Greetings from Isfahan

[Medicus matt]

Do you still need government permits to visit these sites. I have been in Libya (Janzour, Tripoli) working for a couple of months now, but I am still not sure how to go about visits to the deep south!

I've not needed to arrange official permits, but that may just be because of the nature of my employment in Libya.

[Jona Lendering]

I've not needed to arrange official permits

Neither have I.

[ParthianBow]

It would indeed be excellent to take a trip with you as a guide. Please keep us RATers posted on any possible developments. In the meantime, I will make my own plans to go solo to Libya (some time) - encouraged by the other posts.

[Medicus matt]

It would indeed be excellent to take a trip with you as a guide. Please keep us RATers posted on any possible developments. In the meantime, I will make my own plans to go solo to Libya (some time) - encouraged by the other posts.

Plan well in advance. Getting a visa is both costly (I think tourist visa's are £100, mine's £150) and a bit of a faff.
You've got to get an arabic translation stamp in your passport (you can get that done at Newport) and have it filled in by an authorised agency (details from the embassy).
You also need a letter from your host/hotel/travel arranger and you need to take 3 months worth of bank statements with you when you go to get your visa.
You have to apply at the embassy in person, between 8-10am Mon-Wed (they take your fingerprints at the same time) and you can collect a week later between 2-4 Mon-Wed.
You can (at the moment) give them a registered post envelope and they'll post your passport back to you. This service is sometimes withdrawn.
The rules change on a regular basis.

[ParthianBow]

Thanks for the tips, Matt! I will plan well in advance...

[sulla felix]

Also be aware that right now if you hold a passport from a country that is party to the Schengen Agreement you may have difficulties entering the country even if you have a valid visa. Hopefully this will be resolved soon, but right now we have French, Italian and Dutch staff all unable to re-enter Libya. It is a fluid situation!

[Jona Lendering]

And to illustrate the horrors of Libya: I was entering the country from Egypt and was somewhere west of Alexandria, when I learned that the Leader had decided, all of a sudden, that visitors ought to have $1000 with them for medical emergencies. I can understand the need, but where to obtain so much money in the Egyptian desert? The banks in Mersa Matruh weren't prepared for that either. A detour to Siwa offered a solution, but it was most unpleasant.

[Medicus matt]

visitors ought to have $1000 with them for medical emergencies. .

Ah, that one only applies to certain nationals. UK nationals are exempt.

It helps to have two passports as well. 8)

[Medicus matt]

Thanks for the tips, Matt! I will plan well in advance...

If you want to meet up for a beer at some stage to go over it in more detail, I live about 7 miles south of Bristol. In Nailsea.

[ParthianBow]

Hi Matt - did I hear beer mentioned? Now that sounds like a plan! I'm not sure when I might go to Libya (specifically Leptis Magna), but a chat about it sometime sounds great. Thank you for the kind offer! It won't be any time very soon - too much on what with sick babies, impending medical appointments for other family members, and trying to finish a novel. However, I would love to meet up when things are a bit clearer (April/May perhaps?). I live in Clutton, which is only about 12 miles from you. Small world, eh? 8)

Sulla - thanks for the tip - I hold an Irish passport, so will have to check with the Libyan embassy about visas.