Lebanon

Compliance/Financial Considerations

If you intend to do any of the following in Lebanon, please contact Risk Services at risk@berkeley.edu or 642-5141:

  • Hire a local to work for you as an employee
  • Purchase or lease office or research space
  • Purchase or lease an automobile
  • Establish a long-term (over 90 days) or ongoing project
  • Conduct a clinical trial

U.S. GOVERNMENT COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS

Foreign activities may trigger many U.S. laws, including:

  • Import Controls
  • Export Controls
  • Tax Reporting
  • Foreign Bank Account Reporting
  • Country Embargoes and Targeted Sanctions
  • Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
  • Anti-Boycott Laws

Import Controls. UC employees must adhere to U.S. import requirements, and may need to enlist the services of a customs broker, especially for shipments arriving by sea and subject to the Importer Security Filing 71730, also known as ISF 10+2.

Export Controls. Export controls may apply to advanced software and technology, research data, and other sensitive assets. UC’s Export Compliance FAQ contains useful information and can be found here.  Go here for the University of California plan for compliance with federal export controls. If you plan on taking or sending potentially export-controlled materials to Lebanon, consult the campus Research Administration Compliance Office at 642-0120.

Tax Reporting. The University and its employees may be taxed in foreign countries. The United States does not have a tax treaty with Lebanon. For more information about double taxation issues, contact the Controller’s Office at:

Foreign Bank Account Reporting. The U.S. Treasury Department requires U.S. citizens with a financial interest in or signatory authority over a financial account in a foreign country, where accounts exceed $10,000 at any point during a calendar year, to report such accounts on a Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FinCen Report 114). Those needing to complete the form should contact the Controller’s Office at cashiers@berkeley.edu or 643-9803 for assistance. An IRS 1040 Schedule B form (Part III–Foreign Accounts and Trusts) must be filed by the signatory for any foreign bank account, regardless of the account balance.

Country Embargoes and Targeted Sanctions. In general, collaborations between University personnel and scholars at foreign institutions or organizations do not require export licenses unless they involve export-controlled or -restricted research or involve scholars in sanctioned countries. Before engaging in an international collaboration, the University needs to determine whether export licenses are required and to verify that the foreign collaborator is not blocked or sanctioned. The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is responsible for enforcing all U.S. embargoes and sanctions. Depending on each country’s embargo or sanction program, activities may be prohibited without specific authorization or license. UC’s International Collaborations webpage contains additional information on this topic.   

The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) is intended to stop bribery. It prohibits offering to pay, paying, promising to pay, or authorizing the payment of money or anything of value to a foreign official. The term “foreign official” generally includes any employee or contractor of a foreign government, and may include individuals employed by foreign universities. It is also unlawful to make a payment to a third party knowing that all or part of the payment will go to a foreign official. For more information, review the federal government’s Resource Guide to the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. If you need further clarification, contact the UC Berkeley Office of Legal Affairs at 642-7122. Transparency International’s 2018 survey of perceived public sector corruption rated Lebanon at 28 out of 100 (138th out of 180 countries reviewed, i.e. corrupt).

Anti-Boycott Laws.  The U.S. Department of Commerce is responsible for oversight of laws prohibiting individuals and entities from participating in boycotts not approved or sanctioned by the U.S. government. The Export Administration Act requires that requests to participate in such boycotts or to conduct activities in any of the boycotting countries be formally reported to the Department of Commerce and/or IRS.

For other compliance-related issues, refer to UC’s International Compliance webpage.  

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR DOING BUSINESS INTERNATIONALLY

Foreign Bank Accounts. Employees wishing to open a foreign bank account should contact the Controller’s Office at cashiers@berkeley.edu or 643-9803. Requests to open accounts must be made through the Office of the President’s Banking and Treasury Services Group by the Chancellor or the Chancellor’s designee. 

Real Estate Agreements. Only employees with delegated authority to sign contracts on behalf of The Regents may enter into agreements, leases, or other contracts.  Foreign affiliates or operations must submit to the Real Estate Services Office property management agreements, personal property leases, or contracts with a term longer than one year or in an amount greater than $25,000 per year. The campus then seeks approval from the University president or designee. For more information, consult the Guidelines for the Establishment and Operation of Foreign Affiliate Organizations and Foreign Operations.

Articles

The US State Department's page on LEBANON may be found HERE.

Personal Safety

AUTHORITIES IN LEBANON WILL EXTEND THE HOURS OF THE NATIONWIDE NIGHTLY CURFEW DURING THE COUNTRY'S UPCOMING NATIONWIDE LOCKDOWN FROM NOVEMBER 14-NOVEMBER 30 IN EFFORTS TO COMBAT AN UNPRECEDENTED SURGE IN CORONAVIRUS DISEASE (COVID-19) CASES. COMMERCIAL FLIGHTS AT BEIRUT-RAFIC HARIRI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (BEY) HAVE RESUMED, ALBEIT AT SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED CAPACITY. TRAVELERS AT BEY MUST PROVIDE NEGATIVE RESULTS FROM PCR TEST BEFORE ENTERING THE COUNTRY. TRAVELERS FROM COUNTRIES WITH HIGH INFECTION RATES WILL UNDERGO 24 TO 48 HOURS OF QUARANTINE IN DESIGNATED HOTELS UNTIL THEY RECEIVE THEIR TEST RESULTS. AUTHORITIES COULD REIMPOSE, EXTEND, FURTHER EASE, OR OTHERWISE AMEND ANY RESTRICTIONS WITH LITTLE TO NO NOTICE DEPENDING ON DISEASE ACTIVITY OVER THE COMING WEEKS.

ON JANUARY 10, 2018 THE U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT ISSUED A TRAVEL ADVISORY (updated January 10, 2018) ASKING TRAVELERS TO RECONSIDER GOING TO LEBANON DUE TO CRIME, TERRORISM, AND ARMED CONFLICT, ESPECIALLY NEAR LEBANON'S BORDERS WITH SYRIA AND ISRAEL. TRAVELERS TO LEBANON SHOULD READ THE ENTIRE TRAVEL ADVISORY BEFORE DEPARTURE AND TAKE APPROPRIATE STEPS TO ASSURE THEIR PERSONAL SAFETY.

This page contains basic risk information. For more details, please contact the Risk Services Office atrisk@berkeley.edu(link sends e-mail).

If you are traveling to Lebanon on University-related business, please sign up for the University’s travel insurance program by going here(link is external). For more information on the travel insurance program, please go here

Because everyone’s health is unique, we suggest seeking the advice of a medical professional before traveling internationally. Members of the campus community interested in protecting their health while abroad may schedule an appointment with the University Health Services International Travel Clinic(link is external).

The quality of health care in Beirut is good, but elsewhere in Lebanon it may be below western standards. In the event of an emergency, dial 112 for the police or 140 for an ambulance.  

Air pollution can be a problem in urban areas, especially Beirut. If you have a chronic respiratory condition such as asthma, please consult a medical professional prior to your trip and carry appropriate medications.

The drinking water in Lebanon may sometimes be contaminated. To reduce the risk of gastrointestinal discomfort or illness, drink bottled or purified water. Street vendors and other unregulated food distributors should be avoided. Travelers should avoid raw meat dishes and unpasteurized dairy products, which frequently harbor bacterial and parasitic pathogens.

Travelers risk contracting a number of serious illnesses in Lebanon, including:

  • West Nile virus, transmitted by mosquito bites. Risk is elevated during spring.
  • Sand fly fever, transmitted by sand flies from dusk to dawn. Risk is highest between July and September.
  • Meningococcal disease, countrywide and year-round, with the risk highest from November to March.

Lebanon has a moderate crime rate. Violent crime against foreigners is unusual. Despite the hospitality of its people, however, Lebanon is frequently sundered by violence as Sunni Muslims, Shia Muslims, Christians, and Druze vie for advantage. Internecine struggles within those groups further contribute to the threat of violence. Travelers should expect to see guards at stores and malls, and should not be surprised if they are subject to search.

Southern Lebanon is dominated by Hezbollah, a Shia militant organization hostile to Israel. Travelers are advised to avoid the area as rocket exchanges or worse can break out at any time. 

Legal/Political

Criminal Penalties: U.S. citizens are subject to local laws while in Lebanon. A U.S. passport does not exempt U.S. citizens from local laws. Anyone who breaks the law in Lebanon, regardless of citizenship, can be subject to arrest or prosecution. Persons violating Lebanese laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested without bail for extended periods, or imprisoned. Penalties for possessing, using, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Lebanon can be significant, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines. Visitors lacking passport or identification documents at government checkpoints are subject to questioning by Lebanese authorities. In certain areas, taking photos of buildings or other infrastructure has led to questioning and detention. In Lebanon, persons driving under the influence can immediately jailed.

Furthermore, some infractions are also subject to prosecution in the United States, regardless of local law.

Arrest Notification: If you are arrested or detained, ask police or prison officials to notify the U.S. Embassy immediately.

The Syria Travel Advisory and Travel Between Lebanon and Syria: The Department of State continues to warn U.S. citizens against travel to Syria and strongly recommends that U.S. citizens remaining in Syria depart immediately. You can review the Department of State’s Travel Advisory for Syria for additional information. U.S. citizens planning to travel to Syria from Lebanon despite the Travel Advisory should enter Syria only via legal border crossings and obtain a Syrian visa outside the United States in a third country. U.S. citizens who also hold Syrian nationality and enter Lebanon by land border on a Syrian identification card should obtain an exit visa from the Lebanese authorities before they attempt to depart Lebanon through the airport. It is recommended that U.S. citizens with Syrian nationality obtain a Lebanese entry visa in their U.S. passports at the Lebanese border upon entry from Syria.

LGBTI Travelers: LGBTI status and/or conduct is criminalized in Lebanon, and LGBTI persons can face significant social stigma. Article 534 of the Lebanese Penal Code prohibits sexual relations “contradicting the laws of nature,” an offense punishable by up to one year in prison. Although some Lebanese courts interpret this provision in different ways and prosecutions are rare, judicial decisions can vary case-to-case and LGBTI adults have been charged, tried, and convicted for engaging in consensual same-sex relations. Authorities have arrested LGBTI individuals for minor offenses, then charged them with violation of Article 534 when evidence of their LGBTI identity is uncovered, through searches of cell phones or other personal material. While prosecution is uncommon, short-term detentions can expose individuals to discrimination and abuse