Syrians entering Lebanon face new restrictions

Previously, travel between the two countries was largely unrestricted, but now Syrians will have to obtain a visa.

It is the latest in a series of steps to stop the influx of refugees. Lebanon already hosts more than a million.

It is unclear what the rule will mean for the many Syrians already in the country and not registered as refugees.

Before now, Syrians could stay in Lebanon for up to six months automatically. Under the new measure, Syrians wanting to enter Lebanon will have to fulfil certain criteria in order to be granted a visa at the border.

The figures are astonishing. There are some 1.1 million officially registered Syrian refugees in Lebanon, perhaps another half a million Syrians who are not registered.

So one in three of the population of this tiny, fragile country is a Syrian. It's as if more than 20 million refugees arrived in Britain.

In Lebanon, rents are up, wages are down, and refugee families are living 10 or 15 people to a room, or in makeshift camps in the mud and snow.

Resentment against Syrians is increasing. Some towns and villages have imposed curfews on the new arrivals, enforced by vigilante groups. Above all, many Lebanese fear the country's religious and sectarian balance is being altered in a way that will eventually trigger a renewed civil war here.

Every Syrian wanting to enter the country will need to state a clear purpose for their visit, and, if approved, a visa will be issued for a certain duration.

Syrians coming to work in Lebanon will also have to be sponsored by a Lebanese individual or company.

Huge strain

Lebanon has long been struggling to cope with the number of refugees fleeing the war in Syria.

There are currently more than 1.1 million registered refugees in Lebanon, equivalent to a quarter of the population, putting a huge strain on the country's infrastructure and resources.

The Lebanese government says the actual number of refugees in the country is about 1.6 million.

In October, Lebanon's social affairs minister announced that the country would stop accepting all refugees except emergency cases, but would still allow Syrians to enter for other purposes, such as work and tourism.

The UN said the number of refugees registering with it in Lebanon had dropped dramatically as a result.

(BBC)