
Libya Visa
Please check our Libyan visa update: New Libyan Visa Law.
"You need to choose a Libyan
Tour Operator to obtain an
invitation
letter
before you can apply for the Libya Visa."
Libya visa was very difficult to secure in the past, as Libya
itself was closed to the outside world. But now, after the Libyan
government has relaxed its restrictions on tourism and foreign
visitors, it receives about 300,000 Libya tourist visa applications
a year. This figure is expected to rise in the coming years,
as US-Libya trade and business relations have improved in recent
times and, as a result, more companies and trade delegations
are visiting Libya and showing serious interest in doing business
with Libya.
Because of these recent
changes, the authorities have begun to speed up the Libya visa
process for both individuals and groups travelling with approved
Libyan tour operators. The visa can be obtained from the Libyan
embassy or can be issued at
the border or the airport on arrival. However, recent laws have
imposed restriction on visas for individuals or groups less than
five tourists. This restriction does not apply to VIP, business
or mission visas.
Libya Visas are granted for the following purposes:
Official mission, business, VIP, tourism, transit, or
accompanying a resident. The Libya entry visa is valid for
30 days beginning from the day of issue, and it will allow
you (as a tourist) to stay for one month. But if you wish
to stay for longer, then it can be renewed. Libya business
visa is valid either for six, three or one months.
Libya Visa For Arab Nationals:
All Arab nationals, with the exception of those from the Maghreb,
need to apply to the Libyan embassy for a Libya visa. We
are not allowed to provide tourist visas for Arab nationals.
Libya Visa For Africans & Asians:
Libyan tour operators currently are not allowed to issue visas
for Africans and Asians (except
Japanese and South Koreans). Citizens from these countries
need to apply directly to the Libyan embassy for a Libyan
visa. Please do not ask us for an invitation letter if you
are from one of these countries. The African
and Asian restriction is in place because the Libyan
system was abused by organised traffickers to smuggle illegal
immigrants into Europe via Libya. They enter Libya as tourists,
then either stay and work in Libya, or pay to get smuggled
into Europe, mostly via Italy and Malta. The Italian and
Libyan governments are currently working on a joint project
to install state of the art equipment along the entire Libyan
coast. However, if you come from one of these
countries and managed to secure the Libyan visa via the embassy,
then we will be more than happy to provide you with all
the other required services, like a guide and an itinerary.
Libya Visa For Americans:
Libya tourist visa for the citizens of the United States of
America is currently not possible. There are talks that this
will change in the coming months, as relations between Libya
and the USA have improved. Please see our special page about
Libya
visa for Americans.
Libya Tourist Visa Procedure:
It is possible for your operator to
obtain a visa for you at the entry point (airport,
Tunisian-Libyan border, Egyptian-Libyan border, etc.),
or send you the visa invitation letter once you book your
tour with them so that you can obtain the entry visa
from the Libyan embassy in your country of residence.
Some
people think that it is up to the tour operators whether
to grant you a visa or not without booking your holiday with
them. Well, Libyan law requires from your Libyan-government-approved
tour operator to provide you with a Libya visa only if you
book your holiday with them, meaning they must provide you
with a guide who must accompany you at all times.
Talks of visiting Libya without a guide are outdated.
This however does not
mean that you must book an expansive tour or a fancy group
holiday before you can apply for the Libya visa.
The tour operator is required to provide you with a guide
(compulsory) and a visa, and the rest is entirely up to you.
If you want to stay in a 5-star hotel, then we can arrange
that for you; if you want to camp along the way, then we
can guide you to a decent camping site or find a good spot
for you. We are here to serve your needs and only you can
decide how your holiday is run, within the boundaries of
Libya law.
You are always welcome to design your own tour or holiday. Please
use our
Design
Your Own Tour
secure form to submit your proposal.
We can help you obtain the Libya visa yourself as follows:
- After booking your holiday with us (via email or the
Booking
Form
), fill in the
Visa
Form
or just email us your details (full name, number
of visitors, nationality, profession, passport number
and expiry date).
- Then we will send you an
invitation
letter
, which you can take to the Libyan embassy in your
country, together with a translated passport, an application
form, 4 photos and fees. Recent law passed on last December
(2008) requires all visitors visiting the Libyan embassy
for a visa to provide their finger prints. This procedure
however is rarely used by our visitors, most of whom
go for the next option:
Or we can issue Libya visa for you on arrival:
- You must book your holiday with Temehu Tours: either state
this in an email, or fill in the
Booking
Form
(whatever is easier for you).
- Then send your original and the translated bio-page of your
passport to us (as .jpg in
an email), at least two weeks before arrival.
- Then, we will use these documents to apply
for the
"Visa Approval"
, about ten days before arrival.
Once we have the visa approval, we can keep it until
the day of your arrival and use it to obtain the Libyan
visa at the entry point (border or airport). This is
the easiest and most popular method, generally
used by nearly all our visitors.
Price of Tourist Visa with Temehu.com:
We can complete the whole procedure for you for only
€39
Euros per a visa.
This price also includes passport registration (also
required by law).
Business Multiple Libya Visa:
This visa lasts
from one to six months after the date of issue
and allows the holder to enter and exit Libya as many times as
desired within the specified period.
However, please make sure that you only apply for this kind
of visa if you really do have a business to establish, as
failure to establish a business or sign a contract with a
Libyan company during your first business-visa (that is during
the whole period of the multiple visa) can prevent you from
obtaining another business visa in the future. This means
that a three months visa is an ideal option as it allows
you to return to Tripoli for further business enquiries,
if the initial contact was not fruitful.
Passport Arabic Translation:
Several groups of tourists were refused entry
to Libya despite having Libyan visa, because their passports
did not carry an Arabic translation: read more at
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7092589.stm)
.
A recent Libyan Law (11 November 2007) requires all visitors
to have an Arabic transcript of their passport’s details
page printed directly onto their passports. This is the bio
data page which contains biographical information about the passport
holder. Visitors should contact the Libyan Embassy to enquire
about acceptable (or approved) translation service providers
for the inclusion of the passport holder’s bio details
within this stamp. If you live in the UK, the Identity & Passport
Service (IPS)
will add a stamp providing blank fields in Arabic that will
need to be completed in Arabic.
Or the Arab British Chamber of Commerce can do both for you (the
stamp and the translation) for about £25.
Please get in touch with us if you need any help with passport
translation in Tunisia. Some of our visitors find it easier, and cheaper, to
complete the translation in Tunisia and then email us the documents to have the
visa approval ready for them on arrival. This is the easiest way to get the job
done, if you are arriving via Tunisia.
Libya Visa for Journalists:
Libyan tour operators are not allowed to issue Libya visas for
journalists, who need to secure an entry
visa directly from the Libyan embassy in their country of
residence. Journalists wishing to visit Libya need a permit
from the information ministry’s foreign media department.
Remember that in addition to Libyan visa you must have confirmation
from Libya that your visit is expected and never turn up
at the airport without prior arrangements. Once inside the
country, do not interview any officials unless you have a
prior authorisation from the department of relations with
the foreign press.
Libya Visa
Form
Libya
Visa Invitation Letter
Tour Booking
Form
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