The general directorate of general security is declaring that starting 01/11/2016.

Instructions for the Principles of Granting Biometric Travel Documents for Palestinian Refugees in Lebanon

Issuance of biometric travel documents for Palestinians registered as refugees in Lebanon.

Applications are accepted in the regional General Security centers, with the exception of the following centers: Deir al-Ahmar, Shamstar, Mishmish (Akkar) and Shebaa, until the completion of the electronic linking process with the General Directorate of General Security.

Palestinian refugees in Lebanon who live within the scope of the work of the above-mentioned centers can submit their applications at the center closest to their place of residence.
Chapter One
General principles
- The records of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon are held by the General Directorate of Political Affairs and Refugees, and therefore the term “Palestinian refugee in Lebanon” means the Palestinian refugee registered with the said General Directorate. 
- A Palestinian refugee in Lebanon who is registered with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East "UNRWA" obtains a travel document for a period of  five years, while those who are not registered with the said agency will obtain a travel document for three years.
- As for those registered on the program of the General Directorate of General Security, they are those who previously obtained travel documents or for whom other formalities were registered with the General Directorate of General Security.
- The fee for obtaining a biometric travel document for a Palestinian refugee in Lebanon is similar to the fee specified for obtaining a Lebanese biometric passport.
 
Chapter Two
Article 1: Documents to be submitted to obtain a biometric travel document for the first time:
- "Application for a Palestinian refugee travel document in Lebanon" (three or five years) duly filled out and certified by the mayor of the area of residence.
- A Palestinian refugee card in Lebanon bearing the solar drawing of the person concerned with a photocopy of it.
- An individual abstract of civil registration bearing the photograph of the person concerned, the date of issue of which is no more than three months old, with a copy of it.
- A registration card or a statement of non-registration, issued by UNRWA - Lebanon Branch.
- A recent color photograph of the full face on a white background, conforming to the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) measuring 4.5 x 3.5 cm, not drawn from a previous photo, certified by the mayor’s seal and signature after writing the name of the owner of the photo, file number and statistical statement.
- Previous travel document, if available, with a clear photo of the copy of the personal data page.
- Financial fee.
Remark: The validity period of the travel document is selected according to the following:
  - A year or five years for a Palestinian refugee in Lebanon who holds an UNRWA (subsistence) card.
  - One or three years for a Palestinian refugee in Lebanon without an UNRWA card (ration card).

Article 2: No replace the biometric travel document (only new one):
Remarks:
- A minor is not granted a travel document unless he has obtained the consent of his parents or legal guardian, and the same provisions approved for the Lebanese biometric passport are applied in this regard.
- In case the records registered on his documents do not include the full date of birth (day/month/year), the person concerned can include an executed birth document to approve the date mentioned in it.
- A Palestinian refugee in Lebanon who is married to a Palestinian refugee registered in another country and whose restrictions are still in Lebanon, when applying for a travel document, must include a statement from UNRWA proving that she is still registered on the agency’s lists in Lebanon, the date of which is not dated more than three months.

Article Three: Recording the profession on the travel document:
- The person concerned can request, when applying for a travel document, to include his profession on it after including the document necessary to prove it.
- In order to list the profession of a trader, a valid affiliation card issued by the Chamber of Industry and Commerce, a commercial circular, or an establishment registration certificate certified by a date not more than one year from the date of submitting the application, must be included.
- A university license approved by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education is considered an official document valid for the profession record for professions organized within the framework of unions (doctor, engineer,...), or the union card for professions that allow the affiliation of Palestinian refugees.

Article Four: Authentication of Photocopies of the Travel Document Pages:
-    The person concerned can submit a request to authenticate copies of the document pages through the regional centers or directly in the Special Categories Department, provided that the original document and copies are certified A4 size, a financial stamp of twenty thousand Lebanese pounds for each page, and the head of the Special Categories Department undertakes the authentication and signature process.

Article Five: Obtaining more than one travel document:
-    A Palestinian refugee registered in Lebanon is prohibited from obtaining more than one travel document, except with an exceptional approval issued by the Director General of General Security.
 
Article Six: Combining a Passport and a Travel Document:
- It is prohibited to combine the Lebanese passport with the travel document of a Palestinian refugee in Lebanon.
- A Palestinian refugee in Lebanon who acquires Lebanese citizenship and has a travel document must attach this document when applying for a Lebanese passport so that it can be canceled in the Special Categories Department, a reference to this is made and returned to him.
 
Article Seven: Various Provisions:
- The same provisions applied to the travel documents of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon are applied to the Lebanese passports with respect to the following issues:
* The presence or absence of the person concerned.
*Exceptional exchange.
*Losing of a travel document.
* Stealing of a travel document.
* Finding a travel document.
* Changing the writing of some characters in the foreign language.

Chapter Three
Article 1: Filling out the biometric travel document application:
-    The same principles adopted in filling out the Lebanese passport application shall be applied in relation to the application for a Palestinian refugee travel document in Lebanon.
- The application is submitted to the chosen place of residence, who:
* Verifies the authenticity of the supporting documents, and matches their occurrences with the incidents recorded on the document request.
* Certifies the photo of the applicant for the document, stamps it and signs it after mentioning the full name of its owner, the file number and the statistical statement without affixing it to the application.
* Fills in the fields designated for him, and writes down the personal statements of two witnesses (Lebanese or Palestinian refugees in Lebanon) without the need to include copies of their personal documents and takes their signatures in the field designated for this.
* The Mayor’s stamp is affixed to the application and stamped with his seal.
 
 
Remark: These instructions are effective as of 01/11/2016.