Mohamed Hassan Al-Watheq, the head of the Libyan-Moroccan Friendship Association, has reported significant increases in the costs of visas, residency permits, and associated services in Libya, describing the hikes as “rocketing.”
In a statement, Al-Watheq detailed that the Government of National Unity (GNU) has issued a decree imposing higher fees for obtaining and renewing visas and residency cards. Additionally, the decree includes a financial penalty of 500 Libyan dinars per month for overstaying a visa or residency permit.
Al-Watheq expressed concerns that these measures would exacerbate the legal, economic, and social situations of Moroccans living in Libya. He highlighted the longstanding challenges faced by the Moroccan community in accessing consular services necessary for document renewal.
Renewing a residency permit first requires a passport, which in turn depends on having a national identification card. Approximately 20,000 Moroccans in Libya lack this ID card, which has only recently begun to be issued slowly after the reopening of consulates, leading to accumulating fines.
He noted that about 90% of Moroccans in Libya do not have valid residency permits, and many have passports that have long expired due to the absence of consular services. Al-Watheq stressed that these new policies are causing significant distress among the Moroccan expatriates in Libya.
He urged the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs to intervene with the Dbaiba government to exempt Moroccans from these decrees and consider their unique circumstances, particularly the monthly fines, until their legal status can be regularized.
Libya has been in chaos since a NATO-backed uprising toppled longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. The county has for years been split between rival administrations.
Libya’s economy, heavily reliant on oil, has suffered due to the ongoing conflict. The instability has led to fluctuations in oil production and prices, impacting the global oil market and Libya’s economy.
The conflict has led to a significant humanitarian crisis in Libya, with thousands of people killed, and many more displaced. Migrants and refugees using Libya as a transit point to Europe have also faced dire conditions.
