Libya Travel Guide

Libya does not issue tourist visas on arrival, and the standard tourist route runs through a Libyan tour operator, who sponsors your visit and provides the invitation letter a visa application needs. Since 21 March 2024, an e-Visa system has existed too, valid for 90 days, good for a single entry, and allowing a stay of no more than 30 days for a fee of 63 dinars for applicants from most countries, though this is layered on top of, not a replacement for, the underlying need for proper sponsorship and documentation. Do not use a tourist visa for business purposes, guides specifically warn this risks arrest, and any passport carrying an Israeli visa or Israeli entry or exit stamps is refused entry entirely.

None of this paperwork matters much next to the security picture. Every government advisory used for this guide says do not travel to Libya for any reason, citing a volatile security situation, risks of armed clashes, high crime, and terrorism, with foreign nationals potentially targeted, and a real risk that armed groups or intelligence services could arbitrarily detain a visitor. Kidnapping risk is described as high throughout the country, not confined to specific regions.