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Bureaucracy

Today I attempted to set right my visa overstay, which was met with fun bureaucracy at General Security. In order to leave Lebanon, I cannot simply renew my visa before my departure a week from Friday. I must either leave before Wednesday, July 27, which will be within the one month grace period of my overstay, or I must go to Syria before that. So, in order to leave Lebanon, I must leave Lebanon, or else they will not let me leave Lebanon. Perfect sense, right?

While searching for answers on the General Security website, I came across this gem of bureaucratic mumbojumbo. I have highlighted the best parts. Apparently "artist" and "masseuse" means erotic dancer. My translation: if you marry a Lebanese man, as long as you're not a dancer in a super nightclub, you can leave with an overstayed visa. If you are a dancer, you must have not shown your face in Lebanon for a year before you will get any special treatment.

The following cases are exempted from all the conditions concerning the address, the round trip ticket, and the prematurely approval from the General Directorate of the General Security:

1. The wife of a Lebanese man, who didn’t work previously as an artist or a masseuse, after presenting a document proving the marriage.
2. The wife of a Palestinian refugee in Lebanon or a holder of a valid identity card under consideration and who didn’t work previously as an artist or a masseuse, after presenting a document asserting the marriage.
3. The wife of a Syrian man accompanying him and who didn't work previously as an artist or masseuses in Lebanon, provided that the marriage is written on the husband’s family register or by presenting a document proving the marriage.
4. The coming females who didn’t work previously as artists or masseuses in Lebanon, accompanying one of the parents, one of the brothers, the husband, or a son.
5. The mother in law of a Lebanese man, after presenting a document asserting the kinship.
6. The females coming within official delegations, or those holding private, special or diplomatic passports.
7. The wife of a Lebanese man who already has worked as an artist or a masseuse and left Lebanon for a period of more than one year, if she is accompanied by one or more children from this marriage after presenting the documents proving the marriage.
8. The wife of a foreigner non Arabic man  who has already worked as an artist or a masseuse and had left Lebanon for a period more than one year, provided that she is in his company  and that she holds a document proving the marriage.
9. People entering Lebanon via direct, prematurely, or consulate visas are allowed to enter the Syrian territories and to return to Lebanon within the period of the visa’s validity and within 5 days.