Israel Visa

An Israeli Visa is an authorization to enter Israel and remain here for a specific permitted period. It also underlines the activities that you can perform while you are in Israel with a visa.

Israel Visa Types

Depending on the reason why you are applying for a visa to Israel, you have several visa options to apply for. The Israeli visa types are as follows:

Israel Visa Application Process

The application procedures for a visa to Israel consist of several steps that you must follow according to the instructions. You must make sure that you meet the given criteria in every step, in order to avoid any possibilities to have your visa application rejected.

Do I Need to Apply for a Visa to Israel?

Whether you need to apply for a visa to Israel or not, it all depends on your nationality. Nationals of several world countries are exempt from getting a B/2 Visitor’s visa. Check here if you are a national of any of these countries.

On the other hand, if you want to travel to Israel for any other purposes than those the B/2 Visitor’s visa covers, you will need to get the applicable visa.

When to Apply for an Israel Visa?

The recommended time to apply for your Israel visa is 1-2 months before your travel date.

Where to Apply for an Israel Visa?

In order to get an Israeli visa, you will need to submit your application at the Israeli embassy or consulate in your country of residence. In several countries, Israel has outsourced visa admission to third-party visa processing centers.

If such a visa center admits applications for Israeli visas in your country of residence, you should submit yours there.

Complete the Israel visa application form

Before you proceed with the other steps, you should complete the application form for a visa to Israel. You can complete the form in either English or Hebrew. You can find an application form here.

You can fill the form in your computer and then print it, or you can complete it with a pen of any other color than black. You will need to respond questions on your nationality, name, surname, parents’ full names, your occupation and your intended trip to Israel.

Do not forget to glue a photo to the application form in the given space, which photo must meet the ICAO specifications.

Collect the required documents

You will need to collect a few documents as a part of your application for an entry visa to Israel.

The commonly required documents for a visa to Israel are the documents required from every visa applicant no matter the purpose of the trip. These documents are:

Aside from these documents, you will also need to submit additional ones, related to the purpose of your trip/the visa type you are applying for. Make sure you submit every single required document according to the criteria set by the relevant Israeli authorities.

Attend the visa interview

Among the most important procedures for applying for an Israel visa, is attending the visa interview. On the same day, you also need to submit the documents you have collected.

The visa interview is a meeting with a consular officer, who will ask you several questions regarding your intended trip to Israel, where you will stay and how will you finance your trip. The interviewer also asks questions on your background, i.e. if you are married, where have you studied or where your work, etc.

Pay the fees

You will need to pay a specific amount of money in order for the embassy to process your application for an Israeli visa. The Israel Visa fees vary from €21 to €41, except for the Permanent Residence Visa, which will cost you €167.

To apply for a visa to Israel every visa applicant will need to pay a certain amount of money for the visa fee.

The Israeli visa fee is required from the authorities in order to cover the expenses that come out of the processing of visa applications. The visa costs are non-refundable in case the applicant decides to withdraw his or her application, or if the embassy rejects their visa application.

The Israel visa costs, depending on the visa type, are as following:

Israel Visa Processing

The Israeli authorities take at least five days to process your application for an Israel visitor entry visa. On the other hand, processing times for work visas can take from 12 to 14 weeks.

Israel “Electronic Gate Pass

The “Electronic Gate Pass” is a card that you receive at the Border Control station when you enter Israel. The card contains details about your purpose of the trip, date of arrival, as well as a copy of the info page of your passport.

The card replaces the previous system in which the passports were stamped. If an official inspector or police officer requests identification and proof of legal status in Israel, you should present this card, so keep it always with you.

Entry Requirements for Israeli Visa Exempt Travelers

World nationals that can enter Israel without the need of getting a visa previously will still need to present a few documents at the Israel port of entry. These documents are:

Can I visit Arab countries with an Israeli stamp in my passport?

There are a few Arab countries that you cannot visit if you have an Israel stamp on your passport, and there are others that do not make any problem out of it. These countries are as follows:

Can I visit Israel with a stamp of an Arab country in my passport?

Yes, you can enter Israel even if you bear a stamp of one of the Arab countries on your passport. Yet, you should be prepared to answer a lot of questions on your trip to that Arab country.

What is Aliyah for Israel?

The Aliyah is the Israel Law of Return under which is granted the immigration visa for persons of Jewish roots living abroad, who wish to move and live in Israel. Those who are officially converted to Judaism can also apply for this visa.