Libyan Visa

"You need to choose a Libyan Tour Operator to obtain an invitation letter before you can apply for Libyan Visa."

Libya was closed to the outside world for some time, but now, after the government has relaxed its restrictions on tourism and foreign visitors, it receives about 300,000 tourists 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 visa processing for individuals and groups travelling with approved Libyan tour operators, with an option of having the visa issued at the border or the airport on arrival.

Visas are granted for the following purposes:

Official mission, business, tourism, visit or accompanying a resident. The visa is valid for 45 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.

Libyan Entry Visa is required by all nationals except the following:

• Nationals of Algeria, Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and United Arab Emirates. Nationals of Jordan and Syria, do not require a visa providing they arrive from their country of origin.
• Transit passengers continuing their journey by the same or first connecting flight within 24 hours, and provided they hold valid documentation and not leave the airport.

Africans & Asians:

Libyan tour operators currently are not allowed to issue visas for Africans (except those mentioned above) and Asians (except Japanese). 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 they 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, then we will be more than happy to provide all the other services for you.

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 necessary papers needed to obtain an 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 without booking your holiday with them or not. Well, Libyan law requires from your Libyan-government-approved tour operator to provide you with a visa only if you book your holiday with them. Please visit the web site of the Libyan Embassy in London to confirm this.

This however does not mean that you must book an expansive holiday or a group tour before you can apply for an invitation letter. The tour operator is required to provide you with a guide (compulsory) and a visa, and the rest is entirely up to you. We can book a 5-star hotel for you, or provide you with a sleeping bag and find a decent camping site for you. Only you can decide how your holiday is run, within the boundaries of Libya law, which we must observe. :-)

We can help you obtain the visa yourself as follows:

1. 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, date & place of birth, nationality, profession and passport number and expiry date). 
2. 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.

Or we can issue visa for you on arrival:

1. 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).
2. Then send your original and the translated bio-page of your passport to us (as .jpg in an email). Then fill in the Visa Form (or just email us your details), at least one or two weeks before arrival.
3. Then, we will use these documents to write our invitation letter, fill in the visa application form, and 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 a visa at the entry point.

Business Visa:

There are two types of business visas: Multiple Visa and Mission Visa:

Multiple Visa: this visa lasts for three months (3 months) after date of issue and allows the holder to enter and exit Libya as many times as desired within a period of three months. 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 can prevent you from obtaining another business visa in the future. If you are just going to enquire and gather information about a business idea, then we recommend initially you apply for either a visit or a tourist visa. We are authorised to receive foreign investors into Libya and you are more than welcome to visit us at any time.

Mission Visa: mission visa is issued to people who are going to Libya for a mission, and in a sense is very similar to business visa, except that it is used only for a single visit within 30 days of issue. We need at least one week notice before the date of arrival to secure a business visa.

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: http://www.ips.gov.uk./passport/travel-libya.asp ) will add a stamp providing blank fields in Arabic that will need to be completed in Arabic.

Approved passport Arabic translation in the United Kingdom starts from £25. Please get in touch with us if you need any help with passport translation in the Uk or Tunisia. Some of our visitors find it easier 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.

Journalists

Libyan tour operators are not allowed to issue visas for journalists. Journalists 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.

Visa Form

Visa Invitation Letter

Booking Form