Major points about Lebanon visa requirements

If you are interested in architecture, ancient buildings, and Middle Eastern culture, one of the best countries you can visit is Lebanon. Almost 2 million people travel to Lebanon each year to discover its beauties. We guess many of our readers have plans to visit Lebanon. If you are one of those looking for information about the Lebanon visa policy, you are in the right place. In this blog, you will get answers to these questions: how to get Lebanon visa, how much is Lebanon visa, what are Lebanon visa requirements, which are Lebanon visa free countries, what is Lebanon visa policy, and the steps of Lebanon visa application, and more.

General information about Lebanon

Before discussing Lebanon visa requirements, visa process, and visa types (Lebanon visa on arrival, Lebanon tourist visa, Lebanon work visa), I would like to give some details about the country. Lebanon is located in the Middle East and is neighbor with Syria, Israel, and with Cyprus from the Mediterranean Sea. It covers 10,452 square km, and almost 7 million people live here. The capital and the most populated city of the country is Beirut. Approximately one-third of the total population lives here. When it comes to ethnic diversity, 95% of the residents are Arabs. The dominant religion in the country is Islam, as you can guess.

Lebanon visa policy

As you know, all countries have their visa standards and rules. These standards can change depending on your nationality. But in general, the visa application process and required documents are almost the same in all countries.

Tourists should get a visa before visiting Lebanon (only several countries are an exception). Even If you are transiting over Lebanon, you should get a visa, unless you are from a visa-exempt group. There are three different visas to travel to Lebanon: Lebanon visa on arrival, Lebanon tourist visa, Lebanon work visa. I will give detailed information about all of them below.

Lebanon short-term visa

If you want to visit Lebanon just for several days or weeks, you can apply for a Lebanon short-term visa. Lebanon tourist visa also included to Lebanon short-term visa. Short-term visas have three types: single, double, and multiple entries. Depending on the purpose of the visit, it can be valid for up to 6 months.

If a tourist visa is given by one of the Lebanese organizations located abroad, that visa will be granted under the director of the mission (the director who will write and sign the document will have information about it). Also, the paper should have an official seal to avoid the risk of fraud.

Another type of short-term visa is a Lebanon work visa. The application process for both of them is the same, but depending on your purpose of the visit, you will be required to give some extra documents.

How to get Lebanon visa? Same as in other country visas, you should answer Lebanon visa requirements to visit the country. First of all, you should give the documents listed below in the Lebanon visa application (you can get more detailed information about them in the visa policy section of our website).

• Application Form. Should fill in English and signed by the applicant (Parents should sign for people under 18)
• Passport. The passport should not be older than ten years and have a minimum of two free pages
• Photo. Should be taken within six months, with clear facial features and eyes, and the photo size should be 3.5x4.5
• ID Card Copy. Validity minimum of six months beyond the date of your departure from Lebanon
• Residence Permit/Visa Copy. Validity minimum of six months beyond the date of your departure from Lebanon
• Photocopies. You should give a copy of the main page of your passport, earlier visas, and visa for the final destination
• Travel Route. Name and complete address (street, city, zip code, contact information) of the place where you plan to stay. Also, you should have a copy of the ticket reservation
• Original Invitation Letter Sent by a Citizen. The letter has to present a document that guarantees he is Lebanese or a residence permit valid for three months at the least
• Proof of Occupation (Letter from Local Employer/Sponsor)
• Proof of Financial Means. A detailed account record
• A Private Insurance
• Some additional documents depending on your purpose of visit
• Extra documents for people under 18

Some extra requirements

Moreover, some people should receive prior permission from the Directorate-General of General. To get more details, please check the visa policy section on our website. Also, keep in mind to visit the official government website for updates.

• Citizens of the Republic of Lebanon holding a Laissez-Passer assigned by the Republic of Lebanon. Also, those who have been extradited to the Republic of Lebanon.
• Citizens of Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Philippines, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Taiwan, Tanzania, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, Vietnam, Zambia, and Zimbabwe
• Palestinian citizens, coming from Jordan
• Domestic workers and bodyguards of non-Lebanese/Diplomatic families (related to those who are not members of the Gulf Cooperation Council)
• Artists
• Foreigners that want to work
• People who are on the wanted list of Interpol or known as a terrorist
• The holders of the emergency passport
• Immigrants from Indonesia, Ghana, Sierra Leone, or Egypt require previous permission from the General Security Agency for Tourism.
• Citizens of Iraq holding visas issued by the Embassy of the Republic of Lebanon in Baghdad after 20 February 2007.
• Women who have before worked or are currently serving as artists or masseuses in the Republic of Lebanon (Irrespective of the time spent outside the Republic of Lebanon).

Lebanon visa on arrival

Besides short-term visas, some specific nationalities can get visas on arrival. How to get Lebanon visa? Tourists from those countries can receive the visa through two ways:

1. Applying for a visa in Lebanon embassies/consulates

2. Getting a Lebanon visa on arrival

You will get a one-month Lebanon, which may be extended for another two months at Beirut Airport or another port of entry or General Security Building. You will get the visa at Beirut International Airport or any other port of entry. How much is Lebanon visa? You will not pay any charge for this type. Some of the countries that may obtain an entry visa upon arrival are (they should not have an Israeli visa or a seal on their passport):

Andorra

Antigua and Barbuda

Argentina

Australia

Austria

Azerbaijan

Bahamas

Barbados

Belarus

Belgium

Belize

Bhutan

Brazil

Bulgaria

Canada

Chile

China

Costa Rica

Croatia

Cyprus

Czech Republic

Denmark

Dominican Republic

Estonia

Finland

France

Georgia

Germany

United Kingdom

Greece

Holland

Hong Kong (SAR)

Hungary

Iceland

Ireland

Italy

Japan

Kazakhstan

Iran

Kyrgyzstan

Latvia

Liechtenstein

Lithuania

Luxembourg

Macau (SAR)

Macedonia

Malaysia

Malta

Mexico

Moldova

Monaco

Montenegro

New Zealand

Norway

Panama

Paraguay

Peru

Poland

Portugal

Romania

Russia

Samoa

San Marino

Serbia

Singapore

Slovakia

Slovenia

South Korea

Spain

St. Kitts &Nevis

Sweden

Switzerland

Tajikistan

Turkmenistan

Ukraine

Uruguay

USA

Uzbekistan

Also, some other nationalities can receive a Lebanon visa on arrival under some circumstances (3 to 5-star hotel reservation and at least US$2,000 in cash).

Algeria

Comoros

Cote d’Ivoire

Djibouti

Egypt

Ghana

Iraq

Libya

Mauritania

Morocco

Nigeria

Somalia

Sudan

Tunisia

Yemen

Required documents for Lebanon visa on arrival

Lebanon visa application process, you will need to provide some personal information and valid documents. Those documents are:

• Passport. The passport should not be older than ten years and have a minimum of two free pages.
• Proof of Financial Sources. You can prove it with bank statements, cash, travelers' cheques, vouchers, and so on. 
• Travel information. It includes flight tickets, Accommodation confirmation/reservation, invitation letter by your host, and a valid phone number
• Some extra documents.

How much is Lebanon visa?

Lebanon visa cost changes between 17-70 USD depending on your nationality. Additionally, you may also need to pay other administrative fees such as the Visa Application Center fee, courier service fee, and so on. It varies depending on the country and location of your documents' submission. You can see more detailed information about Lebanon visa cost below:

• Single Entry Visa - 15 days to 6 months, 35 USD
• Double Entry Visa - 15 days to 6 months, 50 USD
• Multiple Entry Visa - three months or six months, 70 USD
• Work Visa - three months, 35 USD
• Transit - 48 hours to 15 days, 17 USD

What about the visa on arrival? There is no charge for the arrival visa valid for one month and one entry. The Lebanon visa cost (visa on arrival) is 17 USD for one entrance and valid for three months. It may vary depending on your nationality.

Lebanon visa free countries

Such as in other countries, some nationalities can visit Lebanon without applying for a visa ( up to six months within one year). Seven countries are on this list, and all of them are Arab countries. Lebanon visa free countries are Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates.