The Lebanese passport, one of the most expensive in the world. Photo Mohammad Yassine
BEIRUT — Confusion abounded at Lebanese General Security on Wednesday regarding the possible relaunch of an online platform to make appointments for passport applications.
As rumors about the platform circulated on social media, a communication officer at General Security explained to L'Orient-Le Jour that the agency tried to restart the online platform on Tuesday, but quickly back-tracked.
"We reopened it for an hour [and] people jumped on it. We immediately closed it again," said the source, who requested anonymity because they are not authorized to speak to the press. Prior to Tuesday, the online platform had been disbanded for months.
Demand continues unabated
Demand for passports exploded after the onset of Lebanon's economic crisis, creating a shortage of travel documents. The online platform was created in response to high demand, and the listed wait time quickly grew to a year or more.
The platform's closure was announced earlier this year by then-Director of Security, General Abbas Ibrahim. At the time, citizens were invited to return to "normal" renewal procedures, i.e. going directly to a General Security center without a prior appointment.
However, "the pressure of requests did not fall," said the General Security source. Long queues can be observed at the entrance to various General Security centers across Lebanon.
When asked about the possibility of the platform being reopened, the source hesitated.
"We don't know exactly. It can still change," he said.
Last month, General Security announced that it would stop receiving biometric passport applications on Fridays. People continue to form long queues from Monday to Thursday.