Middle East and North Africa

Visas

 

British nationals should obtain a visa before travelling to Libya. Passports showing previous travel to Israel are not accepted for travel to Libya.

On 1 December 2008, the Libyan Government introduced a new biometric visa system. This requires visa-applicants to visit the Libyan People’s Bureau to give their fingerprints and submit the required documents and passport photos. Multiple entry visas are available for business people, but must be requested on application. Tour groups may be able to arrange through their tour agency to receive visas on arrival in Libya (i.e. without visiting the People’s Bureau). However they should check with their tour agency whether this is possible. For further information on entry requirements and biometric visas, you are advised to check with the Libyan People’s Bureau in London.

On 11 November 2007, the Libyan authorities reimposed a requirement for all travellers entering (and including those re-entering) the country to have an Arabic transcript of their passport’s details page. You can obtain a stamp in your passport, which provides the format for this transcript, from the Identity and Passport Service. UK travel authorities cannot provide the Arabic transcript itself. You should obtain this from a reputable translator, who will provide an accurate and legible transcript. The translator must stamp their translation. You should then submit your passport, containing the stamps and the transcript, to the Libyan People's Bureau in London, in order to obtain a visa. Transcripts on a separate piece of paper are not acceptable to the Libyan authorities. If you travel without the correct transcript in your passport, you may not be able to enter the country.

 
There is a requirement for all travellers to Libya to carry with them $1,000 (or equivalent in another currency) on entry to the country. While the law is seldom enforced, individuals have occasionally been turned back on arrival for failing to carry this sum.

Passport validity

 

Passports should have at least six months' remaining validity.

 

Registering with the Libya authorities

 

All tourists and short stay visitors must register their passports with the police within one week of arrival. This is usually arranged by the company you are visiting or the local travel agency you are travelling with. A fee of LD 10-15 is usually charged for this. Failure to comply with this requirement may lead to you being fined when you come to leave the country.