Can one visit Israel with a Lebanese passport only?
Asking for a friend.
He does not hold any dual citizenship and only has a Lebanese passport. I am well aware of the diplomatic tensions these two countries hold but I was under the impression Israel did not have any restrictions on who could visit. However, I've seen contradictory answers online.
I suspect he might be questioned upon arrival. To makes things simpler, he's been living in Paris for years now and has no ties to anyone involved in politics in Lebanon.
Can he visit Israel with only a Lebanese passport? Also, even if he asks the Israel customs not to stamp his passport, can Lebanon find out he's been in Israel? Can he get in trouble when he decides to visit Lebanon?
Best Answer
According to this table in the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) site, Lebanese citizens can apply for a visa, but it "requires MFA confirmation" (a comment in common to many Muslim states, as well as North Korea).
I can't tell what requirements does the MFA have for this confirmation, and it's probably not public information. I would guess it involves providing a good reason and/or strong evidence of lack of negative intentions.
This thread discusses the similar case of an Iraqi citizen. According to one answer, These countries are in a different and restrictive category, and the best advice is that entry will not be easy and will require special circumstances and justification.
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Can I go to Israel with a Lebanese passport?
Israel allows free entry to persons with a Lebanese stamp in the passport. No restrictions. Shuffaluff gives good advice. As she says, Israel won't deny you entry because you've visited Lebanon, but you can certainly expect questions about this.What countries can I visit with a Lebanese passport without visa?
Lebanese Passport Visa-Free Countries: For City Lovers- Macau. ...
- Bangladesh \u2013 Visa on Arrival.
- Cape Verde \u2013 Visa on Arrival.
- Comoros \u2013 Visa on Arrival.
- Comoros \u2013 Visa on Arrival.
- Djibouti \u2013 Visa on Arrival.
- Dominica \u2013 Visa not required.
- Guinea-Bissau \u2013 Visa on Arrival.
Which passports Cannot enter Israel?
In addition, six of these countries \u2014 Iran, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Syria and Yemen \u2014 do not allow entry to people with evidence of travel to Israel, or whose passports have either a used or an unused Israeli visa.Can a non Israeli citizen travel to Israel?
Non-Israeli citizens who will be confirmed as COVID-19 cases but will refuse to go into isolation will be counted as violating the requirements of isolation - may be denied entry to Israel for a period to be determined by the Population and Immigration Authority.The West Asia Post| Israel head to polls once again| Lebanon's push to revive tourism
More answers regarding can one visit Israel with a Lebanese passport only?
Answer 2
As other answers indicate, your friend can apply for a visa. However, s/he risks the possibility of interrogation by the Israeli security services upon entry - as we have recently seen in the media even for people from the US. If your friend is active in politics or otherwise related to significant people in the public sphere, this chance increases.
Also there might be similar repercussions on the Lebanese side, I'm not sure.
I don't suggest that your friend not try this, but I do suggest caution and possibly "lawyering up" to some extent if s/he gets the visa - in case your friend is detained on entry and not released (which is perhaps not very likely but possible).
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