Latest update: passport Arabic translation
is no longer needed (2010)
This page was created to provide some information about approved
passport Arabic translation for Libyan visa. But as the Arabic translation requirement
was abolished for tourist and transit visas in 2010, this page has no value other
than to provide some historical background about the issue. Please do not pay
attention to some border guards who seem to exploit the current political vacuum
by continuing to demand passport translation on exit, just to extort cash from
visitors leaving the country: they will try for a while,
give up, and then let you pass.
Background Information
Several groups of tourists were refused entry to Libya despite
having Libyan visa because their passports did not carry an Arabic translation:
more at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7092589.stm. Since the last translation
law was passed on the 11th of November 2007, all visitors to Libya require an
Arabic translation of their passport's bio page to be entered directly onto a
blank passport page inside a special stamp provided for the translation. The
bio page is the page in your passport that contains all the biographical information
about the holder, like name, photo, expiry date, nationality and so on. 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. There
are those who say (in the Internet) that the translation can be done by anyone
who can write Arabic. We have seen some visitors turned away owing to improper
translation. If that happens to you when coming from Tunisia, please contact
us so that we can provide you with contact details of approved translators in
Tunisia.
Approved Translators
Here is our simple advice: the best and the cheapest way is
to contact your local Arab Chamber of Commerce for the stamp and the approved
translation. For example, visitors from the United Kingdom can contact the Arab-British
Chamber of Commerce, to obtain the translation for just £25 for both: the stamp
and the translation - this has now changed to £30 (as of October 2009). Here
is an example of their translation (with personal details coloured green):
This is what the stamp and the translation of the passport should look like.
The Arab-British Chamber of Commerce.
The large rectangular stamp specifies the fields to be filled
in by the translator. The translation is then inserted by hand. If you cannot
find an approved translator near you, try the Arab-[your country] Chamber of
Commerce. For example, if you are in Australia, then try the Arab-Australian
Chamber of Commerce (see below). Google can provide you with the contact details
of any other chamber.
List of Arab / Foreign Joint Chambers of Commerce
The Saudi Network provides a list of foreign chambers at:
http://www.the-saudi.net/business-center/joint-chambers-of-commerce.htm
Contact details for the Arab-British Chamber of Commerce
Address:
43 Upper Grosvenor Street
London
W1K 2NJ
UK
Tel: 020 7235 4363
Fax: 020 7245 6688
Website: http://www.abcc.org.uk
Translation Services
Therese Bebawi
T: 020 7659 4861
Emails:
t.bebawi(at)abcc.org.uk *
therese(at)abcc.org.uk
(* Please substitute (at) with the corresponding symbol.)
>/p>
The Arab-Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry
Documents may be taken or sent to:
AACCI
Seaway Agencies
Level 5
5 Elizabeth
Sydney
NSW 2000
(Enquiries: Tel 02 9239 4300)
Website: http://www.austarab.com.au/
Passport Arabic Translation on External Piece of Paper
Translations done on a piece of paper and then stuck onto
a blank page is often okay as long as the translator's stamp is half on the paper
and the other half on the actual page of the passport, like this:
Please note that this method is not recommended and should be used only as a
last resort. Request from your translator to do the translation directly onto
the passport's page. Sometimes the border officers just wave you through and
many travellers were surprised to experience an easy crossing (as opposed to
the complications they were expecting). But at other times visitors can be subjected
to a rigours check of everything. Therefore the decision is entirely yours, regarding
what kind of translation to use. It is better to be safe than sorry.
Important Notice:
Passport Arabic translation is no longer required.
