Lebanese passports. (Credit: Anwar Amro/AFP)
BEIRUT — The Lebanese General Security on Friday warned anyone paying a bribe to get their passports will be "summoned" for investigation and their passports will be "taken off and canceled."
Here's what we know:
• In a statement, General Security denounced the "crooked methods" used by certain citizens who "are paying bribes to obtain a passport."
• Due to the crisis, the government is not capable of ordering enough passport templates from abroad to meet the high demand, and is facing a months-long backlog in appointments for passport renewals. Requirements have also been imposed for Lebanese people to be able to obtain a passport, such as requiring candidates to provide a valid plane ticket, hotel reservation, or proof of registration for an educational institution.
• In mid-June, General Security relaunched its online platform for making appointments to obtain or renew passports, after services were suspended for over a month. The online platform was created because of the high demand for passports following the ongoing economic crisis and mass emigration of Lebanese out of the country.