Libya border process update - Jan 2011

[MovingHouse]

We crossed at Ras Adjr on a 7 day transit visa. Two hours. LYD 266 at customs (license plate rental & "fixed" 4WD charge) plus LYD 6 for a 14 day insurance. Interestingly, the fuel levy introduced in Oct 2010 wasn't charged - I even asked.

One change from the write up on Chris's website (http://www.sahara-overland.com/country/libya.htm) is that in order to get the carnet stamped and insurance, we had to go just outside the border control compound - this was straighforward as we had acquired a friendly (and free) police helper for the whole process as we had no guide. As you face the set of shopfronts (GPS Latitude=33.147927, Longitude=11.566023), the insurance is the second door from the right. The carnet man is in in the long single story building (at 2 o'clock as you face the shops). There is a Sahara bank branch with ATM in the next building along the main road.

On the way out to Egypt, we stopped at the license plate returns place, but a another friendly policeman escorted us the last few k's to the border and deposited us at immigration. The plates were returned there, and the 100 LYD refund issued. All took 1 hour, including tea with the head honcho.

[Chris Scott]

Thanks a lot for the updates and clarifications. as Libyan regs are particularly hard to keep up with. Not hugely surprised to hear the fuel levy is not being imposed - but may well be next week...

More posts like this from any border always welcome here.

Ch

[gagarin]

Thanks for the update!
Hope I'll be able to write more updates soon - from L1 to L7 as well...

[Dave The Hat]

Not sure if this should go here, but Libya just closed the border from Algeria at Ghdames according to this article. Were foreigners allowed to use this crossing anyway? I know people who did in 2002...but that was a long time ago.

http://www.echoroukonline.com/eng/index.php?news=12094

[Peter Girling]

We were there in '05 and were told crossing's not been possible for tourists for a long time.

Happy trails,

Jojo

[priffe]

Originally Posted by Dave The Hat

Not sure if this should go here, but Libya just closed the border from Algeria at Ghdames according to this article. Were foreigners allowed to use this crossing anyway? I know people who did in 2002...but that was a long time ago.
http://www.echoroukonline.com/eng/index.php?news=12094

They opened the border for locals a while back, and then even lifted the taxes on vehicles and people crossing. A pity they closed it again, as things were going in the right direction.
They both need a new leadership before the borders will open - the old farts they have now are too entangled in old conflicts.

[Budrinna]

Libya’s Deb Deb border with Algeria & Tunisia has always been , as Tim Alkoum, a military border and close for tourism purposes for all citizens of countries who need entrance visa in GSPLAJ since & before G.R. . Normally open for local traffic , commercial and also tourist but only for citizens who do not need visas for entering , it is closed for all when particular conditions occurs , like now. Peoples who told to cross it got at the time a special permit on behal of the local agency not in use and cancelled since years .