Libya
Entry requirements
This information is for people travelling on a full ‘British citizen’ passport from the UK who choose to travel against FCDO advice. It is based on the UK government’s understanding of the current rules for the most common types of travel.
The authorities in Libya set and enforce entry rules. If you’re not sure how these requirements apply to you, contact the Libyan Embassy in the UK.
COVID-19 rules
There are no COVID-19 testing or vaccination requirements for travellers entering Libya.
Passport validity requirements
To enter Libya, your passport must be valid for the duration of your stay.
Check with your travel provider that your passport and other travel documents meet requirements. Renew your passport if you need to.
You will be denied entry if you do not have a valid travel document or try to use a passport that has been reported lost or stolen.
Previous travel to Israel
If your passport shows previous travel to Israel, it will not be accepted for travel to Libya.
Visa requirements
If you choose to travel to Libya against FCDO advice, ensure you have the right visa or you may be refused entry. Contact the Libyan Embassy in London for further information on the visa you require. You may require a specific type of visa depending on the nature of your trip.
A Libyan visa issued overseas may not be recognised in some areas or at certain ports of entry, due to the current political situation.
Vaccine requirements
For details about medical entry requirements and recommended vaccinations, see TravelHealthPro’s Libya guide.
Registering with the police
All short-stay visitors must register with the police within a week of arrival. The company you’re visiting or the local travel agency you’re using will usually arrange this. If you do not register, you could get a fine when you leave the country.
Customs rules
There are strict rules about goods you can take into or out of Libya. You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty.
Taking money into or out of Libya
If you enter or leave Libya with over 10,000 US dollars-worth of cash, you must declare it to the customs authorities. If you do not, you risk having the money confiscated and even being detained.
There is a severe shortage of cash in Libya, and the Libyan Central Bank has imposed restrictions on cash withdrawals throughout the country.
Libya is a cash-based society. You cannot use bank cards at banks, ATMs or hotels.
The exchange of foreign currency into Libyan dinar is tightly controlled by the Libyan Central Bank. Accessing Libyan dinar through formal methods is difficult for travellers. You can legally use exchange offices approved by the Central Bank, but they operate at black market rates. No bank will change money. Informal methods of currency exchange exist though their use carries the risk of arrest.
It is illegal to take dinar out of Libya.