German passport, THY ticket already bought. Berlin embassy does not answer. A relative in Damascus said only family can file for me.

US, I went independent overland from Beirut. No company. Visa was $200 cash at the border, took about an hour both sides, whole Beirut to Damascus was under four hours in a shared van. Airlines are the part that get weird, not the stamp itself.

THY's own page said visa is paid in USD cash on arrival and most nationalities can enter. I would screenshot that and take it to the desk. Berlin going silent is normal, they are not going to write you a letter.

The relative saying only family can file is about who can stand in a ministry, not about whether the plane leaves. Two different problems.

People still tell US passports to go with a company so the gate agents stop arguing. I did not. RJ boarded me. Your THY ticket is probably the better of the two.