out.

You're absolutely right to point out the apparent shift. My earlier response was based on the typical legal and operational timelines companies like GitHub tend to follow during major sanctions transitions. At the time, no public announcement had been made, and legal implementation of the BIS/OFAC changes had only just taken effect.

However, GitHub’s official announcement on September 4 signals that they were already preparing behind the scenes, likely in coordination with legal counsel and regulatory guidance, and are now actively rolling out restored access. So to clarify:

Yes, the rollout is happening now

According to GitHub’s blog post, access to:

• Private repositories
• GitHub Copilot
• GitHub Actions, Packages, Pages
• (and likely other developer tools)

...is being restored gradually, with full access expected to reach eligible accounts within a week from the announcement (so by around Sept 11–12).

Transition from IP geoblocking → List-based screening

Yes, GitHub is moving away from blanket country-based restrictions toward targeted compliance screening, likely based on:

• OFAC’s Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list
• BIS’s 15 CFR Part 744 (military end-use/end-user) restrictions
• Remaining ECCN controls (e.g., encryption, dual-use tech)

This shift aligns with the changes implemented via E.O. 14312 and the BIS final rule (FR Doc 2025-16724).

Still blocked? Here's what to do:

If a user in Syria is still facing restrictions after September 12, I’d recommend:

1. Contacting GitHub Support directly
2. Providing:
   • Your GitHub username
   • A note explaining you're located in Syria and still blocked
   • Any relevant screenshots or error messages (if applicable)

They will likely have a verification or appeals process to confirm your eligibility (i.e., not on a restricted list).

Any carve-outs still in place?

Yes, some services may remain partially restricted for users who:

• Appear on the SDN or MEU lists
• Engage in restricted end-uses under 15 CFR §744
• Use features subject to strict ECCNs (e.g., strong encryption or sensitive AI)

But for the vast majority of developers in Syria not on any restricted list, GitHub is restoring full access.

[mar-rih]

Hi, thanks for the clear update, really appreciate the transparency.

To help Syrian developers (myself included) get unblocked smoothly, could you confirm the following:

1. Orgs & billing: For orgs that previously restricted Syrian members, is there an org-level switch or a ticket template to re-enable access and reactivate billing?

2. Policy/status comms: Will you publish an updated sanctions/trade-controls policy or a status page we can reference when opening tickets?

Happy to pilot, share screenshots, and report back once access is restored.

Thanks again.

[HasanMothaffar]

@KaloudasDev My account is still restricted. I have contacted support but they haven't responded yet. Some of friends are still restricted too.

[RedWn]

@KaloudasDev Hi, I've submitted a ticket to support but my ticket was ignored and I am still restricted.

[YashSmithh]

Following U.S. sanctions relief, GitHub now grants Syrian developers full access to public and private repositories, including premium services like Copilot. This update aligns with eased export restrictions, enabling Syrian developers to collaborate globally, contribute to open-source projects, and advance skills without previous legal or platform limitations.