Residence Permits for Students
According to Lebanese law, all students who do not have Lebanese citizenship and who are residing in Lebanon during the academic year must have a residence permit (or Ikama); this includes citizens of regional countries who would not ordinarily need a passport or visa to enter Lebanon as a tourist.
There are approximately 7 steps to obtaining a student residence permit; they are given in abbreviated form below and described in more detail in the residence permit instructions avaiilable in the menu box to the righthand side of this page. Please note that it often takes at least a week to obtain signatures and documents from both AUB and outside sources before you can submit a completed residency permit packet to the Surete Generale. It is therefore critical that you not wait until the day before (or after) your visa expires to begin this process!
Preparing to obtain a student residence permit
1) Pay your AUB fees and/or obtain an AUB student ID. Print out the residence permit instructions.
2) Obtain the Residence Permit form at the Office of International Programs, West Hall, Room 322.
3) Complete the Permit form and the Address form and bring it to Room 322 for verification and official stamping. Please note that it may take 24 hours to get your permit stamped.
4) Once the form is stamped by OIP, obtain the registrar's counter-signature and stamp, and if you are a graduate student, a certificate of enrollment . Note that it normally takes 2 working days for the registrar to produce a certificate of enrollment.
5) Obtain approval of your forms from the Lebanese Council of Higher Education, as directed on the instruction sheet.
6) Obtain passport photos, copy of your bank statement (if you are a graduate student), copies of your passport and the residency permit fee, in Lebanese Lira, as listed in the instructions sheet.
7) Submit all documents to the Office of the Lebanese Surete Generale. Directions to the correct office of the Surete Generale are given in the instruction sheets.