visas for libya
 

Hi Guys,

I have managed to get a visa for Libya for anyone interested in travelling through. It cost about $600 all up but it is still cheaper than the alternative route by ferry from Turkey.
If you want one email Masoud at Discover The Libyan Sahara Desert With Wadi Tidwa Tours: Desert Adventures Tours and 4x4 Scenic Tours Sahara Holiday & Travel Adventures in Libya
He will guide you through the process. You will need an invitation letter that he will provide. He will fax it to the embassy of your choice and then you can go get a visa. It took a week for the invitation letter to come trough but when it did I got the visa in Canberra within an hour.

Great news!!

It is great news indeed. Now the next step will be to get through Libya without being "intercepted" by some of the loose canons ruling the country since the end of the war.

And then get into, thru and out of Egypt in the current turmoil.. etc..

But I guess we're all looking for adventure, aren't we ? we'll be waiting for your story in this forum.

What's the duration of the visa? Is it only transit or what?
How are you travelling and when?
I'd like to go that way but without rushing.

Ali.

30 Day visa. not exactly sure when I will cross yet , soon enough hopefully.

Tourist visa
 

Interesting topic. I've been looking for this option as well as it seems to be impossible at this moment to go from Turkey by ferry to Egypt.

I read that it's only possible to receive a business visa at this moment. We'll be going into Africa (from Europe) in the beginning of November with our Yamaha wr250r's. If anyone else is planning to enter Africa around that time it would be good to share experiences.

Sounds good. I am planning on going through Libya next april. I know things can change at any time but knowing you had a good experience with a particular company is helpful.

We got visas for LIbya and drove across (Tusisia - Libya - Egypt) August of 2012 and it was a great experience. Friendly people and a lot to see and do.

Hope things are as smooth for you as they were for us.

But it was in 2012... Now enter in Egypt from Lybia seems not so cool:(

RR.

Libya is indeed getting worse for the moment.

We can, nonetheless, help with visas.

Safe travels, Sam.

The embassy
 

Kev.
Did you actually have to physically go to the embassy in Canberra to get the visa or is it possible to get it by mail? I'm 2000 km from Canberra.
I've been in touch with Tidwa tours but the embassy part is unclear. I tried to email them without success.

Alipro

Please send me an email, we can help you with your visa (though you should check that you really want to go - things are not improving at the moment).

Safe travels, Sam.


sam at Prepare2go dot com

We also got a business visa through Sem and Masoud at Tidwa, and had an incredible week (2nd to 8th Oct 2013). Masoud went well past what he had agreed to do, was a brilliant help at the border, hooked us up with amazing people in Tripoli, was cool to chat with, and bought us dinner.
Cost: 375 Euro for a three month multiple entry business visa, and 75 Swiss Francs for it to be stamped at the Embassy in Bern.
Had a great time with these guys: Classic Bikers Tripoli 720 on Vimeo
And wonderful hosts in Misrata, Benghazi, and Tubruk.
We are currently in Cairo and wish we could have stayed longer in Libya.
Mat
www.matward.com
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i6...psda72788c.jpg

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i6...ps7178459d.jpg

Interesting images from Libya on the website. Not all matching the 'received view' of the news media.

Ch

So, you had to go to the embassy in Bern. Easy in such a small country.
I still wonder if it can be done by mail.
The embassy in Canberra doesn't respond to emails.
Perhaps I should phone.

If there are bad things happening in Libya at the moment, no-one's reporting them in Australia. Except the Yanks grabbing an "important person".

Alipro.

Hi Alipro,

It was for this reason I posted my passport to Jaap in Switzerland. It would have taken a couple of days for the return trip to London for me (Edinburgh). In the UK someone must turn up in person with the passport. They will post it back if you provide a courier envelope (three days processing).

Mat

Al Jazeera and BBC World News are two, among others, that provide such coverage: unfortunately, there are other news media that have no interest in the area since the western nations stopped bombing the country.
Maybe you get too much news from Murdoch??

I think it is a common occurrance for travellers in areas of conflict to be met, and greeted, with great enthusiasm by the local inhabitants, if only because it provides an instance of normality (in this case = a type of tourism) within a less-than-otherwise-favourable situation.
In short, it provides a type of hope to those swept up within the turmoil.

Hi Dave,

Yes, I agree with you. But it is not just the turmoil and hope for normality, it's anticipation of the positive changes that will hopefully result from the revolution. The Libyan people have been under the control of Gaddafi for so long, that there is genuine excitement about the future, it's just that establishment of a stable and well functioning state is very slow. Riders coming through is a glimpse into the future (hopefully), and everyone is very keen to accelerate that process.

Mat

Thanks for that - it's all part of the "Arab Spring" and, yes, it's early days for all of the nations in the middle east (and westward - we don't hear so much, right now, about Tunisia via our own media, but I am sure in my own mind that there is lots going on there).

A main theme in recent press reporting here has been the issue of Benghazi "doing it's own thing" and, potentially, going it's own way.
What price an "East Libya" and a "West Libya" a la south and north Sudan?

The media have also covered the fact that Gaddafi was such a pervasive, despotic ruler that there is currently no structure in place since he was deposed/killed; no (national) government structure, no police, no army, nothing (Iraq is such a model of course, but hopefully there will be differences for the end state in Libya).

With no government SW Libya is getting closer to declaring autonomy.
No police, no courts, no border guards, no military means everything is left to local militias.
So they want a federation, with Sebha capital for the Fezzan.
Benghazi goes further and wants indepencence. Libya is set to become three countries.
IPS – Southern Libya Awaits Another Spring | Inter Press Service

You guys are crazy.. well done Kiwimat , that pic with Lybian armed militia on bike speaks well..

I would have a new topic for this Saharian subject , but not here..

I just want to ad ; I´m in Italy now planning my Sahara trip , start before year end.. I was thinking about Libya regardless situation (not sure yet , Egypt seems easier , I´m on foot..) beside I need no Egypt visa and Libyan embassy at Rome no answer phone or email since a couple of weeks me trying..

Eventually I´ll contact one of the visa service guys in ur posts and see if something can be done from here (..or at arrival ?)

What about those ferries from Greece-Turkey to Egypt (only passenger) , any trustable news ?

Ahoy

Hey Aprillo. Yes I went to the embassy in Canberra. You can get it the same day. Just bring everything you need. Make sure you tell them how and where you will be entering otherwise theyll give you one for entry at airport.

After completing my ride through Africa I can without a doubt say that Libya was in my top two countries. Do not be afraid to travel through, the friendliness of the people is overwhelming, you will not be disappointed. Don't listen to the media reports and go see it for yourself.

Hi,

I'm planing on going in September.
What does it take to get a visa?
I've read about a translation of the passport into Arab and a kind of certificate from a Libian travel agency?

How did you manage?

Regards,
David

We can still help with your visa - send me an email!

(not a private message)

Travel safe, Sam.

…or go to the first post of this thread or see here.

AFAIK, the Arabic translation stamp requirement was dropped even before the revolution.

Ch

Hello,

I just stepped over this, very recent update found here: Temehu

Tourist Visa:

The Ministry of Tourism has finally decided to start issuing tourist visas to foreign nationals wishing to visit Libya. The decision was taken in a meeting between the minister of tourism and Tripoli's immigration officials on the 26th of December 2013 [1]. Officials at the ministry of tourism have confirmed the news to us on early January 2014. The good news was also confirmed by the ministry's media coordinator to Libya Herald [2]. In a separate development Solidarity Press has reported [3] an agreement between the Libyan and Tunisian ministries of tourism to begin the activation of tourism in Libya and Tunisia. The representative of the Tunisian Office of Tourism in Tripoli, Mr. Ezeddin Alqarami, was reported to have said that the agreement relates to the preparations made for the year 2014, which will be a "promising year" for both countries [3]. The New Visa Procedure: the new regulations require a scanned copy of your passport to be sent to your chosen operator or visa provider and a list of the sites to be visited (the route). The visa approval will be available within 48 hours of the application being presented (if all goes well). The approval can be used to obtain the visa on arrival, as before, without the need to visit the embassy.


This sounds very promising.

David

Just be careful: As much as I know Turkish Airlines does not accept these visa on arrival (at the airport) but insists you must have the visa in your passport upon departure from Istanbul. Of course these considerations are obsolete for overlanders who arrive at land borders - provided the new regulations include this species of tourists ...

Greetings,
Achim

I took a while to read through the Temehu news section. I find it credible what they are saying in the summary of the current situation: "Although tourist and business visas are currently being issued to foreign visitors wishing to visit or transit Libya, we strongly advise against all but essential travel to Libya".

This comes from the mouth of a travel agency!

And then, in the same paragraph, they go on to say something completely different, though rather strange:

"The Berber Tuareg (sic!) of the Sahara say it is safe for tourists to visit the desert, despite the continued violence in and around Sabha and Kufra." Berber Touareg?

In a word, I wouldn't trust anything the officials are saying or doing because it makes no sense: you can't pretend it's business as usual by opening the borders for tourism because those who are keen on travelling to Leptis Magna or a weekend break in Tripoli will not come for fear of being shot. To woo people like us the Libyans do not need to splash half of their annual budget on travel shows, like the World Travel Market in London, and tempt us with a promise of a cheap and quick border crossing with tourist visa. It must be some cunning internal political game, and - as usual - if you can't figure out what it's all about, you can be pretty sure is only about money. Well, given the scale of corruption in Libya these days .....

I must say the announcement of tourist visas sounded a little premature or optimistic.
My original thought was someone is annoyed that the money being charged for business visas is not ending up in the correct pockets, but how much money can that be these days, even with real businessmen?

NB. Tuareg are ethnically Berbers - known to themselves are Imazighen or 'the free' and all speaking a very similar language. One of many sources. 'Tuareg' and 'Berber' are outsider labels, possibly like our 'gypsy'.

Ch

Libya is presently not safe for tourists, and the situation is not improving.

We are no longer helping with tourism visas.

We are still facilitating for business/government and NGO clients, but in combination with a personal security detail (with them for the duration of their stay in the country).

Safe travels, Sam.

Interesting read, I am planning a solo journey through east Africa next summer, and am having the same problem of getting my MC to the continent. I am glad to read that people have had good experiance in Libya, it would be my first choice if possible. Although being a solo female traveler, maight make it a bit more tricky. Has anyone hade a more recent experiance? or for you who have done the trip, what is your take on the woman issue?
Kind regards
Brynja

I think the first line of Sam's comment from January is even more apt today.
For that reason I do not know of any tourist who has crossed Libya this year, compared to the handfuls in the previous year or two (all brisk transits but without problems, if not outright warm welcomes).

While the factions are chiefly involved with having it out with each other, rather than focussed on targeting foreigners (as has happened elsewhere in the Sahara), I imagine it would make a transit tense. All it takes is one AQIM-minded nutter to want to prove himself; ex-pat foreigners have been killed.

Things may quieten down, but it may be a while before they actually improve to the point where tourists will feel safe to dash across again.

Ch

As Chris says very few crossing Libya. I used to work with Lucy who is part of the Shifting Sands project.....they crossed Libya just a few months ago (along the coast) their website has some good info and photos on the route they took.

Yefran to Misratah - Shifting Sands

Its very very bad, worse than Jan. We had a boat dock about 6 weeks ago and the 2 Irish guys on board weren't even allowed off deck in the port, never mind get out of the port itself

It was a bit hard to follow when and where [actually this post was most helpful], but it sounded like the Shifting Sands duo had the same non-threatening experience this year as transit tourists from previous recent crossings.

As overland travellers know well, the dramatic events which the media love to pick up on (and which employers of ex-pat and overseas govt ministries must act on) don't always correlate with tourists' experience on the ground. This has particularly been the case in Libya, which gives the country some hope.

Ch

I would agree with that, however our guys were pretty much told they could get off the boat if they wanted to, an were advised not to. BUT,rolling into town (and into a major port) on a good sized EU registered ship is a great way to draw attention. :oops2::oops2:

The Shifting Sand girls reported no problems at all really....but it was a couple of months since they went through and it sounds like the situation has deteriorated further since then (they're currently in Turkey).

We've pulled all our non-Libyan guys out. Too expensive (too high risk).


The only work we're now doing there now is supplying armed (local) escorts to mostly Arabic clients.


Tripoli has become dangerous (which it was never before, even during the actual revolution).


Read the news, and don't rely on 'being lucky' - you may not be.


Travel safe (somewhere else), Sam.






PS in any event, the beautiful part is in the south which is completely off limits.