Lebanon operates a visa system that varies sharply by passport. Citizens of 81 countries receive a free tourist visa on arrival at Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport, valid for one month and renewable once for an additional two months at the General Security offices in Beirut. This list includes the United States, Canada, Australia, European Union member states, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries. Citizens of Jordan receive a three-month visa on arrival at no charge. The government publishes its current visa policy through the Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants, though airport practices sometimes diverge from published guidelines due to administrative discretion exercised by General Security officers.
Nationals of several countries cannot obtain visas on arrival and must apply through Lebanese embassies or consulates before travel. This requirement applies to most African nations, South Asian countries including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal, and most Southeast Asian nations except Malaysia and Singapore. Processing times at embassies range from one week to several months depending on the country of application and the applicant's nationality. The embassy application typically requires a sponsor letter from a Lebanese citizen or registered company, hotel reservation confirmation covering the entire stay, bank statements showing sufficient funds, return flight tickets, and passport-valid photographs. The sponsor must submit notarized documents to General Security in Lebanon before the applicant can receive approval.
Palestinian refugees, whether holding Palestinian Authority documents or travel documents from other countries, face entry restrictions. Lebanon hosts approximately 479,000 Palestinian refugees registered with UNRWA, descendants of those who arrived during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War and 1967 Six-Day War. The government does not permit Palestinians to enter Lebanon for tourism. Exceptions exist for specific humanitarian cases processed through UNRWA or for Palestinians holding full citizenship of another country, though even these cases require pre-approval from Lebanese General Security. This policy stems from Lebanon's position that Palestinian refugees should retain their right of return to historical Palestine, combined with domestic political sensitivity around the demographic balance among Lebanon's 18 recognized religious sects.
Israeli passport holders cannot enter Lebanon under any circumstances. Lebanese law considers Israel an enemy state, a position formalized through the 1949 armistice agreement that technically remains in force as the two countries never signed a peace treaty. Passports containing Israeli entry stamps or stamps from border crossings with Israel will result in denial of entry and immediate deportation. This includes the Allenby Bridge crossing from Jordan and the Taba crossing from Egypt. Travelers who have visited Israel should obtain a new passport before attempting entry to Lebanon. Lebanese-Israeli dual nationals face prosecution if they enter Lebanon, as Lebanon does not recognize dual nationality with Israel. The Lebanese Armed Forces and Hezbollah maintain positions along the southern border demarcated by the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) under Security Council Resolution 1701.
Entry stamps at Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport come from General Security officers who may ask questions about travel purpose, accommodation plans, contacts in Lebanon, and previous travel history. Officers sometimes refuse entry without explanation, exercising broad discretionary authority. Travelers of Arab or Muslim background occasionally face extended questioning about religious affiliation and intended destinations, particularly if planning to visit areas where Palestinian refugee camps or Hezbollah-affiliated communities exist. The airport has no formal appeals process for denied entry. Land border crossings exist at Masnaa (into Syria), Abboudiyeh (into Syria), and Arida (into Syria), plus the Naqoura crossing monitored by UNIFIL on the Israeli border which remains closed to civilian traffic. The Syrian land borders functionally closed in 2020 due to the Syrian Civil War and COVID-19, though Masnaa occasionally opens for limited traffic.
Extension of tourist visas occurs at General Security offices. The main office operates in the Badaro neighborhood of Beirut, though branch offices exist in Tripoli, Sidon, Zahle, and Jounieh. The first extension adds two months and costs 50,000 Lebanese pounds, though exchange rate volatility since the 2019 financial crisis makes dollar equivalents unreliable. Applicants need their passport, entry stamp, proof of accommodation, and sometimes proof of financial means. Officers may refuse extensions to visitors from certain countries without explanation. Overstaying a visa incurs fines calculated per day, payable at the airport upon departure. Overstays exceeding several months can result in detention and deportation bans, though enforcement varies.
The financial crisis that began in October 2019 created practical complications for visa processes despite unchanged official policies. Lebanese embassies abroad sometimes cannot process visa applications because the Ministry of Foreign Affairs lacks foreign currency to maintain communication systems or pay local staff. Some embassies stopped issuing visas entirely in 2020-2021. The Lebanese pound collapsed from 1,507 to the dollar in September 2019 to over 90,000 to the dollar by late 2023, creating confusion about visa fees and extension costs. General Security began accepting US dollars at unofficial exchange rates for some transactions, though which rates apply changes without notice.
COVID-19 introduced temporary requirements beginning March 2020. Lebanon closed its airport completely from March 19 to July 1, 2020, then reopened with PCR test requirements. Requirements shifted repeatedly through 2020-2022, including pre-departure PCR tests, arrival PCR tests, quarantine periods, and vaccination certificate verification through the MOPH Health Pass platform. By early 2023, most COVID-19 entry requirements ceased, though the Ministry of Public Health retains authority to reimpose them. Travelers should verify current requirements through the Ministry of Public Health website or their departure airport.
Work visas require sponsorship from a Lebanese employer registered with the Ministry of Labor. The employer must demonstrate that no qualified Lebanese citizen can fill the position, obtain approval from the Ministry of Labor, then submit the application to General Security. This process typically requires three to six months. Work visa categories include professional work permits for skilled positions, artist permits for performers and cultural workers, and domestic worker permits which operate under the kafala sponsorship system. The kafala system requires the employer to hold the employee's passport and guarantees the employee's legal status and departure, a system criticized by Human Rights Watch and the International Labour Organization for enabling abuse. Filipina, Ethiopian, Bangladeshi, and Sri Lankan domestic workers comprise the majority of kafala-sponsored workers in Lebanon.
Student visas require acceptance from a Lebanese educational institution registered with the Ministry of Education or Ministry of Higher Education. Universities in Lebanon include the American University of Beirut (founded 1866), Lebanese American University, Université Saint-Joseph (founded 1875), Lebanese University (the only public university), and Université La Sagesse. The student must submit the acceptance letter, proof of financial means to cover tuition and living expenses, accommodation confirmation, and medical insurance valid in Lebanon. Student visas are valid for one year and renewable annually until completion of studies. Students can work part-time up to 20 hours weekly with additional approval from the Ministry of Labor, though this approval often proves difficult to obtain.
Journalist visas require advance coordination with the Ministry of Information. Foreign journalists must submit detailed information about their assignment, including story topics, interview subjects, planned filming locations, and publication outlets. The ministry reviews applications and may deny permission to cover politically sensitive topics or to travel to certain areas including the southern border region, Palestinian refugee camps, or the Beqaa Valley near the Syrian border. Approved journalists receive a journalist visa and a filming permit if using video equipment. The ministry sometimes assigns a government liaison to accompany journalists, particularly in politically sensitive areas. Journalists entering on tourist visas and conducting professional work without authorization face deportation and equipment confiscation. This occurred to several Western journalists covering Palestinian refugee conditions in 2018-2019.
Residency permits for long-term stays require documentation submitted through General Security. Categories include property owner residency (for those who purchase real estate valued above a threshold that varies by General Security policy), investor residency (requiring investment in a Lebanese business), and family reunification residency (for spouses and dependent children of Lebanese citizens). Lebanese citizenship law follows jus sanguinis, transmitting citizenship through the father but not the mother. A Lebanese woman married to a foreign man cannot transmit citizenship to her children, a policy challenged by advocacy groups including Nationality for All. This creates complications when foreign spouses of Lebanese women seek residency, as they receive no preferential treatment.