A visa is a conditional authorization given by a country for a person who is not a citizen of that country to enter its territory and to remain there for a limited amount of time. Each country typically attaches various conditions to their visas, such as duration of stay, the territory covered by the visa, dates of validity, whether the visa is valid for more than one visit, etc. A visa is subject to permission of an immigration official at the time of actual entry, and can be revoked at any time.

Due to the Visa Waiver Program, visitors from the US and other countries do not need to prearrange a visa before visiting Israel. Click here for more information.

Visa Terms:

When traveling to Israel as a tourist, you will receive a visitor’s visa which is valid for up to 3 months. Visitors who want to stay in Israel past that time can apply for an extension. In order to get a visa, you will need to have a passport that will not expire for at least 6 months past the expiration of the visa, so make sure those documents are in order before you travel.

You will need to show a photo of your travel document - i.e. round trip tickets, your passport, pay a small fee and fill out and sign the visa forms.  

Visa Policy Map:

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

Passport Stamps:

Visitors with passport stamp of Israel are not allowed to enter a number of countries because of the Arab League boycott of Israel. Some countries, e.g. Austria, Germany, and the USA allow their citizens to hold two or more passports of the country to circumvent such travel restrictions, but some countries (including Austria and Germany) also restrict or forbid the holding of two passports of two different countries, i.e. dual citizenship. It is also possible to get the stamp on a separate piece of paper. Stamps are no longer issued on passports upon arrival to Israel.

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 to pass through the gate out of the passport control hall.