All country guides
- Capital
- Beirut (BEY)
- Dialing Code
- + 961
- Time Zone
- UTC / GMT +2 hours
- Daylight Savings Time
- Last Sunday of March to last Sunday of October: UTC / GMT +3
- Language
- Arabic
- Best Time to Go
- June - September
- Currency
- Lebanese Pound (LBP)(also known as the Lebanese Lira)
Travel Tips
- French and English are also spoken
- US Dollars and Euro may be accepted
- Lebanon has a Mediterranean climate with 300 days of sunshine a year. Spring and Autumn are also warm months. Winter (December – March) is rainy with snow on the mountains, making it the best time to enjoy winter sports
- All water should be regarded as being potentially contaminated. Bottled water is available and recommended.
Last updated 29 September 2026
Visa Guide
Travel Alerts
Travelers with Israeli stamps in their passports will not be granted entry into Lebanon
Foreign Representation in South Africa
Embassy of Lebanon
165 Lynwood Road, Brooklyn
Telephone: 012 430 2130/31
E-mail: info@embassyoflebanon.co.za
Facebook: www.facebook.com/embassyoflebanon
Public Holidays
2026
January: 1, 6
February: 9, 14
March: 20 - 21, 25
April: 3, 5 - 6, 10, 12 - 13
May: 1, 3, 10, 25, 27 - 28
June: 17, 26
November: 22
December: 25
Visa Requirements
Visas are required by South African passport holders.
- Application form fully filled in
- Scanned copy of passport (bio page)
- A valid passport for at least (6) months with no Israeli stamps
- One colored photo (Size 4,3 x 3,5 cm)
- A Hotel booking
- An invitation letter from the host in Lebanon (except for South Africans of Lebanese Origin)
- A clear physical address and contact number of the host in Lebanon a) If the host is Lebanese: a copy of his ID or Lebanese passport is required b) If the host is a Foreigner: a copy of the work permit or residency permit with at least (3) months validity and a scanned copy of his passport are required
- Itinerary – (2) ways ticket booking.
- Bank statement for the last (3) months
- A letter of employment or work status
- If holder of a foreign passport a valid South African work permit or temporary of at least (6) months
- Proof of international travel insurance policy
- A parental consent to be signed at the Embassy or appropriate South African Authority for minors and a copy of an Unabridged Birth Certificate
Visa Processing Time
3 - 5 working days after visa approval
Application to be submitted one month (1) prior to proposed date of travel
Visa Cost
Payment for Visa fees to be made AFTER contacting the Embassy and confirming the VISA approval:
Single entry: ZAR 1400
Double entry: ZAR 2000
Multiple entry: ZAR 2800
Visa Forms
Health / Vaccinations
Compulsory:
- None
Recommended Travel Vaccines:
- Hepatitis A & B
- Rabies
- Polio
- Tetanus
- Typhoid
South African Representative Abroad
Representation accredited from Damascus, Syria