Libya

Investor Residence Permit

Libya's Investor Residence Permit enables foreign nationals to reside in Libya for the duration of an approved investment project. Established under Law No. 9 of 2010 on Investment Promotion, the program targets foreign investors who establish and operate production or service enterprises in Libya's non-oil economy. The permit is administered by the Privatisation and Investment Board (PIB), which grants investment licences and coordinates residence permit applications through its One-Stop Shop. The residence permit itself is issued by the General Directorate of Passports and Nationality.

• Foreign natural persons or legal persons (companies) of any nationality
• Minimum capital investment of LYD 5 million for fully foreign-owned projects, or LYD 2 million for joint ventures with Libyan partners
• Investment must be in approved production or service sectors — oil and gas exploration, extraction, and marketing are excluded
• Business must be structured as a joint-stock company or limited liability company; individual activity and partnerships are not permitted
• Must employ at least 30% Libyan nationals and provide training and skills transfer to the local workforce
• No specific educational qualifications required; eligibility is based on project viability and meeting the capital threshold

Capital may be contributed in the following forms under Article 4 of Law No. 9 of 2010:

• Currency transfers to Libyan banks
• Importation of machinery and equipment
• Intellectual property rights
• Reinvested profits from existing operations in Libya

Foreign investors have the right to open foreign-currency accounts in local banks and to transfer net profits, salaries, and invested capital outside Libya.

For the investment licence application at the PIB:

• Completed PIB application form
• Certificate of nationality (for natural persons) or official extract of the commercial register from the country of origin (for companies, must be recent and original with Arabic translation)
• Memorandum and articles of association
• Statement of the capital amount to be invested
• Description of local and imported raw materials to be used
• Technical specifications of the project
• Timetable for project execution
• Estimates of local and foreign workforce

For the residence permit:

• Valid passport
• Approved investment licence from the PIB
• Documentation as required by the General Directorate of Passports and Nationality

The investor residence permit is granted for a minimum of five years and is renewable for the duration of the investment project, provided the project continues to operate in compliance with Law No. 9 of 2010. Multiple exit and re-entry visas are granted for the same period. Permanent residence under the general immigration framework requires 10 or more years of continuous legal residence.

Spouse, parents, and minor siblings who are financially dependent on and reside with the investor may obtain dependent residence visas under Decree No. 247 of 1989, Article 29. Dependent visas are valid for the same period as the investor's residence permit. Expatriate employees working on the investment project are also entitled to residence permits of up to five years, with the right to transfer salaries and compensation outside Libya.

Approved investors benefit from a five-year exemption from income tax commencing from the date of the operating licence, extendable to eight years with Council of Ministers approval. Additional exemptions include:

• Customs duties on machinery, equipment, and project-related goods
• Stamp duties on project-related documents during the exemption period
• Production and customs taxes on exported commodities

Under Decree No. 944 of 2022, foreign companies must also dedicate 1–2% of net income in Libya to corporate social responsibility obligations.

The process follows two stages:

1. Investment licence: Submit all required documentation to the PIB One-Stop Shop (investinlibya.ly). The PIB reviews the application and issues permission to proceed with the investment. Approval takes approximately 3 months.
2. Operating licence: Once the facility is fully operational, the PIB issues the operating licence, which triggers the start of tax and customs exemption periods.

Throughout both stages, the PIB One-Stop Shop coordinates with other government agencies to facilitate customs clearance, residence permit applications for the investor and project personnel, and labour-related approvals. The residence permit is processed by the General Directorate of Passports and Nationality through the PIB liaison. The investment project registration fee is LYD 200.

Foreign nationals must obtain a valid entry visa before the investment licence and residence permit are processed. The eVisa portal (evisa.gov.ly), launched in March 2024, offers tourist and business visa categories for initial entry. A business visa is typically used for the initial entry to establish the investment project.

Libya's political environment presents real risks for investors. The country has a divided government between the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity and the eastern-based administration, creating regulatory uncertainty — investment licences issued by one administration may not be recognised by the other, and enforcement varies by region. Several countries maintain travel advisories against travel to Libya. Foreign enterprises may not engage in distribution, commercial agency, wholesale activities, or security services under Decree No. 944 of 2022.

Links

• https://investinlibya.ly/en/one-stop-shop/
• https://ejraat.gov.ly/procedure/19/step/168
• https://investmentpolicy.unctad.org/investment-laws/laws/193/libya-law-on-investment-promotion

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