Lebanese civil administration runs on the ikhraj qayd, the extract of the civil register, and it comes in two forms that are not interchangeable. The individual extract covers one person; the family extract shows the whole household record. Files that need to establish a relationship ask for the family version.
Quick facts
A genuine convenience: people who cannot attend in person can complete the application, have it notarised before a notary public, and mail it to the consulate general. Not every Lebanese service allows that, and this one does.
Fees breakdown
| Service | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| New extract of the civil register | Published tariff | Individual or family |
| Registration of a birth abroad | Published tariff | Photograph required on the extract |
| Life certificate | Around $40 per certificate | Notarised and state-authenticated |
| U.S. certificate and authentication | $15–$50 plus fees | No apostille route |
| Payment | Cashier’s check or money order | Varies by post |
For a newborn, the missions require that a photograph of the baby appears on the ikhraj qayd when the passport application is made, which surprises parents expecting a plain certificate.
How to file
- Establish whether you need the individual or the family extract.
- Gather a valid Lebanese document: identity card, passport or an older extract.
- Add a copy of your American document, green card or U.S. passport.
- Prepare two colour photographs, 4.3 by 3.5 cm, on a white background.
- Attend the consulate, or notarise the form and mail it.
- Pay by the method that post accepts and enclose a return envelope.
Required documents
- Valid Lebanese identity card, passport or previous ikhraj qayd.
- Copy of your green card or U.S. passport.
- Two colour photographs to specification.
- Both parents’ passports with copies, for a child’s file.
- Lebanese marriage certificate where relevant.
- Payment and a return envelope.
Where to file
At the mission covering your state, in person or by notarised postal application where that post allows it.
Consulate General of Lebanon
View details →Los AngelesConsulate General of Lebanon
View details →New YorkConsulate General of Lebanon
View details →Parma HeightsHonorary Consulate of Lebanon, Cleveland, Ohio
View details →PhoenixHonorary Consulate of Lebanon in Arizona
View details →SouthfieldConsulate General of Lebanon in Detroit
View details →WashingtonEmbassy of Lebanon
View details →Additional notes
Ask for the right one
Requesting an individual extract when the file needs the family version means starting again. Check before ordering.
The ten-year rule
For passports, the extract must have been issued within the last decade. Keeping one current is worth doing before you need it urgently.
Marriage in Lebanon
Personal status is administered by religious courts according to the community of the parties, so marriage and divorce documents follow those systems rather than a single civil code.
Keep copies
Every later procedure asks for the extract again, and it travels far when you apply by post.