Beirut visa and entry rules: free one-month visa on arrival

The UK government says British citizens can normally apply for a free single-entry tourist or family visit visa on arrival at Beirut airport, valid for one month from the date of entry. Canada says a tourist visa is required and that visas are available from Lebanese diplomatic missions abroad or at any port of entry. This page explains how those rules work for a visitor to Beirut, where they stop applying and what else the border can ask for. It is a reference for people comparing rules, not encouragement to travel: the UK advises against all travel to listed parts of Lebanon and Canada says avoid all travel, and the decision guide should be read first.

The entry rules below come from the UK entry requirements page, which describes the position for people traveling on a full British citizen passport and was updated on 10 August 2026, and from Canada's entry and exit section, last updated on 23 July 2026. Other passports differ, and both governments tell readers that the rules can change at short notice. Check with a Lebanese embassy before you rely on any of this.

Read the original on the UK government's Lebanon entry requirements page. It says entry requirements may change at short notice and tells readers to check with the Lebanese Embassy in the UK before they travel.

The two governments describe the same system with different emphasis. The table puts the main points side by side, and the sections that follow explain each.

If your passport is not British or Canadian, use the same pattern: find your own government's entry page, then confirm with the Lebanese embassy that handles your country. The visas and entry hub lists general rules, but it cannot state the position for every passport.

The UK says your passport should be valid for at least 3 months from the date you enter Lebanon. Canada says a regular Canadian passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond the date you expect to leave. Airlines can apply stricter rules than either government, because they carry the cost if you are refused entry. The sensible approach is to use the longest figure among your government, the destination and your airline, and to renew before you book anything non-refundable. The six-month passport rule explains why many airlines and borders use that threshold.

Check the condition of the passport as well as its dates. Both governments warn that you will be denied entry if you travel on a lost or stolen document, and Canada notes that a passport with an "X" gender identifier may not be recognized in every country. Carry the passport with you rather than packing it, and keep copies offline.

This is the rule that catches the most travelers. The UK says that if your passport contains an Israeli stamp you may be refused entry to Lebanon, even if you hold a valid Lebanese visa. Canada 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, because that could indicate a prior visit to Israel.

The practical consequence is about sequencing and documents. A traveler who has visited Israel should ask a Lebanese embassy in advance whether entry would be allowed, and should not assume that a second passport solves the issue. Canada says some Canadians have been denied entry to Lebanon, Syria and other Arab countries for this reason, and Lebanon is not unusual in applying the rule. If a trip plan combines Lebanon with Israel or nearby countries, treat the order of the trips as a question for the embassy.

At the border, the UK says Lebanese immigration authorities check all visitors' names against a database of people wanted for, or convicted of, offences in Lebanon. If your name matches an entry, you may be detained, or occasionally allowed in after surrendering your passport, until officers are satisfied that the record does not relate to you. The UK suggests carrying supporting documents such as a birth certificate, because they may allow parents' names to be checked against the database.

Overstays are handled at the airport. The UK says travelers who overstay may have to pay a fine, that only Lebanese currency is accepted and that it should be paid at departures before security. It also says travelers can extend a visa for up to three months at the General Security offices and should make sure they understand the validity of their visa to avoid penalties. Canada says an expired entry visa must be extended by Lebanese authorities or you will not be allowed to leave, and that your passport must show a Lebanese entry stamp to exit. If you obtain a new passport while in Lebanon, you must present the old one containing proof of entry on departure.

Canada says local authorities may issue travel bans that stop you entering or exiting Lebanon regardless of nationality, and that you may be denied re-entry if you left Lebanon as a refugee. The UK describes a related risk in family law: a father or husband can arrange a travel ban on a wife or children, and a British passport does not protect against it. Anyone with a custody dispute should get legal advice before traveling, since Lebanese family law differs from UK law and Canada says Canadian custody orders may not be recognized.

Children traveling with only one parent may be asked for a letter of authorization from the other parent to exit, according to Canada. Dual nationals should note that Lebanese authorities treat dual Canadian-Lebanese citizens as Lebanese, which can prevent consular help. Canada also says travel permits from Lebanese authorities or UNIFIL may be required to enter areas south of the Litani River near the border with Israel, which both governments describe as highly militarized.

Putting the official points together gives a short list of what a border officer, an airline or a later claim could ask for. First, the passport itself, valid for the longer of the UK and Canadian periods and free of stamps that raise the Israel question. Second, the visa or the means to obtain one on arrival, and the entry stamp, which Canada says you need in order to leave. Third, supporting identity papers, such as a birth certificate, if your name might match the database the UK describes. Fourth, a letter from the other parent if a child is traveling with only one. Fifth, any permit needed for areas south of the Litani River.

Two more items are not documents but cost money. Keep Lebanese currency for an overstay fine, which the UK says must be paid in Lebanese pounds at departures before security, and check whether yellow fever or other vaccine rules apply to your route, which both governments point to in their health sections. Store copies offline and with someone at home.

This page does not give visa fees, because none were confirmed on an official page, and it does not cover work, student or business visas. Canada lists all four visa types as required for those purposes and says to apply for the proper type for your trip. It also does not cover the airport itself: Canada says there are sporadic closures on roads to Rafic Hariri International Airport for reasons including air strikes and clashes, and that access can be unavailable for extended periods. The UK says the situation can change quickly.

If you are comparing rules, read them alongside the advice. A visa on arrival does not make a destination safe, and travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against FCDO advice. The travel insurance guide explains how that works, and the guide to money, power cuts and laws in Beirut covers cash and local rules.

The first mistake is checking only the destination's passport rule and not the airline's. The second is leaving the Israeli stamp question until the airport. The third is arriving without a way to pay an overstay fine in Lebanese currency. The fourth is assuming a visa from one source has the same validity as another: the UK says a visa from the embassy in London may be valid for a different period from the airport visa.

The fifth is relying on a summary. These rules come from government advice pages that change, and this guide is a snapshot from 4 October 2026. Read the originals, ask the embassy and keep the confirmation. Treat this as a map of the rules, not a travel recommendation.