According to a source within the General Security (GS), all fees for the organization’s services have been increased. The cost of renewing a 10-year passport has now risen to LL10 million, while those under 18 can only issue or renew a passport for five years at a cost of LL6 million. If Lebanese citizens wish to benefit from the express passport service, they will have to pay an additional LL4,200,000. While the standard passport application requires a month to five working weeks to process, the express service guarantees delivery within just one working week.
The service fee increase will affect all services provided by the GS, including the issuance of residence permits to foreigners, according to a recent press release issued by the organization. The press release also indicated that “all fees for operations submitted to the GS will be updated on the basis of the decree” approved by the government and published on June 23, with Cabinet approving the decree following its proposal by the ministries of the interior and finance.
This decision has sparked controversy, as any new tax or increase in existing compulsory levies typically requires a law passed by Parliament. However, in some cases, Parliament can expressly authorize the executive to modify certain taxes, as was done for customs duties. The government received authorization from Parliament for this purpose, and the cabinet subsequently transferred this competence to the High Customs Council.
Despite the recent service fee increase by the GS for its services, it appears that the government may not have the legal authority to impose such charges. Moreover, the government has been in caretaker mode for over a year, which further complicates the legality of these fees. It remains to be seen how this issue will be resolved and what implications it may have for the GS and its services.
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