november 2021 holidays

The Consulate General of Lebanon in New York will be closed on:

• Thursday, November 11: Veterans Day
• Monday, November 22: Lebanese Independence Day
• Thursday, November 25 and Friday, November 26: Thanksgiving

IMPORTANT NOTice REGARDING FORMALITIES

Only money orders payable to the Consulate General of Lebanon are accepted for all formalities.

Registration for the 2022 Elections

𝗘𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻t Update:
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants announces the opening of registration for the Lebanese living abroad to vote in the upcoming 2022 parliamentary elections.
𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻?
Registration will take place starting from October 1, 2021 to November 20, 2021. The date of the elections for non-resident voters, as well as the nature of the voting process, will be announced at a later stage.
𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿?
You are eligible to register as a non-resident voter if you hold the Lebanese citizenship and were born before March 30, 2001.
𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗜 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿?
– Eligible voters will be able to register online at https://diasporavote.mfa.gov.lb/
– Eligible voters may also register in person at the Lebanese Embassy in DC or at the respective Consulates General (i.e., NYC, Detroit, or L.A.)
– Eligible voters who do not wish to register electronically may also express their desire to vote abroad through the following options:

1. By organizing a power of attorney or authorizing another person to register you with the Embassy or Consulate;
2. Or by filling out a voter registration form (which your embassy or consulate can provide) and signing it before a local notary public along with the necessary documents. The form should then be authenticated by the local secretary of state (in your respective state) and sent by mail to your embassy or consulate before the registration deadline.
   𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗗𝗼 𝗜 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗢𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿?
3. One of the following: A Lebanese passport; OR a Lebanese identity card; OR an individual or family civil status bulletin (ikhraj qayd fardi or 3a2ili), provided that it is legible and clear, regardless of these documents’ validity (e.g., they can be expired). Note: A valid and non-expired passport OR a valid Lebanese identity card (of the most recent format) will be required in order to cast your vote on election day.
   AND
4. One of the following: A US green card; OR a US identity card; OR a US or foreign passport; OR a Lebanese passport stamped with an immigration visa or a student visa; OR a US work permit; OR a US driver’s license.
   𝗜𝗻 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗹𝗲 𝟭𝟭𝟰 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗟𝗮𝘄, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗱 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗱 (𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟭):
5. The competent departments at the General Directorate of Personal Status will establish independent electoral lists for each embassy or consulate with the names of those who are eligible to vote;
6. The number of registered voters in a polling station should not be less than 200. If it is not possible to establish a polling station in a particular locality due to an insufficient number of registered voters (i.e., less than 200 eligible voters have registered), those registered voters will still retain their right to travel to Lebanon in order to cast their vote.
7. Those who are voting abroad will not be eligible to also cast their votes in Lebanon.
   We will provide more updates as we receive them from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants.

NOTICE concerning the Student Dollar Law

The student dollar law No. 193/2020, issued on October 16th, 2020, authorizes Lebanese students studying abroad in colleges or technical institutes who are registered for the academic year 2020-2021, to receive, prior to registration and through bank transfer, up to $10.000, according to the official exchange rate of LP. 1515.

Under the new law, Lebanese Banks are obliged to authorize the said transfer, and the students are required to provide the following documents:

• Current registration certificate.
• Tuition receipt prior to December 31th, 2020.
• Latest rental agreement or receipt.

Pursuant to the issuance of the said new law, and in order to benefit from its provisions, students are required to register on the following link

Attention Travelers to Lebanon: updated procedures for passengers arriving in Lebanon 

𝗨𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟬, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟭:

𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱:

– 𝘗𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘓𝘦𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘭𝘺 𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘓𝘦𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘯 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨.

– 𝘗𝘊𝘙 𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘯𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘘𝘙 𝘤𝘰𝘥𝘦.

– 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧-𝘲𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗹 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘄𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱:

1. All passengers arriving in Lebanon, 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘃𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝟭𝟮, are required to take a PCR test in a lab certified by the countries’ local authorities and to present that test at their airline check-in counters. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲 𝗻𝗼 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝟵𝟲 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗧𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗨𝗟𝗧 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗔𝗥𝗥𝗜𝗩𝗔𝗟 𝗶𝗻 𝗟𝗲𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗼𝗻.

PCR tests issued from the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Japan, and all European countries are accepted without QR codes.

Passengers who do not have a negative PCR test result will not be allowed to board.

2. All passengers arriving in Lebanon (𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘃𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝘂𝘀), with the exception of children under the age of 12 and UNIFIL, must also perform a PCR test upon arrival in Beirut. All airlines shall collect $50 USD for every passenger who wishes to travel to Lebanon, which is the cost of the PCR test and other medical diagnostic measures that every passenger shall undergo upon arrival in Beirut.

𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗺𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀:

1. Passengers wishing to travel to Lebanon and who have received the second dose of Covid-19 vaccine, or a complete dose of Covid-19 vaccine (which is formed of one dose only), minimum two weeks before their departure to Lebanon, or passengers who were infected and cured from Covid-19 within 90 days before their departure date after showing an official document confirming that, are exempt from performing a PCR test at the countries of departure and shall perform a PCR test upon their arrival at Rafiq Hariri International Airport.

2. Passengers who traveled from Lebanon and who will return within one week are exempt from doing a PCR test in their countries of departure, but shall perform a PCR test at RHIA upon their arrival in Lebanon.

3. Cabin crew arriving in Lebanon for a period no more than 48 hours are exempted from doing a PCR test upon arrival at the airport and shall remain quarantined at their places of residence for the duration of their stay in Lebanon.

All relevant previous circulars are considered cancelled.  

Please contact your local airline for more details. 

Reacquiring Lebanese Citizenship

Dear Fellow Lebanese,

We would like to inform you that the Lebanese pertinent authorities, pursuant to Law # 41 “Reacquiring the Lebanese Citizenship” dated November 24, 2015, have started taking applications from members of the Lebanese diaspora to reacquire the Lebanese citizenship. The said Law stipulates that applications should be submitted before November 25, 2025.

Applications will be considered by a committee within the Ministry of Interior and Municipalities of Lebanon. Applicants can appeal the decisions of the said committee within a month from the time they are legally notified of such decisions at the address they specified in their applications.

Persons eligible to apply should have their names or the names of their paternal ancestors, or male relatives on their father’s side, listed on the records of the census of  1921 – 1924, either residents or immigrants registers, and/or the records of the census of 1932, immigrants registers, available at the Ministry of Interior and Municipalities.

Please click on the link below to learn more about the requirements.

Click here