Lebanon: Requirements and procedure to obtain a passport in Lebanon or from abroad, including the processing time (2013-October 2015)

1. Overview

In correspondence sent to the Research Directorate, a representative of the Embassy of Lebanon in Canada stated the following:

The application for obtaining a Lebanese passport is granted either through [accredited] missions abroad or in Lebanon … to the General Directorate of General Security by the applicant in person (Lebanon 26 Oct. 2015).

In the English version of its website, the General Directorate of General Security sites the issuance of Lebanese passports among its "[t]echnical [f]unctions" (ibid. n.d.a).

The Consulate General of Lebanon in Montréal states that Lebanese authorities require holders of [English version] "red" passports to obtain the new "blue" [or "navy blue" passport (ibid. n.d.d; ibid. n.d.e)], before 24 November 2015, [translation] "when the use of any non-machine readable passport will be prohibited under the most recent recommendations of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)" [1] (ibid. n.d.c). A sample passport is attached to this Response. The representative of the Embassy of Lebanon in Canada stated that, "[b]urgundy [r]ed [p]assports are discontinued as of 24 November 2015" (Lebanon 2 Nov. 2015). He added that Lebanese authorities are not currently issuing that type of passport (ibid.). In addition, the website of the Consulate General of Lebanon in Montréal states that the [translation] "red" passport is no longer renewable (ibid. n.d.c).

The representative of the Embassy of Lebanon in Canada stated that passport applications are subjected to a security records check of the applicant (ibid. 26 Oct. 2015). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

2. Requirements and Procedure to Obtain the New Lebanese Passport

2.1 In Lebanon

According to the website of the General Directorate of General Security,

[English version]

Lebanese who wish to apply for a new passport must appear in person at the regional office of General Security, the office nearest their place of residence or registry, with a form that has been completed and authenticated by the local mayor in their place of residence/registry (ibid. n.d.f).

Applicants must possess the following documents:

[English version]

A Lebanese passport application form (yellow for one year - white for five years) which can be obtained from the JP of registry or residence

Their Lebanese identity card with a [clear] photograph, or an extract of [c]ivil [r]egistration [issued a maximum of] three months [earlier] [and a certified photocopy of the document issued]

One recent coloured photograph, … on a white background[,] size 3.5 x 4.3 cm, … certified by the JP's seal and signature and bearing the name of the person, [and their] registry number and … place/address

[t]he old passport, if available (ibid. n.d.g).

The fees are 60,000 Lebanese pounds (LBP) [about C$53] for an adult passport valid for one year, and 300,000 LBP [about C$263] for an adult passport valid for 5 years (ibid.).

2.2 Abroad

According to the website of the Embassy of Lebanon in Canada, individuals applying for the new individual Lebanese passport under the jurisdiction of that embassy must complete the following steps:

Complete a passport application form, sign it and affix their thumb-print before a consular officer or a notary public if living outside of Ottawa;

Attach the following documents to the passport application:

A certified copy of an extract of individual registration (Ikhraj Kayd Fardy), with a date of issuance that does not exceed five years, or a certified copy of the new identity card (Hawiya) or a certified copy of the passport issued in Lebanon after 1990;

A copy of the passport to replace;

Two recent colour photographs (size 4.3 x 3.5 cm) [Lebanon English version] "showing full details of the face with a white background"

A self-addressed prepaid envelope;

Pay fees of C$40 for a passport valid for one year or C$200 for a passport valid for 5 years (ibid. n.d.b).

According to the same source, in the case of a family passport application, applicants must attach two recent photographs of each minor child as well as an extract of familial registration with their name (ibid.). The representative of the Embassy of Lebanon in Canada states that, if the application meets the requirements, it is "then sent to the competent authorities in Lebanon for processing" (ibid. 26 Oct. 2015).

3. Requirements and Procedure to Renew a Lebanese Passport

The representative of the Embassy of Lebanon in Canada stated that currently, only the "navy blue" passport is renewable for one year and individuals who want to renew their passport for five years must submit a new passport application, which is sent to the General Directorate of General Security by the embassy (ibid. 2 Nov. 2015). Similarly, the Internet site of the Consulate General of Lebanon in Montréal states that, [translation] "according to the most recent directives of the Lebanese General Directorate of General Security, and following the recommendations of the ICAO, it is no longer possible to renew the Lebanese passport for five years" (ibid. n.d.c).

According to the website of the Embassy of Lebanon in Canada, individuals who want to renew their passport for one year at the embassy must complete the following steps:

Affix their thumb-print on two identity cards before the consular officer, or before a notary public if they reside outside of Ottawa;

Complete the application form;

Attach the following documents to the application:

Current passport with a photocopy of the first page;

An extract of personal registration civil [translation] "whose date does not exceed eight years" or the new Lebanese identity card, with two photocopies;

The two identity cards fingerprinted with the right thumb print;

Three photographs;

For "minors under 18 years of age, a consent letter … [signed by] both parents";

A self-addressed prepaid registered envelope;

Pay the fees of C$40 (ibid. n.d.b).

4. Requirements and Procedure to Replace a Lost or Stolen Lebanese Passport

4.1 In Lebanon

The website of the General Directorate of General Security provides the following information concerning the procedure to replace a lost or stolen passport:

[English version]

Lost passport:

The citizen must declare its passport loss in person at the General Security regional office after presenting the required documents that prove[] its identity.

In case the citizen is a minor or under guardianship his guardian must declare its passport loss after presenting the documents that prove its guardianship. If the minor is below 15 years old[,] he/shemust be present in person when applying.

In case the lost passport holder is a public sector person or a political, spiritual or military reference, the declaration must be made by its delegate after consulting the Operation Room.

Stolen passport:

The same procedure mentioned above is applied for a stolen passport after presenting a certified copy of the Minutes of Investigation organized by the Lebanese Internal Security Forces (Forces de sécurité intérieure libanaises, FSI) (ibid. n.d.h).

4.2 Abroad

The Embassy of Lebanon in Canada states that it may [English version] "issue a new passport replacing the lost one only after authorization from the Directorate of General Security" (ibid. n.d.b). According to the same source, individuals who have lost their passport and want to replace it, must provide the following documents:

A copy of the lost passport (… if available).

An extract of familial registration or two notarized copies of the document.

An extract of individual registration or the new [computerized] I.D. card or two notarized copies of these documents.

… the form ….

[A s]elf-addressed [prepaid registered] envelope (ibid.).

Fees of C$40 for a replacement passport for one year, and C$200 for a replacement passport for 5 years must also be paid (ibid.).

5. Processing Time

5.1 In Lebanon

In an article dated 9 January 2015, L'Orient-Le Jour, a French-language Lebanese daily, states that, according to the spokesperson for the General Directorate of General Security, it takes between three and five days to obtain a new passport or to renew a passport. The Internet site of the General Directorate of General Security states however that an individual applying for a passport [translation] "must appear in person [at the public relations office of the General Directorate of General Security" and pay additional fees of 105,000 LBP [about C$92] if they want to obtain their passport "as quickly as possible" (ibid. n.d.g). Information regarding a rush service for obtaining passports or further information regarding the processing time for passport applications submitted in Lebanon could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

5.2 Abroad

According to the spokesperson of the General Directorate of General Security, the processing time for a passport application or a passport renewal at a Lebanese embassy abroad is 20 days to one month (L'Orient-Le Jour 9 Jan. 2015). In the specific case of the Embassy of Lebanon in Canada, the representative of the embassy reported a processing time of four to six weeks for a passport application (Lebanon 26 Oct. 2015). The website of the Consulate General of Lebanon in Montréal reports a processing time of eight to ten weeks for that same service (ibid. n.d.c). The Lebanese embassy in the US and the United Kingdom post on their website a processing time of one to three months (ibid. n.d.d; ibid. n.d.e).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Note

[1] The ICAO website states that, "[t]he 24 November 2015 deadline comes from … the Standard 3.10.1 … [of] the Chicago Convention, the main international law instrument regulating civil aviation…" (UN n.d.). The source adds that non-machine readable passport should be out of circulation by that date (ibid.).

References

Lebanon. 2 November 2015. Embassy of Lebanon in Canada. Correspondence sent to the Research Directorate by a representative.

_____. 26 October 2015. Embassy of Lebanon in Canada. Correspondence sent to the Research Directorate by a representative.

_____. N.d.a. Direction générale de la Sûreté générale. "Au sujet de la SG : les fonctions de la Sûreté générale." [Accessed 26 Oct. 2015]

_____. N.d.b. Embassy of Lebanon in Canada. "Passeport." [Accessed 19 Oct. 2015]

_____. N.d.c. Consulate General of Lebanon in Montréal. "Passeport libanais." [Accessed 19 Oct. 2015]

_____. N.d.d. Embassy of Lebanon in the United States. "Passports." [Accessed 26 Oct. 2015]

_____. N.d.e. Embassy of Lebanon in the United Kingdom. "Passports." [Accessed 28 Oct. 2015]

_____. N.d.f. Direction générale de la Sûreté générale. "Passeport libanais : présence personnelle requise." [Accessed 19 Oct. 2015]

_____. N.d.g. Direction générale de la Sûreté générale. "Passeport libanais : le passeport pour adultes." [Accessed 19 Oct. 2015]

_____. N.d.h. Direction générale de la Sûreté générale. "Passeport libanais : passeport perdu ou volé." [Accessed 19 Oct. 2015]

L'Orient-Le Jour. 9 January 2015. Sandra Noujeim. "Le retard dans le passage au passeport biométrique, résulat de la 'nonchalance' des Libanais." [Accessed 19 Oct. 2015]

United Nations (UN). N.d. International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). "24 November 2015 Deadline." [Accessed 5 Nov. 2015]

Additional Sources Consulted

Internet sites, including: Conseil de l'Europe; The Daily Star; ecoi.net; edisonTD.net; Factiva; European Union - Public Register of Authentic travel and identity Documents Online (PRADO); Lebanon - Embassy of Lebanon in France, Embassy of Lebanon in Belgium and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Embassy of Lebanon in Switzerland, Consult General of Lebanon in Detroit, Consulate General of Lebanon in Los Angeles, Consulate General of Lebanon in New York, Les Douanes libanaises, ministère des Affaires étrangères et des émigrants, Ministry of Interior and Municipalities, official electronic portal of the Lebanese government; le-liban.com; Legislationline; United Nations - Refworld; United States - Department of State.

Attachment

Keesing Reference Systems. N.d. "Lebanon - National Passport (P3)." [Accessed 4 Nov. 2015]