Visa policy of Israel

Visitors to Israel must obtain a visa from one of the Israeli diplomatic missions unless they come from one of the visa exempt countries.[1]
All visitors must hold a passport that is valid for 6 months after the date of departure from Israel.[2]

Visa policy map

Visa exemption

Holders of all types of passports (unless otherwise stated) of the following jurisdictions listed do not require a visa to enter Israel for a maximum stay of 3 months for tourism and business purposes:[3]

1 - German citizens born before January 1, 1928 need a visa which will be issued for free if one was not a member of the Nazi party or involved in crimes committed during the time of the Nazi Germany.[4]
2 - Visa exemption does not apply to official passport holders, e.g. American government officials. Russian official passport holders require confirmation from the Israeli government.
3 - Visa exemption only applies to holders of biometric passports.

Visa is not required for nationals of Egypt for stays up to 14 days if entering through Taba and visiting up to Beersheba only.[55]

Holders of Palestinian Authority passports can obtain their visa on arrival in order to continue their journey to the Palestinian territories.
Holders of a confirmation issued by the Israeli Ministry of Interior, traveling in a group of 10 or more, can obtain a visa on arrival (not applicable to nationals of Jordan).

A visa exemption agreement for holders of all passports was signed with Samoa in March 2019, but it has not yet entered into force.[56]

Reciprocity

Israeli citizens can enter visa free or receive a free visa on arrival to all of the countries that Israel gives visa free access to except Australia. Previously, Israeli citizens seeking entry into the United States required a visa in advance, however Israel has been designated into the Visa Waiver Program on September 27, 2023[57] and Israeli citizens could begin applying on October 19th, 2023.[58]

In return Israel grants visa free access to most countries that gives Israelis visa free access but Israel requires a visa for passports from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Jordan (with confirmation), Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Maldives, Nicaragua, Samoa, Seychelles, Thailand, Turkey, and Uzbekistan.

Non-ordinary passports

  Israel
  Visa free access for diplomatic and service category passports
  Visa free access for diplomatic passports

In addition to countries whose citizens are visa-exempt (unless otherwise stated), holders of diplomatic and official/service category passports of Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burkina Faso, China, Republic of the Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Gabon, Gambia, India, Kazakhstan, Madagascar, Moldova, Morocco, Myanmar,[59] Nicaragua, Niger, Sierra Leone, Thailand, Togo, Turkey and Venezuela, and of diplomatic passports of Armenia, Kenya, Liberia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Rwanda and Vietnam do not require a visa for a maximum stay of 3 months (unless otherwise stated).[3]

Holders of diplomatic or service category passports of Australia, Belarus, Dominica, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, South Africa and United States require a visa. Russian diplomatic and service category passports require confirmation from the government before a visa can be issued.[3]

History

Israel and Democratic Republic of the Congo signed visa exemption agreement for diplomatic and service passports on 19 November 1963 and 14 April 1964, came into force on 28 July 1964. Date of cancellation is unknown.[60]

Israel and Liberia signed visa exemption agreement for diplomatic and service passports on 17 July and 3 August 1961, came into force on 1 November 1961. Date of cancellation is unknown.[61]

Israel and Tanganyika signed visa exemption agreement for diplomatic and service passports on 16 and 17 September 1963, came into force on 17 September 1963. Date of cancellation is unknown.[62]

Israel and Bolivia signed visa exemption agreement for diplomatic and service passports on 10 and 16 August 1972, came into force on 16 October 1972. Date of cancellation is unknown.[63]

Israel and Dominica signed visa exemptions for diplomatic and official passport holders in December 1987. Date of cancellation is unknown.[64]

Israeli passport stamps

Israeli visa
Gate Pass

Visitors with a passport stamp from Israel are not allowed to enter a number of countries because of the Arab League boycott of Israel.

Some countries, e.g. Austria, Canada, Germany, Russia, UK and the USA allow their citizens to hold two or more passports of their country to circumvent such travel restrictions, but some countries (including Austria and Germany) also restrict or forbid the holding of passports of two countries, i.e. dual citizenship.

However for the past several years, stamps are no longer used at Ben Gurion airport (since January 15, 2013) and also land border crossings with Jordan. Instead, entry and departure records are printed on small slips of paper, which include the name of the traveller, the photo read from the epassport, the date, the visa status, and other details.

The slips also include a 2D barcode which is used as a Gate Pass[65] to pass through the gate out of the passport control hall.

Confirmation required

Holders of national and official passports of the following countries require a confirmation from the Israeli Foreign Ministry before a tourist visa is issued.[55]

1 - Only for ordinary passport holders.
2 - Except for stays up to 14 days if entering through Taba and visiting up to Beersheba only when visa is not required.
3 - Only for official passport holders.

Visitor statistics

Most visitors arriving to Israel were from the following countries of nationality:[66][67][68][69][70][71]

Country 2019** 2018* 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013
 United States Increase890,000 676,000 Increase 778,600 Increase 672,100 Increase 637,200 Decrease 622,100 622,800
 France Increase338,200 253,100 Increase 308,700 Decrease 293,000 Increase 300,100 Decrease 298,600 315,500
 Russia Increase296,000 272,500 Increase 330,500 Decrease 284,600 Decrease 414,700 Decrease 555,900 603,100
 Germany Increase268,900 189,000 Increase 218,200 Decrease 180,100 Increase 197,800 Decrease 194,200 254,000
 United Kingdom Increase218,700 164,100 Increase 198,500 Decrease 197,100 Increase 197,900 Decrease 180,100 217,100
 Ukraine 132,000 Decrease 146,800 Increase 164,500 Increase 138,000 Decrease 132,400 134,500
 Poland 120,000 Increase 97,400 Decrease 54,300 Decrease 66,200 Decrease 77,200 89,200
 Italy 101,400 Increase 107,700 Decrease 88,000 Decrease 91,200 Decrease 120,100 173,100
 China Increase144,000 80,900 Increase 113,600 Increase 85,900 Increase 47,400 Increase 33,000 25,500
 Romania 72,900 Increase 82,000 Increase 59,900 Increase 45,100 Increase 44,700 36,700
 Canada 67,900 Increase 80,600 Increase 69,900 Increase 66,700 Decrease 66,200 70,700
 Netherlands 59,000 Increase 64,000 Increase 51,400 Decrease 49,400 Decrease 51,800 57,100
 Spain 55,000 Increase 64,400 Increase 46,200 Decrease 43,500 Decrease 47,300 52,600
 India 48,000 Increase 58,000 Increase 44,800 Increase 39,300 Decrease 34,900 40,000
 Brazil 44,200 Increase 56,700 Decrease 35,500 Decrease 43,900 Decrease 51,900 56,400
Total Increase4,550,000 3,098,200 Increase 3,613,163 Increase 2,900,020 Increase 2,799,346 Decrease 2,926,676 2,961,701
  • *= 2018 data until September only.
  • **=incomplete list

See also

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External links

  • Media related to Visas of Israel at Wikimedia Commons
  • Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel
  • Map of border crossings of Israel
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