Law No. (4) of 1985 on travel documents

Law No. (4) of 1985

on travel documents

The General People’s Congress,

In implementation of the decisions issued by the Basic People’s Congresses in their third ordinary session of 1394 FDP, corresponding to 1985 AD, formulated by the General Forum of People’s Congresses, People’s Committees, syndicates, professional associations and unions (the General People’s Congress) in its eleventh ordinary session held from 5-9 Jumada al-Awwal 1394 FDP, corresponding to 26 February to 2 March 1985 AD;

formulated the follow law:

Article (1)

Travel documents shall be the following:

1. Regular individual passport.
2. Regular collective passport.
3. Mariner passport.
4. Air crew passport.
5. Temporary travel document.
6. Hajj travel document.
7. Travel document for Palestinians.

By a decision by the General People’s Committee for Justice, other types of travel documents may be added, provided their specifications and information found within do not contradict the provisions of this law and the executive regulations and decisions thereof.

Article (2)

The General Department of Passports and Nationality shall bear exclusive responsibility for issuing, renewing, and revoking passports, and for conducting all the activities related thereto inside Libya. These affairs shall be handled abroad by Brotherhood Bureaus and People’s Bureaus and bodies that promote Libyan interests, in accordance with the guidelines set forth in this law and the executive regulations and decisions thereof.

Article (3)

The executive regulation of this law shall determine all the information and specifications pertaining to travel documents, including their formats, colours, fees and number of pages. Whenever possible, work shall be done to ensure that the information and specifications of the travel documents are not capable of being forged or misused.

The information and figures of the travel documents shall be written in the Arabic language, and they may be translated into a foreign language. This shall be in accordance with the rules and conditions determined by the executive regulation.

Article (4)

A regular individual passport shall be valid for a period of four years from its date of issuance. It may be renewed for the same period, such that its validity becomes eight years from the aforementioned date.

The validity of the passport may be for a period less than that mentioned in the previous paragraph or its validity may be limited to return to Libya, in accordance with the provisions and conditions and in the situations determined by the executive regulation.

Article (5)

Regular passports may only be issued by holders of Libyan nationality.

The names of the wife or children of the passport holder may only be included if they meet the condition of holding Libyan nationality.

The executive regulation shall set forth any other conditions for inclusion, as well as the documents for proving nationality that must be attached to the request.

Article (6)

A regular collective passport shall be valid for a period not exceeding six months from its date of issuance and it shall be valid for only one trip. Upon return, it shall be removed.

The executive regulation shall determine the provisions and conditions pertaining to the passport, and the circumstances for obtaining the same.

Article (7)

Both temporary travel documents and travel documents for Palestinians shall be valid for a period of one year from their date of issuance. They shall be renewable twice so that the validity becomes three years from their date of issuance, provided that a shorter period is not stipulated upon issuance or renewal.

The executive regulation shall set forth the circumstances in which temporary travel documents and travel documents for Palestinians may be granted, and it shall regulate the procedures and other provisions relating thereto, including the conditions of eligibility for obtaining the same, the scope of validity inside the country and abroad, and the manner of renewal.

Article (8)

Upon the approval of the holder of the document, the name of his wife and of children under the age of 18 may be included on a regular individual passport or temporary travel document.

The executive regulation shall determine the fee for inclusion on the travel document for each individual mentioned in the preceding paragraph.

Article (9)

The conditions and procedures for obtaining mariner passports and air crew passports shall be regulated by a regulation issued by the General People’s Committee based on a proposal by the General People’s Committee for Justice and in agreement with the General People’s Committee for Transport and Maritime Transport. The regulation shall determine who is eligible, the period of validity, the manner of renewal, and other provisions pertaining thereto, as well as the records, forms, and related documents.

Article (10)

The hajj travel document shall be valid for one trip, and for a period specified therein, including departure and return, and it shall only be granted to Libyan pilgrims.

The executive regulation shall regulate the provisions and conditions pertaining to this document and the provisions for obtaining the same.

Article (11)

The executive regulation of this law shall determine the fees for retrieval and renewal of travel documents, provided that they do not exceed the costs of printing, issuance, and renewal.

Article (12)

Travel documents may be denied to an applicant or revoked from its holder in the following circumstances:

1. If he is convicted of a crime that proves his lack of loyalty to the nation and the Great 1 September Revolution.
2. If strong justifications exist related to public security or protecting the national interest.
3. Other circumstances that are specified by the executive regulation.

Article (13)

The executive regulation shall determine the procedures to be followed in the event that the travel document is lost or damaged.

Article (14)

The General People’s Committee for Justice shall issue the templates, documents, and everything required for issuing travel documents in terms of conditions and procedures and matters for which a special text exists in the law.

Article (15)

The executive regulation of this law shall be issued by a decision of the General People’s Committee based on a proposal by the General People’s Committee for Justice.

Article (16)

The Decree issued on 28 Shaaban 1376 AH corresponding to 30 March 1957 AD on regular Libyan passports and temporary travel documents, as well as Law No. (50) of 1971 on mariner passports shall be repealed, as well as any other provisions contrary to this law.

Travel documents obtained before the entry into force of this law shall remain valid until their date of expiration

Until the executive regulations and decisions hereof are issued, the regulations and decisions currently in force shall remain in effect to the extent that they do not contradict the provisions of this law.

Article (17)

This law shall enter into force from its date of issuance and it shall be published in the Official Gazette.

General People’s Congress – Libya

Issued on 9 Shaaban 1394 FDP

Corresponding to 29 April 1985 AD