Libya Visa

After the recent lifting of restrictions on tourism and foreign visitors, effective changes were introduced regarding Libya visa law, such as speeding up the visa process for both individuals and groups travelling with approved Libyan tour operators, and the issue of Libyan tourist visas on arrival at Tripoli Airport or at any of the two land borders with Tunisia and Egypt. Libyan business visas are obtained from the embassy after your Libyan agent secures the visa number from the immigration department.

We offer Libya Visa on arrival:

In order for us to provide you with a Libyan visa on arrival, you need to email us a .jpg copy of your passport's bio page (the page containing your personal data) and its Arabic translation. We will then apply for what we call the Libyan Visa Approval: an official document allowing us to issue you with the actual Libyan visa stamp on arrival at Tripoli Airport or at any of the two land borders with Egypt and Tunisia.

Visa Requirements & Procedure:

1. The passport must be valid for at least six months when you leave Libya.
2. The passport does not have an Israeli stamp (or visa).
3. The passport must contain at least two blank pages.
4. The passport's bio page must be translated to Arabic, directly onto the page.
5. Your profession(s): you can state this (or these) in an email.

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. This however does not mean that you must book an expensive tour or a fancy group holiday before you can apply for the visa. Apart from the guide and the visa everything else is optional. This means that once we receive your booking and the above documents, via email, we will apply for the visa approval, which will be released to us about 3 or 4 days before arrival, and which we will use to issue you with the stamp on arrival.

If you are coming to Libya through the land border, then you do not need a copy of this approval, as your guide will be at the border to welcome you into the country and complete all visa formalities on your behalf.

But if you will be coming by plane, then we will send you a scanned copy of the visa approval to the email address provided during the enquiry, because some airliners will not let you board their planes without a proof of the Libyan visa. This means that you need to check your email account about 2 days before arrival, and if you do not hear from us by then, then please let us know, as loss of electronic mail does occur, so that we can send you another copy.

Price:

We can complete the whole procedure for only €39 Euros per a visa. This price also includes passport registration (required by law) after arrival. This price applies only to visa on arrival.

Visas are granted for the following purposes:

Official mission, business, tourism, or accompanying a resident. The entry visa is usually valid for 45 days beginning from the day of issue, and will allow you (as a tourist) to stay for one month. But visas on arrival are valid for one month - that is the visa approval must be used within a month after the date of issue. You cannot use the tourist visa to enter without the guide completing the border/airport formalities for you using a written approval document from the tour operator organising the visa.

Who can apply for the visa?

This visa is a tourist visa and is not a work or a business visa. If you intend to seek employment in Libya, then you need to contact the embassy for details. Libyan Tourist companies are authorised by the Libyan government to provide tourist visa services only.

Most Europeans, including Eastern Europeans, most South Americans, Australians, Russians, Japanese, New Zealanders, South Africans and Canadians can all apply directly to us for visa on arrival. We will be able to complete the whole procedure without the need to visit the embassy in ten days.

But all Arab and other African and Asian nationals, with the exception of those from the Maghreb, need to apply to the Libyan embassy directly. We are not allowed to provide tourist visas for Arab nationals. Tourist visa for the citizens of the United States of America is currently not possible. But there are talks that this will change in the coming months, as relations between Libya and the USA are improving. Please see our special page about Libya visa for Americans.

A Copy of The Visa Approval:

This is the Libyan Visa Approval.

This document is the proof that your visa on arrival has been approved. The approval lists your name(s), nationality, passport number(s), and date of arrival. It also states (right at the bottom of the page) that only the original document that is valid (not the copy) and only in the presence of the agent from the tour operator organising the visa.

Libyan tourist visa.

Valid for one visit, and shows the visa number, place of issue, date of issue, valid for 45 days, allows one month stay, and £100 fee (if obtained from the Libyan embassy in London).

Business Visa:

The following information we have about business visa may change with time. The business visa in Libya 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.

Libyan business visa; personal details covered with blue.

The visa states that it is a mission visa, valid for 45 days, allows one month stay, and shows the visa number, date of issue, profession of holder, place of issue, and point of entry (Tripoli International Airport).

Libya Visa for Journalists:

Libyan tour operators are not allowed to issue visas for journalists, who need to secure an entry stamp 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

Passport Arabic translation page

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