via Annahar
First they released a memo that all those who have old renewed passports or passports that include accompanied individuals such as children need to get new passports before the 10th of January, after which they will no longer be considered valid on departure.
Second and after everyone freaked out and spent hours trying to get a new passport, they re-assure us that the General Security will not reimburse for the cost of new passports, and that The International Aviation Organization is not accepting passports that have been renewed by hand anymore.
Third and last, they just released a memo that these same (invalid) passports won’t be confiscated after the 10th of February and that they will never resort to confiscating passports.
I’m lost but I won’t be taking any chances with them. I’m getting a new passport in the next couple of weeks, hopefully for 5 years because some people told me they were unable to renew for more than 1 year.
1. You can get it for both 1 or 5 years.
It depends where you live. Like for us, UAE residents, we had to get it for 5 years because our resident visa is valid for 2 years, therefore you need at least 2 years or more in your passport.
2. I asked here and they told us the handwritten passports aren’t a problem and we can leave and enter the country normally. The problem is our own country which is saying we can’t leave Beirut airport if our passport doesn’t meet the requirements. Although I haven’t seen anyone facing this issue at the passport check a month ago.
3. When I went to the general security to check if the news was correct, they told me yes my passport is invalid and I should get a new one (when I had 3 more years left in it) and I actually did because like you said, I didn’t want to risk it.
If you dig up articles on this issue, you will find out that Lebanon was informed back in 2012 that handwritten passports aren’t allowed anymore.
When you go and apply for the new passport, you get the same blue passport with the renewal page which isn’t supposed to be there in the new passport which of course we Lebanese won’t be getting any time soon.
A lot did get the passport for one year because: 1. $200 is too much if you are getting new passports for your whole family. 2. They were informed that by mid 2016- early 2017 there will be the new biometric passports, but we all know that’s not happening anytime soon.
You have the Palestinians with Lebanese passports, their entire passport is handwritten, why don’t they ask them to get new ones? It is obvious they just had extra passports in storage they wanted to get rid off and make money cause that’s what they are good at.
Fourth – You will be asked to renewed your passport again in a year in order to add the biometric chip.