How to Get an Individual Civil Status Extract in Lebanon

The Individual Civil Status Extract — known in Arabic as إخراج قيد فردي — is the most frequently requested civil record in Lebanon. It is the official document issued by the General Directorate of Personal Status (Ministry of Interior) that proves your civil identity at a single point in time: your full name, your parents' names, your sect, your date and place of birth, and your current marital status.

If you live abroad and need to renew a passport, register a marriage, apply for foreign residency, settle inheritance, or open a Lebanese bank account, an embassy or institution will almost always ask for a recent original of this extract — not a photocopy and not an old document.

This guide explains what the document is, what you can send us to get started, an indicative idea of the official costs, the usual timeline, and how the process works when you cannot be in Lebanon yourself.

What is the Individual Civil Status Extract?

The Individual Civil Status Extract is a one-page official certificate issued through the Nofous (Civil Status Department) at the caza (district) where your civil record is held. Depending on the file, a Mukhtar's signature and stamp may be required at one step of the process.

It is not the same as:

• The Family Civil Status Extract (إخراج قيد عائلي), which lists the entire family unit on a single document.
• The ID-card record held by the General Security.
• An old extract you already have at home — embassies and most third-country authorities require an extract issued within the last 3 months.

When you need it

Common situations that require a fresh Individual Civil Status Extract:

• Renewing a Lebanese passport at a consulate
• Registering a marriage abroad or in Lebanon
• Applying for a foreign residency or work permit
• Opening or closing a Lebanese bank account
• Inheritance and estate-settlement procedures
• Notarial powers of attorney signed abroad
• Recognising a foreign judgment (divorce, custody) in Lebanon

How The Lebanon Bureau handles it

You don't need to prepare paperwork before contacting us. For many Individual Civil Status Extract requests, The Lebanon Bureau can handle the request in Lebanon on the client's behalf without asking for a power of attorney first. If a specific registry office, a file condition, or a special case requires an authorization, signature, or extra step, we will tell the client clearly before proceeding.

Our standard flow is:

1. You send us what you have. Even partial information is enough to start.
2. We review the file against the relevant Nofous office's current requirements.
3. We tell you exactly what is needed — in many cases nothing more from your side is required.
4. We confirm the quote and timeline before starting.
5. We collect the extract from the relevant office in Lebanon and ship it to you.

What to send us to get started

The client can usually start by sending:

• A scanned passport-style photo (clear, passport-size) so we can print it and arrange the Mukhtar stamp in Lebanon when possible; or
• Original passport photos if available, which can be stamped by the Mukhtar; and
• A copy of an old Individual Civil Status Extract, Lebanese ID, passport, family extract, or any document showing the civil registry details; and
• Basic personal details: full name, father's name, mother's name, date and place of birth if available, caza, registration place, and registry number if known.

If you don't have all of the above, send what you have. In most cases the registration place can be looked up centrally from the name and parents' names alone.

Indicative costs

Official stamps and Mukhtar-related costs are usually separate from The Lebanon Bureau's handling fee. As a practical reference:

• Official stamps (طوابع مالية) may be around LBP 500,000.
• Mukhtar handling/stamp may be around LBP 300,000.
• The TLB professional/handling fee, urgency, delivery, and any additional follow-up are quoted separately before starting.

The final quote depends on the file, urgency, the registration location, and the delivery method. The Lebanon Bureau confirms the quote before starting.

Processing time

Through the standard process, the document is normally issued in 3 to 7 working days from the date the file is complete at the relevant Nofous office. Some files take longer — for example when the registration place is in a different governorate, when central-registry lookup is needed, or when an additional step (e.g. a Mukhtar signature, or in rare cases an authorization) is required.

International courier shipping is normally 3 to 7 additional days depending on destination.

When special steps are needed

A small share of files do require an additional step such as a signature, an authorization, or a consular formality. This depends on the registry office, the type of file, and the situation. We will only ask for these when they are actually needed, and we will explain exactly what is required, where it can be done, and why.

Frequently asked

See the FAQ at the bottom of this page for short answers to the most common questions.

Need it done remotely?

The Lebanon Bureau handles Individual Civil Status Extracts on your behalf — in many cases without asking you to prepare a power of attorney first. Send us what you have; we'll review the file and confirm a clear quote and timeline before starting. Request your extract here or message us on WhatsApp.