Visa
All visitors to Israel must hold a passport that is valid for at least six months from the date they enter the country. People with no nationality must hold a valid laissez passer, as well as a visa back to the country that issued it.
Visitors are entitled to remain in Israel up to three months from the date of their arrival, in accordance with the conditions of the visa issued to them. Visitors intending to work in Israel must submit a request to the Ministry of the Interior for a special visa.
Important note for tourists continuing from Israel on to Arab countries (except Egypt and Jordan): It is recommended that you request that an Israeli stamp does not appear on your passport. You must notify the clerk of your request before your documents are stamped.
As of July 3, 2008, an official decision has been made that will no longer require entry stamps on foreign passports. In such cases, you must fill out form 17L including your personal details, and that form shall be stamped by passport control upon entry/exit.
The form 17L will not be collected upon exit as it is necessary for the collection of tax refunds and proof of legal entry.
Tourist Visas
For Israeli Visa requirements for tourists press here (Word Document) (Updated: Feb. 15, 2010)
Citizens of the following countries will be issued tourist visas free of charge at every port or entrance terminal to Israel:
Europe – Austria, Italy, Iceland, Ireland, Belgium, Britain, Gibraltar, Germany (people born after 1.1.1928), Denmark, Holland, Hungary, Greece, Luxembourg, Lichtenstein, Monaco, Malta, Norway, Slovenia, San Marino, Spain, Portugal, Finland, France, Cyprus, Sweden, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia.
Asia and Oceania – Australia, the Fiji Islands, South Korea, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan, New Zealand, Micronesia, Singapore, Mongolia, Vanuatu.
Africa – Lesotho, Mauritius, Malawi, South Africa, Swaziland, the Central African Republic.
America – Uruguay, the Bahamas, El Salvador, Ecuador, Argentina, the United States, Bolivia, Barbados, Brazil, Guatemala, Jamaica, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago, Mexico, Surinam, Nevis and Saint Kitts, Panama, Paraguay, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Canada, St. Lucia.
More detailed information can be found in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.
Transit Visas
Visitors desiring to stop in Israel on their way to other destinations may request a transit visa for five days, which can be extended for another 10 days.
Travelers on passenger ships stopping in Israel will be issued with a disembarkation card enabling them to stay in Israel as long as their ship is anchored in Israel. There is no need to submit a request for a visa.
Extension of Your Stay
Your visa can be extended (fee requiered) at the Ministry of the Interior at the following addresses:
Jerusalem – 24 Hilell Street 02-6294726
Tel Aviv – 125 Menachem Begin Street 03-5193305
Haifa – 15 Pal-Yam 04-8633333
Eilat – Ha-Tamarim Street, City Center, 2nd Floor 08-6381333
Tiberias – 23 Zaki Elkhadif 04-6729111
Ben-Gurion Airport – 03-9774200/1/2
For further information, call this phone number: *3450 or check the Ministry of the Interior’s Internet site.
Passport Control
Upon arrival in Israel, visitors undergo a security check and are requested to present a passport that is valid for at least six months, as well as entry forms with their personal details. It is important to ascertain that the details are filled out accurately, and to keep a copy of the form in order to present it upon departure from Israel.
Arrival by Air – Visitors arriving by air will receive forms to be filled in the course of their flight, in order to prevent delays at the passport controls. It is important to ascertain that the details of the passenger and the flight on which he/she arrived are filled out accurately. Travelers will be requested to present their passport, a boarding pass and an entry form at passport control. After their passport has been stamped, incoming travelers continue to the passenger luggage area, where carts are at their disposal. From there, they continue to customs control and to the airport exit.
Arrival by Land – Visitors arriving at the borderline passes on the Israel-Egypt or Israel-Jordan border will receive forms in which their personal details must be filled in. After doing so and undergoing a security check, they must present the completed forms together with their passport.
Tourists continuing from Israel on to Arab countries (except Egypt and Jordan), please note: You can request that your passport not be stamped with an Israeli stamp. You must notify the clerk of your request before your documents are stamped. The granting of such requests is at the discretion of the authorities.
Customs
There is a two-lane customs transit system, one green and the other red, at Ben Gurion Airport and at the Rafah (Rafi'akh) Crossing Point. At the remaining airports and passes, travelers must submit a declaration to the customs officer as to whether they have items that do not appear in the list of duty free items or whether the quantities they have exceed the exempt quantities.
Visitors who do not have goods to be declared may go through the green lane at the exit from the passenger arrival hall. Articles that do not need to be declared:
Personal clothing, shoes and cosmetics – in quantities that can usually be carried in the traveler’s hand baggage.
Alcoholic beverages – up to one liter for hard liquor, and up to two liters for wine, per person aged 17 and over.
Tobacco of all types – up to 250 grams per person aged 17 and over.
Presents and other commodities – items other than alcoholic beverages, alcoholic perfumes, tobacco, and television sets, costing up to $200, as determined by the clerk at the entrance terminal, according to lists in his possession.
Food – up to a total weight of three kilograms, on condition that the weight of each type of food does not exceed one kilogram.
Additional items – typewriter, stills camera and movie camera (not including video camera), radio, tape recorder, pair of binoculars, personal jewelry, musical instruments, gramophone, pram, camping or sports equipment, bicycle and other like articles.
Visitors with goods for which a deposit must be paid that will be returned to them when they leave Israel must go through the red lane. Visitors with items not appearing in the list of duty free items or in the list of taxable items must also go through the red lane and declare them. In case of doubt, the tax authorities recommend going through the red lane. Failure to declare taxable items represents an offense, for which the traveler must pay an administrative fine, be prosecuted or have the goods confiscated.
It is forbidden to import the following items into Israel without a license issued in advance:
plants, firearms, raw meat, raw materials, counterfeit currency or documents, knife or penknife not intended for professional use, etc.
It is permitted to import vehicles for personal use. Visitors are also allowed to purchase a tax-exempt vehicle in Israel, on condition that they undertake to take it out of Israel upon leaving the country, and this no later than one year from the date of the tax exemption or its purchase. In order to receive a tax exemption, a foreign license and an insurance policy that are valid in Israel must be presented.
Address: Department of Customs, 5 Bank of Israel Street, The Government Complex, Jerusalem
Telephone – 972-2-6664000
Getting There
1. Travel by Air
Most of the international airlines operate flights to Israel. El Al, operates many direct flights from the United States, Europe, the Far East, and Africa.
Other Israeli airlines such as Arkia and Israir operate flights from central locations in Europe. There are no direct flights to Israel from distant locations such as Australia or South Africa, or from countries that have no diplomatic relations with Israel. It is therefore a good idea to reserve a connecting flight from these places, or to arrive in Europe and then purchase a ticket to Israel.
For more information click here
2. Travel by Sea
Several shipping lines offer scheduled sailings from Europe to Haifa Port. Another option for arrival by sea is to join a Mediterranean cruise which includes Israel in its itinerary. Passengers can board in Cyprus, Greece, Turkey or Egypt and enter Israel through Haifa Port, Tel Aviv, Ashdod or Eilat. After the passengers and vessels complete border and customs clearance procedures, they can continue to any of Israel’s marinas. (Besides those mentioned, there are marinas in Jaffa, Acre, Herzliya and Ashkelon.) Arrival via private yacht is also possible and requires reservations several weeks in advance for a berth in the marina of choice.
For more information click here
3. Travel by Land
Land entry into Israel is possible through Egypt and Jordan with whom Israel has peaceful relations. Border crossings are under the jurisdiction of the Israel Airports Authority.
For more information click here
4. To and from Ben Gurion Airport
Israel has a convenient and reasonably priced public transportation system. Options for getting to and from Ben Gurion Airport include: Egged bus (the national bus company); private car/van services; railway; taxi; rented car; and limousine.
