Frequently asked questions about the situation in Lebanon

• The colour code of the travel advice for the entire country is red. Do not travel to Lebanon. The security situation in Lebanon is getting worse every day.
• Tensions between Hezbollah and Israel have continued to rise since September 2024. Air strikes are taking place in different parts of Lebanon, not just in the region near the border with Israel, but also in parts of Beirut and in the east of the country (the Bekaa Valley). On 1 October 2024 a ground offensive was launched in the south of Lebanon. The conflict could expand into other parts of Lebanon. The security situation in Lebanon is uncertain and unpredictable.

• Read the current travel advice for Lebanon (information in Dutch).

On 4 and 5 October the Dutch government carried out repatriation flights. Even after Saturday 5 October the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has continued to do what it can for people who are eligible for assistance. These people are being informed about the possibilities for leaving the country on a commercial flight.

Current advice

• Middle East Airlines (MEA) still offers daily commercial flights from Beirut to various safe destinations. In the coming period there are still economy-class seats available to locations such as Düsseldorf and Brussels. They fly to other safe destinations as well.
• You can find the most up-to-date list of destinations on the MEA website.
• You can also call MEA on +961 1 629 999.
• We would advise you to make use of the one of the options offered by MEA.

Everyone who registered using the Crisis Contact Form and who is eligible for assistance in departing from Lebanon has been notified accordingly (by email or by phone). The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to do what it can to help people leave Lebanon.  It is not known for how much longer flights will continue to be available. We would advise you to make your own arrangements to leave the country as soon as possible.

You are eligible for assistance in leaving Lebanon if you completed the Crisis Contact Form before 4 October 2024, 17.00 Dutch time and meet the following conditions:

• You are a Dutch national, or
• You have another nationality but you are the partner or child of a Dutch national. And you have documents to prove this.
  The following people are considered partners or children:
  • Partner: spouse, registered partner or partner through a notarial cohabitation agreement.
  • Children: up to the age of 18, including adopted children and stepchildren.
• You have a valid residence permit for the Netherlands, or for Aruba, Curaçao, St Maarten, Bonaire, St Eustatius or Saba.

You registered on time via the Crisis Contact form (before Friday, 4 October 2024, 5pm Dutch time)

• If you registered using the Crisis Contact Form and are eligible for assistance, we advise you to take a commercial flight. It is not known for how long flights will continue to operate.
• By this point you will have been notified whether you are eligible for assistance, and whether or not we can help you. It is possible that your registration is not yet complete.
• We would still advise you to make your own arrangements to leave the country as soon as possible.

You did not register on time via the Crisis Contact form in time

• Registration with the Crisis Contact Form has been closed since Friday 4 October 2024, at 17.00 Dutch time. You can no longer register.

• In your case, you did not register in time. Unfortunately, we are therefore unable to assist you with your departure from Lebanon.

• We cannot help you make reservations for a commercial flight.

• We are now focusing on people who registered in time. If they are eligible for assistance, we are trying to support them in their efforts to leave the country.

• We would advise you to make your own arrangements to leave the country as soon as possible if you can.

• If you have not done so already, you can register your presence in Lebanon with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Information Service (information in Dutch). We will then keep you up to date on the general situation in Lebanon. But be advised that registering with the Information Service does not mean that you will be given assistance in leaving the country.
• Regularly check the travel advice for Lebanon (information in Dutch) and the local news, and follow the local authorities’ instructions.

If you need emergency assistance

• In an emergency you can contact us for regular consular assistance.
• You can reach the Dutch embassy in Beirut 24 hours a day, 7 days a week through the NetherlandsWorldwide contact centre by calling +31 247 247 247 or sending a WhatsApp message to +31 6 82 38 80 55.

Your Dutch family members or friends completed the Crisis Contact Form in time (before Friday 4 October 2024, 17.00):

• If your family members or friends registered themselves using the Crisis Contact Form and are eligible for assistance, the Netherlands will continue its efforts to help them if they have indicated that they still require assistance.

• Options for departure with commercial airlines will be explored for this group of people. It is not known for how long flights will continue to operate.

• We have contacted everyone who registered using the Crisis Contact Form to inform them whether they are eligible for assistance and whether we can help them. It is possible that the registration of your family members or friends is not yet complete.

• We would advise your family members or friends to make their own arrangements to leave the country as soon as possible if they can.

Your Dutch family members or friends did not complete the Crisis Contact Form in time:

• Registration with the Crisis Contact Form has been closed since Friday 4 October 2024, at 17.00 Dutch time. It is no longer possible to register.

• Your family members or friends did not register with us in time. Unfortunately, we are therefore unable to assist them with their departure from Lebanon.

• We cannot help your family members or friends make reservations for a commercial flight.

• We are now focusing on people who registered in time. If they are eligible for assistance, we are trying to explore the options for them to leave the country.

• We would advise your family members or friends to make their own arrangements to leave the country as soon as possible.

• If they have not done so already, your family members or friends can register their presence in Lebanon with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Information Service (information in Dutch). We will then keep them up to date on the general situation in Lebanon. But be advised that registering with the Information Service does not mean that your family members or friends will be given assistance in leaving the country.

• Regularly check the travel advice for Lebanon (information in Dutch) and the local news, and follow the local authorities’ instructions.

If your family members or friends need emergency assistance

• In an emergency your family members or friends can contact us for regular consular assistance.Read what you can do in an emergency.

• You can reach the Dutch embassy in Beirut 24 hours a day, 7 days a week through the NetherlandsWorldwide contact centre, by calling +31 247 247 247 or sending a WhatsApp message to +31 6 82 38 80 55.

Keep in mind that communication channels such as internet and phone services may be disrupted. If this happens, we can only advise you to continue trying to get in touch with your family or friends.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs does not have information about the exact number of Dutch nationals in Lebanon. This is because Dutch nationals are not required to register when they are abroad. However, in recent weeks we have seen that people are updating their registration with the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs Information Service (information in Dutch). For example, by indicating that they have left Lebanon. It is important for the ministry to know this.

The embassy is open to a limited extent for consular services. It is currently offering the following services:

• Applying for a passport or emergency travel document
• Legalising documents
• Applying for an authorisation for temporary stay (MVV) or visa if you are an immediate family member of a Dutch national.

The immediate family members of Dutch nationals are:

• a spouse
• a registered partner
• a partner with whom an unmarried Dutch national has a notarial cohabitation agreement or has a joint household
• dependent children (including adopted children and stepchildren) up to, in most cases, the age of 18

Find out how to make an appointment at the Dutch embassy in Beirut.

You can reach the Dutch embassy in Beirut 24 hours a day, 7 days a week through the NetherlandsWorldwide contact centre, by calling +31 247 247 247, or sending a WhatsApp message to +31 6 82 38 77 96.

You can apply for a Schengen visa for the Netherlands via VFS Global in Beirut by following the normal procedure.

Find out how you can apply for a Schengen visa for the Netherlands

You can only collect your MVV if you are an immediate family member of a Dutch national.

The immediate family members of Dutch nationals are:

• a spouse
• a registered partner
• a partner with whom an unmarried Dutch national has a notarial cohabitation agreement or has a joint household
• dependent children (including adopted children and stepchildren) up to, in most cases, the age of 18

You should talk to your contact at the IND to see whether you can collect your MVV from another Dutch embassy.

A positive notification for an MVV for the family member of a refugee is valid for six months. If this period has passed, you must contact the IND for a new positive notification.

Yes, your appointment will still go ahead, unless the embassy has informed you otherwise.

This is only possible if you live in Lebanon.

If you live in Syria or another country, you can wait until the embassy in Beirut is able to receive exam candidates from outside Lebanon again. You can also email DUO to change your exam location to another embassy in the region.