Planning Your Move — Before You Leave
Moving to Lebanon is less bureaucratic than moving to Europe but requires practical preparation. The most important thing is arriving with enough USD cash to cover your first few months, a plan for temporary accommodation, and realistic expectations about infrastructure.
- Visa: check if your nationality qualifies for visa-on-arrival (80+ countries do) — no advance application needed
- Cash: bring $5,000–$8,000 in USD cash (mostly $20s and smaller bills) for first 2 months
- Temporary accommodation: book 2–4 weeks on Airbnb to give yourself time to apartment hunt
- Health insurance: arrange international health insurance before departure — Allianz Care, Cigna, or APRIL International
- Embassy registration: register with your country's embassy in Beirut before or immediately after arrival
- Research neighborhoods: read expat forums and Facebook groups to narrow down where you want to live
- Medication: bring a 3-month supply of any prescription medications, plus copies of prescriptions
