Residency Permits in Lebanon and how to Obtain One | Expats Guide

Residence Permits

Eastwood’s recently refurbished library is located on the top floor of our building with a commanding view of the whole of Beirut and the Mediterranean: a perfectly quiet and inspirational location in which to read and expand the mind. An ideal situation for obtaining a residence permit is through sponsorship. This way, you won’t need to provide much more than a passport, four to six passport-size photos, and a medical report to your organization or employer. In all cases, you will be required to make at least one visit to General Security where you’ll be asked basic questions about your business in Lebanon, and ﬁnally your signature on a few documents. If you are responsible for procuring your own residence permit, however, the process can have many more steps for you, and may not always seem very clear. One thing to always keep in mind is that things will be okay, it will all work out, and maintaining composure will work to your advantage. A good tip for efficiently procuring a residence permit is to get a list of all the documents you'll need, as well as the cost ( in Lebanese Lira/Pounds) that you'll have to pay at General Security. Once you have this list and you are certain that these are all of the required documents, you can begin gathering them before you make your way to General Security.

Common list items that are required are:

1. Four to Six passport-size photographs
2. Two copies of the page with your passport personal information, and two copies of the page with your entrance stamp into Lebanon
3. An official bank statement from your Lebanese bank(this is not in all cases, but is common, and the bank statement can take up to three business days to be ready for pick-up))
4. Notarization from your embassy indicating that they acknowledge your presence and business in Lebanon (this is not in all cases, but is common)
5. Your work contract, organizational agreement, or official statement of enrollment in a recognized universtity in Lebanon

There are two locations for General Security in Beirut. The headquarters for General Security is located in Adliye near one of the main highway bridges. It is not far from the secondary location which is in Sodeco, located on the same main street as the French Embassy and l’Université Saint-Joseph de Beyrouth (Damascus Street in English or Tareeq el Sham in Arabic). Ordinarily, non-Arab foreigners go through the secondary location in Sodeco for obtaining residence permits, but it is not always the case. It will be helpful to ﬁnd out in advance which location you’ll need to visit to avoid an unnecessary taxi fare.
Both buildings have military guards, and to enter you can politely approach them and say that you’re there for a residence permit (ikameh in Arabic). Once inside, you’ll come to a desk where one or more guards are sitting, issuing small slips of paper to those coming in. Tell them your business, and they’ll write up a slip for you. Two things that you mustn’t do while at General Security: 1. Don’t lose that slip of paper! 2. Don’t feel overwhelmed if you feel lost! It can be a daunting place, but you’ll ﬁnd the assistance you need to get to the right stations—even if it takes a few attempts to get there. Much of visiting General Security for the purpose of residence permits involves waiting in line or waiting while seated. After all is said and done, you hand the small slip of paper to the guard near the exit, and he puts it with his records before he gives you the cue to leave. The timing for receiving your residence permit may vary, but the typical timeframe for it to be ready for pick-up is within three to ﬁve weeks.