By Libya Herald staff.
Tripoli, 3 October 2015:
The Egyptians have tightened restrictions on the already small number of Libyans allowed to enter . . .[restrict]Egypt without a visa at that Musaid-Sollum land crossing.
Previously, anyone who had registered with municipality at Torbruk was able to use the land crossing without a visa. Now, however, only those whose passports show they were born in the Tobruk, nearby Bir Al-Ashhab or Musaid areas are being to cross without a visa. As before, they too have first to register in Tobruk as wanting to enter Egypt.
The reason for the change is that the Egyptian authorities discovered the system was being abused and that Libyans from other parts of the country had registered in Tobruk to cross without a visa. They were said to be registering as many as 100 Libyans a day.
A year and a half ago, the Egyptian authorities partly relented on an earlier decision to stop allowing Libyans from the border area crossing into the country without a visa. Instead, it allowed those who registered at Torbuk to cross without one. It followed a blockage of the border by angry local tribesmen who said that they lived on both side of the broader and had always been allowed to travel back and forwards freely.
Under Egyptian regulations all Libyan men over 13 and under 60 must have a visa to enter. Libya women do no need a visa.
Other than locals from Tobruk, Bir Al-Ashhab and Musaid, all must travel to Egypt by plane. They cannot use the border crossing. [/restrict]
