Do you need a visa to enter Libya?

The short answer, if you're NOT a dual citizen of one of the nations in the Arab League, is YES. The more obtuse answer is, if you wish to visit Libya, on even a transit basis, you'll need a visa. Application is somewhat of a pain in the rear end, since all documents need to be translated into Arabic. And if you're an Israeli citizen traveling on an Israeli passport-- even of Palestinian descent-- or have an Israeli visa stamp in your passport, then forget about traveling to Libya for ANY reason (unless of course, you're Saif al Islam Gaddafi's girlfriend, Israeli actress Orly Weinerman, and then the same standards probably don't apply to you as they would to others). You're not going to be allowed into Libya, even if, by some miracle, you managed to finagle a visa from an approved source (which, so I've heard, is easier said than done!).

For my visitor in England, who used the search parameter, "Do I need a visa to enter Libya", the nearest embassy or consulate to you is no doubt the Libyan Embassy in London. Their page is here: http://libya.embassyhomepage.com/ -- you will find all of the necessary forms there. As for getting the document translated into Arabic, I do suggest having someone at London's Central Mosque do so, any of your Arabic friends who are bilingual, or a student of Arabic or Arab Studies at the nearest university. I have found, in my case at least, that Google Translate is "unreliable" to say the least. It can't translate my last name-- probably because it has "issues" with the Dutchness of it.

If you're a resident of Canada, your embassy will be in Ottawa (the capital of Canada) and the URL is here:
http://www.libyanembassy.ca/pages/index.htm -- it's a little less "idiot proof" than the Libyan Embassy-London page is, so click on "consular services" to get to the section on visas. That should be on the left side of your screen.

If you're an American, I pray that you'd know that the Libyan embassy would be in our nation's capital of Washington, D.C. However, there is, as far as I can find (and I have searched), NO website specific for the United States. I would refer you back to the UK site, and to send the application into the Libyan embassy in D.C., address follows, or to this site:
http://www.libyaonline.com/business/pages.php?cid=298 -- it does appear that this form has the address of the CANADIAN embassy (total p.i.t.a), and there's also this site:
http://www.temehu.com/visa-Libyan-for-Americans.htm -- apparently the ban on Americans (and most other Westerners) getting a TOURIST visa to Libya was not lifted until May 19th of this year (though the travel ban from Libyans visiting the U.S. was lifted LONG AGO).

Good. It's high time that Libyans and Americans, and Libyans and everyone around the world stopped this crap policy of isolationism. Libya is one of the more progressive voices on both the African continent and in the Arab world. Quite frankly, if not for Libya, I doubt the "war on terror" would go as well as it has (which is to say, "not very well"-- bin Laden is STILL out there). Yes, folks, Libya is one of those "secret allies" (Syria is another). Libya also has much to offer the world (and no, not just in the oil market); she is truly an untapped market, an oasis just waiting to offer her riches to the world. There are awesome designers, namely Rabia ben Barka, who could very well be "the next Elie Saab" (and I hope she's able to show, soon, at NY Fashion Week), amazing artists (you-know-who's son, Seif al Islam Gaddafi, Salah Shagroun, Fawzi Swei, whose presentation "The Desert is Not Silent" is one of those "gotta see it before you die" events), brilliant minds (I can think of three new friends, and two old ones who fall in this category, Halim and Sana and Adam and Akram and Khairi)... the Libya of the 1970's and 1980's and even the 1990's is not the Libya of the 21st century. Libya is one of those places in the world that's a "jewel in the oasis", that's well worth a visit. There's historical sites of significance to Americans and other Westerners (including the site of the USS Philadelphia), of anyone interested in world history (the Roman ruins at Cirene, Tarabulus/Tripoli, etc), cosmopolitan life (Tripoli is becoming like other Arab world cities, including Beirut and Damascus and Amman), and the opportunity to expand your world view. We, as citizens of the world, do not HAVE TO fit ourselves into a narrow box, only vacationing places where we speak the language, are familiar with the customs, practice the same religion, etc. And we, as citizens of the world, SHOULD NOT do this. We're only cheating ourselves. It's time to step outside of the box, and visit an untapped, unappreciated, formerly closed to outsiders "desert paradise."

So DO NOT be afraid, my fellow citizens of the world. Crack open the door to your "comfort zone" and tear open your "narrow box", and visit Libya, as a tourist-- put "Libya" on your "travel bucket list" (a list of places to visit before one meets their Maker, kicks the bucket, pushes up daisies, etc.-- there's as many euphenisms for dying as there are for passing gas!). See the UN Heritage sites, go to the desert on a "bivouac" (fancy Army name for "camping in a tent in a sleeping bag"), go to Tripoli, see her sites, go to Benghazi, Sirte, Misurata-- experience all that this country has to offer.