The procedures for controlling the entry, the practice and the residence of the male and female artists, as well as the male and female working in the domains of fashion shows, massage and bars.

A classification at The General Directorate of General Security is adopted concerning the workers in nightclubs, fashion shows agencies, massage centers and bars, as well as those working in the domains of dancing, singing, music playing, circus plays and ice-skating shows, according to the following:

 

The practice of the following bands is considered cultural and not art, they are:      

The international orchestral bands, the symphonic bands, the ballet bands, the artistic sports shows, the water-skiing, the ice-skating and the theatrical groups, where the "artist" fee is not collected.

They enter with an ordinary touristic visa, except for the individual players and the trainers among these fields who are coming to work in Lebanon for a period of one year and more where they must have work contracts and foreigners work residence shall apply to them.

Any violation to the regulations of this memorandum by the owners and the investors of the touristic institutions or by the female artists, the top models, the masseuses, the  female bar tenders or the female art practitioner will expose the perpetrator  to legal pursuit and to fining him/her the entitled financial fees, in addition to issuing a subjugation ordinance against the violative inviting party and an entrance prevention ordinance against the violative Arabic or the foreigner. 

A- Concerning the Female Artists: 

The female artists working in nightclubs are not allowed to enter Lebanon to work unless by means of a previous "Artist Visa" granted by the Department Of Arabs and Foreigners, upon which category is implemented the provisions of decree 10267, dated 6/8/1962 , mainly Article 9

B- The Female Fashion Models: 

B-1- The entry of female fashion models for the purpose of tourism 

The entry of models that had already worked as models and are coming to Lebanon for tourism, is subject to a previous visa of the General Security whatever their nationalities and whatever the period of absence outside Lebanon. 

B-2- The entry of fashion models for working purpose

 

The entrance of fashion models to Lebanon is subject to the terms of a previous visa granted by the General Security, whatever their nationalities.

 

B-2-1- Obtaining a visa for a fashion model

 

The modeling agencies are committed to present an application for an entry visa for the female fashion models at the Arabs and Foreigners Department - Artists section – that proceeds according to the following regulations:

 

-   The female fashion model should come to the Department of Arabs and Foreigners – Artists Section- within a period of /48/ hours from the time of her entry to Lebanon in order to register a work contract arranged between her and the owner of the agency, specifying the job's schedule and term, the dates and places of the show including the setting up address of the show, after presenting a hotel reservation for her in one of the hotels or pre-furnished apartments

-   The fashion model is given a term for departure, without any financial quittance if she came to Lebanon for working purposes during the shopping month, the summer festival and the first and second weeks being all free of charge.

-   The female fashion model will undergo the laboratory examinations (HIV –Syphilis–Hepatitis) upon her entry to Lebanon if her work visa is valid for more than one month period except for the shopping month and the summer festival month. She will also undergo the previously mentioned laboratory examination if she entered with a visa valid for less than one month period and then extended it for a period of more than one month.

-   The maximum work duration for the female fashion model in Lebanon is six months in the year, whether they are continuous or intermittent, and she is not allowed to resume work unless she spends a duration outside Lebanon equivalent to the duration of her work during the period before she left  Lebanon, similar to other artists.

-   The female fashion model who used to work in Lebanon as an artist is not allowed to enter Lebanon for whatever duration she spent outside Lebanon after her last departure as an artist.

-   It is allowed to the one that had previously worked as a fashion model in Lebanon to enter as an artist, and she will be subject to the terms of entry, residence and work of such artists.

 

B-2-2- Fees: 

 

-   The modeling agencies are exempted from the artist fee for the female fashion models that they bring over to Lebanon in order to present shows for a duration less than one week and twice in the year only.

-   The artist fee is not collected for the female fashion models who perform modeling shows during the shopping month and the summer festival, in addition to the two weeks mentioned above.

-   The artist fee is collected when the fashion model enters Lebanon in any other additional time other than those mentioned above and also  for each time her residence duration exceeds the one week duration or the one month duration of the shopping month and the summer festival. 

C- The  Masseurs And Masseuses:    

-   The entry of masseurs and masseuses to Lebanon for working purpose is subject to the decision of General Director of the General Security – The Bureau of nationality, passports and foreigners affairs – on the condition of possessing a license in massage from an authorized school or institute acknowledged and certified in his native country and after obtaining a previous work approval - First Category - from the Ministry of Labor, based upon a request from a licensed club. A valid entry visa for a period of /48/ hours is granted in order to consult the Department of Arab and Foreigners – Artists section.

-   All masseurs and masseuses will undergo the laboratory tests and medical examinations after consulting the Department of Arabs and Foreigners - Artists section - upon entering to Lebanon provided that these examinations are repeated periodically every 6 months.

-   This category is not subjected to the Article 9 of the decree number 10267.

Note: The masseurs and masseuses that are coming to Lebanon upon a request from hospitals and specialized medical centers licensed from the Ministry of Public Health are exempted from the laboratory tests and medical examinations. The same  working terms of the foreigners applies to them.

D- The Barmaid:

-   The entry of the barmaid to Lebanon for working purpose is subjected to the decision of the General Director of General Security – The Bureau of Nationality, passports and foreigners affairs – and after obtaining a previous approval - First Category -  from the Ministry of Labor, based upon a request from a licensed club. A valid entrance visa for a period of /48/ hours is granted in order to consult the Department of Arabs and Foreigners – Artists section.

-   The Barmaid will undergo the laboratory tests and medical examinations after consulting the Department of Arabs and Foreigners - Artists section - upon entering to Lebanon provided that these examinations are repeated periodically every 6 months.

-   This category is not subject to the Article 9 of the decree number 10267. 

E- Art Practitioner: 

-   The art practitioners are not allowed to enter Lebanon for working except by means of a previous "Artist" entry visa granted by the Department of Arabs and Foreigners, based upon a request presented to the General Security by the inviting party (an institute or an individual) in which the date, the period and the location of the work are specified according to the previously applied procedures.

-   The Arabic and foreign female dancer should undergo laboratory test and medical examinations if their residence period in Lebanon exceeds one month, provided that these  examinations are repeated every three months. 

-   This category is not subject to the Article 9 of the decree number 10267.      

E-1- The entry for the purpose of tourism:    

The entry of women who have previously worked as artists, masseuses, barmaids, waitresess, whatever their age or nationality and no matter how long they stayed outside Lebanon, is subject to a previous approval from the General Directorate of the General Security. 

E-2- The entry for the purpose of tourism for the Art practitioner: 

The entry of men and women from the category (E) (Art practitioner) is subject to the terms related to the entry of the corresponding nationality of each one of them and when the purpose of their visit is tourism only, they are not allowed then to participate in any private or public festival during all their stay in Lebanon.  

Article 9:

"The working period of the female artist in Lebanon must not exceed six months continuously, and she is not allowed to return to work unless she has spent outside Lebanon a period of time equivalent to her working period in Lebanon.The Arab citizens and the members of the International teams are exempted from this arrangement".  

F- The Waitress:  

This category is subject to the same provisions related to Masseurs And Masseuses except for the condition of possessing a specialization license, and after obtaining a previous approval of the Second Category from the Ministry of Labor.The woman who worked as such is allowed to return to Lebanon again and work as an artist, where as the artist is not allowed to work as a waitress.  

G- The Advertisement Female:

 

-   The advertisement female is not allowed to enter Lebanon for working except by means of a previous entry visa granted by the Department of Arabs and Foreigners, based upon a request presented to the General Security by the inviting party (production companies, advertisement, touristic institutions, individuals, …) in which the date, the period, the location of the work and the residence address should be specified.

-   The advertisement female is subject to the provisions of the decree 10267, dated 6/8/1962 and mainly Article 9.

-   The advertisement female is allowed to work in Lebanon as an artist or a fashion model, but the artist working in Lebanon is not allowed to work as an advertisement female.

-   The advertisement female should undergo the laboratory test and medical examinations required for the female artists if her residence period in Lebanon exceeds one month, provided that these examinations are repeated once every three months.  

The entry for the purpose of tourism: The advertisement female is not allowed to enter Lebanon for the purpose of tourism or to practice a different work unless she has spent a period of one year outside Lebanon and according to a previous approval from the General Directorate of General Security whatever her age or nationality is.