About the Australian Embassy in Lebanon
The Australian Embassy, Beirut, was opened in 1967. It was the third Australian Embassy to be opened in the Middle East. It was closed in 1984 because of the security situation in Beirut. During the next eleven years, Australian relations with Lebanon, including visa services, were handled by the Australian Embassy in Damascus, with the Ambassador in Damascus accredited to both Syria and Lebanon. In 1994, a temporary Australian Government Office, staffed by locally-engaged officials, was established in the Mayflower Hotel in West Beirut. The Embassy was formally re-opened on 18 July 1995, by then Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Senator Gareth Evans QC, and then Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs, Senator Nick Bolkus. The Chancery was in the same building that was evacuated in 1984. It remained there until it moved to the Grand Serail Diplomatic Complex in June 2004.
For information about the Australian Federal Police go to www.afp.gov.au
What We do
Australia's Bilateral Relations with Lebanon
Head of Mission
On 21 March 2022, Mr Andrew Barnes was announced as Australia’s Ambassador to Lebanon. Mr Barnes is a career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and has previously served overseas as Deputy Head of Mission in Hanoi, High Commissioner to Ghana and in Ottawa and Stockholm. He holds a Graduate Degree from Stockholm University, and a Bachelor of Arts from the Australian National University.
Contact information
Opening hours
Please visit the links below for information on consular and passport services:
Consular Services
Passport Services
If you require consular or passport assistance, please call the Embassy (+961 (0)1 960600) between 8:30am and 4pm Monday-Thursday or between 8:30am and 1pm on Fridays. Please note the Embassy is closed on weekends and Embassy public holidays, as listed below.
Public holidays
The Embassy will be closed on:
Year 2024
| Friday | 22 November | Independence Day |
| Wednesday | 25 December | Christmas Day |
| Thursday | 26 December | Boxing Day |
| Friday | 27 December | Additional Post Public Holiday |
Year 2025
| Wednesday | 01 January | New Year’s Day |
| Monday | 27 January | Australia Day |
| Monday | 31 March | Eid El Fitr* |
| Tuesday | 01 April | Eid El Fitr* |
| Friday | 18 April | Good Friday |
| Monday | 21 April | Easter Monday |
| Thursday | 01 May | Labour Day |
| Friday | 06 June | Eid El Adha* |
| Monday | 09 June | Eid El Adha* |
| Friday | 15 August | Assumption of Mary |
| Saturday | 22 November | Independence Day* |
| Thursdya | 25 December | Christmas Day |
| Friday | 26 December | Boxing Day |
| Monday | 29 December | Additional DFAT Public Holiday |
*Subject to confirmation by Lebanese authorities. Independence Day to be taken in lieu on a weekday.