UPDATED NOTE MAY 2014: Tourist visas have been SUSPENDED in Libya for the time being. We will post when they become available once again. The word is that they will be available after the elections in Libya, but those election dates have not yet been set.
FEB. 2014: Tourist visas are definitely available for travel to Libya! Currently they are ONLY for pick-up at the Tripoli Airport upon arrival, and a package tour with a local tour company is required. Overland travel is currently not allowed or recommended and there are restrictions on who can apply. Nationalities that seem to be able to acquire visas for travel to Libya are Europeans, South Americans, Australians, Russians, Japanese, New Zealanders, South Africans, Canadians, and Americans. Safety-wise, travel in and around Tripoli (including Leptis Magna and Sabratha) is what is recommended at this point. Ghadames is also okay if you fly there and do not travel by road. Feel free to contact us for more information. We’d love to help you plan a trip to Libya!
JAN. 2014: We are beginning to get word that tourist visas MAY be available again to Libya with the start of 2014 through the Ministry of Tourism. We do not yet know the details and/or restrictions, but we believe that using a tour company to book your hotel stay, a professional tour guide, and private transportation will likely be required to go along with the tourist visa.
OCT. 2013: Tourist Visas to Libya were suspended in August 2012 and have not yet reopened! Business visas are available (for SOME nationalities) for business travel ONLY, but the price is significantly more expensive.
April 2012: Tourism Visas for Libya are now officially open! Yesterday we had our first visitors to Libya, since the revoultion, come on tourism visas issued through the ministry or tourism in Tripoli. We were pleased with the process and how simply everything went.
Libya Tourist Visa Process
Our visitors provided our tour company a scanned copy of their passports. We then applied directly to the ministry of tourism for their tourist visas. After a few days, we were given a copy of the granted visa letter which was emailed to the visitors. The travelers were asked to show this letter when checking in and also at the passport control. In the Tripoli Airport, they went to the right hand line and gave their passports and letter to the immigration authorities. The visas were stamped in their passport in 10 minutes…
Do you need a tourist visa to Libya?
We are glad to announce that we can officially help travelers come to the northern portions of Libya on a tourist visa. Because of the strict laws, in order to provide tourist visas, we must also arrange your hotels and transportation. We are still unsure if a guide will be required for all tourist groups.
Contact us today for your travel to Libya.
