Lebanon: visa and entry rules
What you need to get in, how long you may stay, and what an overstay costs
Lebanon's borders: every crossing point
Airports 1
Lebanon's land border crossings, grouped by the neighbour they lead to:
Lebanon has two land neighbours: Syria and Israel.
With Syria: the main crossing is Masnaa on the Beirut - Damascus road, plus Aboudieh in the north and Qaa in the Bekaa Valley.
The border with Israel is sealed shut. The two countries are in a state of war; there is no crossing and there will not be one in the foreseeable future.
In other words, the only way into Lebanon by land is from Syria, with everything that implies. Practically the entire tourist flow goes through Beirut airport.
The visa on arrival is issued only at Beirut airport. It is not given at the land crossings, which is another reason the overland route does not work for travellers.
Driving to Lebanon
The only overland entry is from Syria, so a car route into Lebanon barely exists for travellers.
Check the rules for temporarily importing a car into Lebanon with customs. They change, and general figures do not carry over here.
An International Driving Permit is required.
Insurance is arranged locally.
Travelling to Lebanon with a pet
An international-standard microchip is mandatory.
The rabies vaccination must be valid on the date of entry.
The veterinary certificate is endorsed by the state veterinary service of the country of departure.
Confirm the vaccination and test deadlines with your airline before buying tickets - it is the carrier that will refuse to board an animal without the full set of paperwork.
Overstaying your visa in Lebanon
A fine is charged for exceeding the permitted period and is paid on departure.
The amount is calculated at the moment of departure. Published rates for Lebanon contradict each other and go out of date, so count on cash and an extra hour at the border.
Extensions are arranged in advance at the General Directorate of General Security, before the thirty days run out.
Leaving overland to sidestep the problem will not work - the only land border leads into Syria.
What else to check before you go
Updated
Entry rules change faster than anything else on this site, and they change without notice. We cross-check every page against several sources and state the date it was verified, but that does not replace the main step: before you travel, check an official source — the country’s consulate, its immigration service or its e-visa portal. Especially if more than a couple of months have passed since our check.