Lebanon visa and entry requirements

Lebanon's General Security grants citizens of the countries it lists — including France, Germany, the UK, the US, Canada, Australia and Japan — a cost-free one-month visa, extendable to 3 months, and says citizens of Gulf Cooperation Council countries arriving as tourists are exempt from entry visas. Citizens not granted an automatic visa need prior authorisation from General Security, and visas are also granted through embassies. Canada says travellers with evidence of travel to Israel may be refused entry.

Every fact on this page verified on or after: Oct 3, 2026· How this site works

Check requirements for your passport

Requirements differ by nationality. Select your passport above, or scan the full table below.

Visas & entry authorisations

Entry requirements

Passport validity

General Security asks applicants for a visa through an embassy for a copy of a passport valid for at least six months from the date of application, and Canada's travel advice says 6 months beyond the date you leave. The UK's travel advice says 3 months from the date you enter.

Verified Oct 3, 2026 · Source: general-security.gov.lb (opens in a new tab) · gov.uk (opens in a new tab) says passport valid for at least 3 months from the date you enter. We follow the source above: it ranks higher (law, then the authority running the procedure, then the destination's ministry, then international compilations, then other governments' advice).Compare every country: How long your passport must be valid, country by country

Vaccinations

Not officially stated

No official source we read lists a vaccination certificate required for entry.

Travel insurance

Not officially stated

General Security does not list insurance among the documents for the cost-free visa granted on arrival or for a visa through an embassy. It lists private insurance among the documents for visa applications filed through a party residing legally in Lebanon.

Onward or return ticket

Required

General Security asks applicants for a visa through an embassy for a round-trip airline ticket reservation, and requires a round-trip airline ticket of the nationalities given a one-month visa under its Eighth Article (Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia and others).

Proof of funds

Required

Nationalities given a one-month visa under General Security's Eighth Article (Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia and others) must have a sum equivalent to USD 2,000, or a cheque for the same amount certified by the bank concerned. Applicants for a visa through an embassy show a bank statement for the last three months or other proof of sufficient funds.

Staying past your permitted stay

General Security says overstay penalties are collected at the rate that applies when they fall due, without stating the amount. The UK government says travellers who overstay may have to pay a fine at the airport, in Lebanese currency only, at departures before security.

Other compulsory government charges

  • Passenger exit fee (air and sea) — USD 35 economy, USD 50 business, USD 65 first class, USD 100 per passenger on a private aircraft or yacht. Included in the air ticket.

    Under a Ministry of Finance decision applying Article 67 of the 2024 Budget Law, passengers leaving Lebanon by air or sea pay an exit fee by class of travel. It is collected with the ticket price and shown separately on the ticket.

  • Land entry fee for non-Lebanese travellers — 1,000,000 LBP per person per trip. Paid on arrival.

    Under a Ministry of Finance decision of 12 May 2025, every non-Lebanese person arriving in Lebanon through a land border crossing pays a fee of LBP 1,000,000 by fiscal stamp, which General Security checks before allowing entry.

    Verified Oct 12, 2026 · Source: finance.gov.lb (opens in a new tab) · Law No. 90 of 10/9/1991

Customs & currency

Lebanese Customs says anyone physically carrying cash or other negotiable instruments worth more than USD 15,000 (or the equivalent in other currencies) must declare them to the customs authorities on a declaration form, under Law No. 42 of 24 November 2015.

  • Canada's travel advice says travel to or from Israel is illegal in Lebanon, and that you may be refused entry if your passport bears an Israeli visa or border stamp, or an Egyptian or Jordanian border stamp issued by an office bordering Israel.
Verified Oct 3, 2026 · Source: customs.gov.lb (opens in a new tab) · Law No. 42 of 24 November 2015 on the declaration of cross-border transportation of money

Country in a nutshell

Currency
Lebanese pound (LBP, ل.ل)
Cards & payments
The UK says Lebanon's prolonged economic crisis may affect paying by card, that many companies do not accept credit or debit cards, and that US dollars are widely accepted and the main cash currency. Canada calls the economy mainly cash-based, says foreign currency can be exchanged at licensed exchange bureaus but not at banks, and that some banks limit daily ATM withdrawals.
Safety — High risk
The FCDO says airstrikes and rocket attacks between Israel and Hizballah increased from 2 March, and that although a cessation of hostilities was announced in June 2026, fighting and airstrikes have continued, particularly in the south. It advises against all travel to the South and Nabatiyeh governorates, parts of Beirut and its southern suburbs and the Palestinian refugee camps, and against all or all but essential travel to parts of the Beqaa, Baalbek-Hermel and Akkar governorates and other areas.Verified Oct 3, 2026 · Source: gov.uk (opens in a new tab) · archived copy Aug 14, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
Power plugs
A, B, C, D, G · 220V 50Hz
Emergency numbers
Police: 112 · Ambulance: 140 · Fire: 175
Languages
Arabic
Time zone
UTC+2 (UTC+3 in summer)
International Driving Permit

Lebanon is a party to the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic (UN Treaty Collection). Lebanon's Traffic Law No. 243 of 2012 (Art. 229) exempts from its driving-licence rules drivers holding an international driving permit, and drivers holding a licence of the model in Annex 9 of the 1949 Geneva Convention; drivers with any other foreign licence must have it endorsed within a week of entry. The UK government says you need either a 1968 international driving permit (IDP) or a UK driving licence, and that the 1949 IDP is not accepted anymore; Canada's travel advice says you must carry an international driving permit.

Verified Oct 3, 2026 · Source: treaties.un.org (opens in a new tab) · Convention on Road Traffic Compare every country
Tap water
not for drinking. Use bottled

Best time to visit

No official source we could read gives a best time to visit Lebanon.

Tips & warnings

Evidence of travel to Israel can lead to refused entry. Canada's travel advice says this includes an Israeli visa or border stamp, or an Egyptian or Jordanian border stamp issued by an office bordering Israel, and that travel to or from Israel is illegal in Lebanon.

Canada advises against all travel to Lebanon and says airstrikes could resume, mostly in southern Lebanon, Beirut's southern suburbs, the Beqaa Valley and Palestinian refugee camps.

The UK says US dollars are widely accepted and the main cash currency, that many companies do not accept credit or debit cards, and advises ensuring you have access to adequate cash for your stay.

The UK says Lebanon's power plants produce only limited electricity for the national grid, which can lead to power cuts, that many businesses rely heavily on generators, and advises having a torch to hand at night; Canada says power outages and electricity rationing are common, including in Beirut.

General Security says the cost-free one-month visa granted to citizens of the countries it lists is extendable to 3 months.

Visa requirements by nationality

Visa requirements by nationality. Stay lengths are for ordinary tourist visits. Click a nationality for its full guide.
PassportsVisas & entry authorisationsMax stay
AfghanistanEmbassy visa—
AlbaniaEmbassy visa—
AlgeriaVisa on arrival30 days
AndorraVisa on arrival30 days
AngolaEmbassy visa—
Antigua and BarbudaVisa on arrival30 days
ArgentinaVisa on arrival30 days
ArmeniaVisa on arrival30 days
AustraliaVisa on arrival30 days
AustriaVisa on arrival30 days
AzerbaijanVisa on arrival30 days
BahamasVisa on arrival30 days
BahrainVisa-free180 days
BangladeshEmbassy visa—
BarbadosVisa on arrival30 days
BelarusVisa on arrival30 days
BelgiumVisa on arrival30 days
BelizeVisa on arrival30 days
BeninEmbassy visa—
BhutanVisa on arrival30 days
BoliviaEmbassy visa—
Bosnia and HerzegovinaEmbassy visa—
BotswanaEmbassy visa—
BrazilVisa on arrival30 days
BruneiEmbassy visa—
BulgariaVisa on arrival30 days
Burkina FasoEmbassy visa—
BurundiEmbassy visa—
Cabo VerdeEmbassy visa—
CambodiaEmbassy visa—
CameroonEmbassy visa—
CanadaVisa on arrival30 days
Central African RepublicEmbassy visa—
ChadEmbassy visa—
ChileVisa on arrival30 days
ChinaVisa on arrival30 days
ColombiaEmbassy visa—
ComorosVisa on arrival30 days
Costa RicaVisa on arrival30 days
Côte d'IvoireEmbassy visa—
CroatiaVisa on arrival30 days
CubaEmbassy visa—
CyprusVisa on arrival30 days
CzechiaVisa on arrival30 days
Democratic Republic of the CongoEmbassy visa—
DenmarkVisa on arrival30 days
DjiboutiVisa on arrival30 days
DominicaEmbassy visa—
Dominican RepublicEmbassy visa—
EcuadorEmbassy visa—
EgyptVisa on arrival30 days
El SalvadorEmbassy visa—
Equatorial GuineaEmbassy visa—
EritreaEmbassy visa—
EstoniaVisa on arrival30 days
EswatiniEmbassy visa—
EthiopiaEmbassy visa—
FijiEmbassy visa—
FinlandVisa on arrival30 days
FranceVisa on arrival30 days
GabonEmbassy visa—
GambiaEmbassy visa—
GeorgiaVisa on arrival30 days
GermanyVisa on arrival30 days
GhanaEmbassy visa—
GreeceVisa on arrival30 days
GrenadaEmbassy visa—
GuatemalaEmbassy visa—
GuineaEmbassy visa—
Guinea-BissauEmbassy visa—
GuyanaEmbassy visa—
HaitiEmbassy visa—
HondurasEmbassy visa—
Hong KongVisa on arrival30 days
HungaryVisa on arrival30 days
IcelandVisa on arrival30 days
IndiaEmbassy visa—
IndonesiaEmbassy visa—
IranEmbassy visa—
IraqVisa on arrival30 days
IrelandVisa on arrival30 days
ItalyVisa on arrival30 days
JamaicaEmbassy visa—
JapanVisa on arrival30 days
JordanVisa-free90 days
KazakhstanEmbassy visa—
KenyaEmbassy visa—
KiribatiEmbassy visa—
KosovoEmbassy visa—
KuwaitVisa-free180 days
KyrgyzstanVisa on arrival30 days
LaosEmbassy visa—
LatviaVisa on arrival30 days
LebanonFree movement—
LesothoEmbassy visa—
LiberiaEmbassy visa—
LibyaVisa on arrival30 days
LiechtensteinVisa on arrival30 days
LithuaniaVisa on arrival30 days
LuxembourgVisa on arrival30 days
MacauVisa on arrival30 days
MadagascarEmbassy visa—
MalawiEmbassy visa—
MalaysiaVisa on arrival30 days
MaldivesEmbassy visa—
MaliEmbassy visa—
MaltaVisa on arrival30 days
Marshall IslandsEmbassy visa—
MauritaniaVisa on arrival30 days
MauritiusEmbassy visa—
MexicoVisa on arrival30 days
MicronesiaEmbassy visa—
MoldovaVisa on arrival30 days
MonacoVisa on arrival30 days
MongoliaEmbassy visa—
MontenegroVisa on arrival30 days
MoroccoVisa on arrival30 days
MozambiqueEmbassy visa—
MyanmarEmbassy visa—
NamibiaEmbassy visa—
NauruEmbassy visa—
NepalEmbassy visa—
NetherlandsVisa on arrival30 days
New ZealandVisa on arrival30 days
NicaraguaEmbassy visa—
NigerEmbassy visa—
NigeriaEmbassy visa—
North KoreaEmbassy visa—
North MacedoniaVisa on arrival30 days
NorwayVisa on arrival30 days
OmanVisa-free180 days
PakistanEmbassy visa—
PalauEmbassy visa—
PalestineEmbassy visa—
PanamaVisa on arrival30 days
Papua New GuineaEmbassy visa—
ParaguayVisa on arrival30 days
PeruVisa on arrival30 days
PhilippinesEmbassy visa—
PolandVisa on arrival30 days
PortugalVisa on arrival30 days
QatarVisa-free180 days
Republic of the CongoEmbassy visa—
RomaniaVisa on arrival30 days
RussiaVisa on arrival30 days
RwandaEmbassy visa—
Saint Kitts and NevisVisa on arrival30 days
Saint LuciaEmbassy visa—
Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesEmbassy visa—
SamoaVisa on arrival30 days
San MarinoVisa on arrival30 days
São Tomé and PríncipeEmbassy visa—
Saudi ArabiaVisa-free180 days
SenegalEmbassy visa—
SerbiaVisa on arrival30 days
SeychellesEmbassy visa—
Sierra LeoneEmbassy visa—
SingaporeVisa on arrival30 days
SlovakiaVisa on arrival30 days
SloveniaVisa on arrival30 days
Solomon IslandsEmbassy visa—
SomaliaVisa on arrival30 days
South AfricaEmbassy visa—
South KoreaVisa on arrival30 days
South SudanEmbassy visa—
SpainVisa on arrival30 days
Sri LankaEmbassy visa—
SudanVisa on arrival30 days
SurinameEmbassy visa—
SwedenVisa on arrival30 days
SwitzerlandVisa on arrival30 days
SyriaVisa on arrival—
TaiwanEmbassy visa—
TajikistanVisa on arrival30 days
TanzaniaEmbassy visa—
ThailandEmbassy visa—
Timor-LesteEmbassy visa—
TogoEmbassy visa—
TongaEmbassy visa—
Trinidad and TobagoEmbassy visa—
TunisiaVisa on arrival30 days
TurkeyEmbassy visa—
TurkmenistanVisa on arrival30 days
TuvaluEmbassy visa—
UgandaEmbassy visa—
UkraineVisa on arrival30 days
United Arab EmiratesVisa-free180 days
United KingdomVisa on arrival30 days
United StatesVisa on arrival30 days
UruguayVisa on arrival30 days
UzbekistanVisa on arrival30 days
VanuatuEmbassy visa—
Vatican CityEmbassy visa—
VenezuelaVisa on arrival30 days
VietnamEmbassy visa—
YemenVisa on arrival30 days
ZambiaEmbassy visa—
ZimbabweEmbassy visa—

Stay lengths are for ordinary tourist visits. Click a nationality for its full guide.

No official page we read states the rule for 1 nationalities, so the table leaves them out: Israel.

Syria2 of 199 passports visa-freeIsrael1 of 199 passports visa-free · 104 eVisa/ETAJordan1 of 199 passports visa-free · 53 eVisa/ETAEgypt1 of 199 passports visa-free · 78 eVisa/ETATurkey97 of 199 passports visa-free · 28 eVisa/ETACyprus94 of 199 passports visa-free

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a visa for Lebanon?

General Security grants citizens of the countries it lists — including France, Germany, the UK, the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Japan — a cost-free one-month visa, extendable to 3 months. Citizens of Gulf Cooperation Council countries arriving as tourists are exempt from entry visas. Citizens not granted an automatic visa need prior authorisation from General Security; visas are also granted through embassies.

Can I enter Lebanon if I have been to Israel?

Canada's travel advice says travel to or from Israel is illegal in Lebanon and that you may be refused entry if your passport bears an Israeli visa or border stamp, or an Egyptian or Jordanian border stamp issued by an office bordering Israel; the UK says an Israeli stamp can lead to refusal even with a valid Lebanese visa.

Is Lebanon safe to visit right now?

Canada advises against all travel to Lebanon. It says the security situation remains volatile, that missiles and drones have struck targets in the country, and that airstrikes could resume, mostly in southern Lebanon, Beirut's southern suburbs, the Beqaa Valley and Palestinian refugee camps.

How much does the Lebanese visa on arrival cost?

Nothing — General Security grants a cost-free one-month visa, extendable to 3 months, to citizens of the countries it lists.

What money should I bring to Lebanon?

The UK says Lebanon's prolonged economic crisis may affect paying by card and that US dollars are widely accepted and the main cash currency; Canada says the economy is mainly cash-based and that foreign currencies, especially US dollars, can be exchanged at licensed exchange bureaus, not at banks.

Sources & verification

Every fact on this page is compiled from and periodically re-checked against these official sources:

Something wrong or out of date? Tell us, with the official source