Current situation with residency permits

Hi PjLewis

usually when you come to Libya in a work visa, your employer will sort our your Iqama (residence permit) but it can take a long time, especially if you don't follow it up closely. Minimum is about 4 months as the probation period is 3 months and you won't get iqama before that, maximum could be years (no kidding, this is Libya).

Before your iqama can be processed you must have:
* Your medical certificate (all negative results)
* signed your work contract
* Paid the fee to send your work contract to Tripoli to be processed (usually 60 LD)

Once you all all that, your Iqama will be processed but there's no telling exactly how long it can take. If you need it urgently, i suggest you contact your employer regularly to get update and to remind them that you need it asap.

Welcome to Libya. Where do you live? How long have you been here?
Hope that helps, feel free to contact me if you think i can be of further assistance...

Iqame process used to take long time even before but as I know it takes longer.  We have some waiting for more then 3 Months. If your employer follows papers can be earlier

Hi,
Thanks for the info. If you are able to clarify a couple of things I'd be grateful. Firstly, you mention a probation period - Does that start from when you enter the country, or from when the application for Iqama is made ? Also, at what point do you have to submit the medical certificate - at the start of the process, or after the probation period ? 
We haven't had to do a blood test or anything, so if has to submitted at the start of the process then I guess it hasn't been started yet ....
Many thanks.
By the way, arrived here 7th Jan, and am living in Central Tripoli. I'm getting used to things .... slowly ! I used to live nr Swansea, then spent two weeks doing an intensive english language course in Manchester before coming out here (with a few weeks wait for our visa paperwork over Christmas).  I think having lived 5 years in Morocco helps with things (even if it was about 15 years ago !!).
Pete

Hey Pete

i'll try to answer all your questions: probation period usually starts from the time you arrive in Libya and report to work, but having said that, Libya being Libya, rules are changed at will so that could explain why you haven't heard about it. After 3 months if there are no problem you'll sign your contract and the process of giving you Iqama will start. The medical certificate is usually made early after you arrive, i don't know why noone asked you for one yet, it may be worth checking because as far as i know you can't sign your contract without it.

It takes time to adapt to Libya, things are extremely slow everywhere and the total lack of system or organisation can drive you mad at first. Just be patient.

By the way i've spent 3 years in Wales, living and working in Cardiff but with friends in the Cardigan area. Been there? As for Morocco never been, i like Tunisia though...

Hi,
Thanks for the info. I haven't got a clue how things are working with us. We signed out work contracts the third week we were here. Don't know what that means ..... I think I will try and have a chat with one of the owners of the school and see what the score is. I don't really understand why no-one has sat us down and explained things to us - anyway, as they say, This is Libya :-)

I spent quite a few years living near Swansea - on the South coast of Wales, rather than Cardigan area which is on the coast, on the way North again. That said, Cardigan was only around 45 mins from where I lived. I used to do house removals and deliveries, so have travelled all over UK and parts of Europe on that job - quite a few jobs into Cardiff.

I'll try and give an update if I get any further info.

Many thanks

Pete

take my advice: never expect anyone to tell you what's going on in Libya. I talk from experience, you will only find out things too late, nobody tells you what you need to do or avoid, but they all expect you to know. I think you need to discuss bank accounts and salaries as well cause this is another maze you'll have to go through possibly.

Best approach is through expat colleagues who will be friendly enough to guide you through the maze that is Libyan admin. If you have other questions ask i'll try my best. Are you working in a State or Private school? maybe things are run differently.

Hi,
We already had the salary discussions !!  That was an interesting one - I'd still like to know who posted the advert that noone seems to know about !!  Anyway, we got through that one. Haven't got anywhere near bank accounts ... another fun hurdle to overcome - but there again if our visas have run out then I understand that isn't a possibility anyway !! We get paid in Dinars weekly.
It's a private school by the way.
Pete

Bank account ARE fun believe me, takes a even bigger file than to sign your contract lol and you got to get to the bank on the right day at the right time and find the right manager... of course you'll only get those info one drop at a time. Funny but true: when we applied for a Bank Card in Misurata the application form contained a very unusual question. Can you guess?
....

....

Our Blood type!!!!
Why? we didn't even bother asking, this is Libya after all

I'm just curious, if you go to a local Libyan person and ask for help on what to do, won't they help you?

if they know they'll help of course, unless it's their job to. You'd be surprised the amount of info you should get from managers/officers at your work and that you never hear about.

Plus Libyan usually speak Arabic so for someone who don't speak or understand the language, that's another obstacle to making your way around this chaotic system

Hmm, I wonder if the person at the airport will speak english. I will be traveling alone so I won't have anyone with me to translate.
Do you think that will be a problem or they will have someone there that will translate for free?

They don't always speak English at that office but the'll probably find someone who does after you ask.As for the translation for free, you'll get loads of those. This is one the best side to Libya, there are not loads of services that works but when they do people are happy to do everything for free

Hi, It may vary case to case, if your employer got good connections in Immigration department residence visa can be processed in 2 weeks after competing medical formalities.

I got it in one month max.

Rgds.

Hi,
Just thought I'd give an update ....

Last week everything started happening. We had our chest X-rays (went into this large compound outside Tripoli centre and ended up having the chest x-rays done in a portable unit in the car park !).
Then we had blood test a couple of days later. This included a physical examination by a doctor for leprosy - well this a Libyan definition of a physical examination - I stood the other side of the desk and said hello to him while he stamped the appropriate part of the form !! Again the blood test was just a quick bit of blood then we were out.
I think they said the tests would take about 10 days, so expecting to hear this coming week.

All of the process was done by people from the school I work at - with their connections !! Am beginning to learn that the saying 'It's not what you know, but who you know that counts' was first invented here in Libya :-)

Pete

Pjlewis I confirm it's the same in zawia medical exam means stamps and signature on a form. For our eye exam the lady asks us to read 1 letter for each eye and it was the same letter. Same letter again for my husband who went after me and had waited in the same room. We were told we both had 10/10 although we both wear thick glasses... the whole thing is a joke