Israel Entry Requirements - Required Travel Documents for Travel to Israel

Entering the Gaza Strip: The Department of State urges U.S. citizens to avoid all travel to the Gaza Strip, which is under the control of Hamas, a terrorist organization. American citizens in Gaza are advised to depart immediately. The U.S. government does not permit its personnel to enter the Gaza Strip, making it difficult for Americans in the Gaza Strip to receive consular assistance. Please contact the U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem for additional assistance if necessary. See the latest Travel Warning for Israel, the West Bank and Gaza for the latest information concerning travel to the Gaza Strip. Private vehicles may not cross from Israel into Gaza or from Gaza into Israel. The Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt is generally closed and the Gaza Airport is no longer operating.

Entering the West Bank: The Department of State urges U.S. citizens to defer travel to the West Bank at this time. Please contact the U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem for additional assistance, if necessary. See the Travel Warning for Israel, the West Bank and Gaza for the latest information concerning travel to the West Bank.

On March 4, 2007, the Government of Israel published a revised West Bank visitor visa policy for foreign nationals. The policy states that the following are permitted foreign visitor categories:

• Spouses of resident Palestinians registered in the West Bank population registry;
• Children (up to age 16) of resident Palestinians;
• Business people, investors, and bearers of West Bank work permits;
• Staff of foreign missions in the West Bank;
• Representatives of international organizations in the West Bank;
• Lecturers and consultants;
• Humanitarian cases; and others.

According to the written policy, foreign citizens “may transit to the West Bank via Israel after showing documents at the Ben Gurion airport or Allenby Bridge [crossing between the West Bank and Jordan] that confirm their status/position and the purpose of their visit, subject to inspection and approval by a representative of the Coordinator for Government Activities in the Territories.” As noted previously, individuals with a Palestinian ID number, or those who have a claim to a PA ID number, are required by Israeli authorities to enter or exit the West Bank through the Allenby border crossing.

For visa extensions for American citizens in the West Bank, the Government of Israel’s policy states the following may request to extend their visa after the initial period for an additional period of up to one year (and no longer than 27 months total):

• Spouses of resident Palestinians registered in the West Bank population registry;
• Children up to the age of 16 of resident Palestinians;
• Businesspersons/investors/bearers of a working permit for the West Bank;
• Humanitarian cases; and others.

For visa extensions, the above persons must apply via the Visa Office at the Palestinian Population Registry in Ramallah or, in special cases, via the Population Registry of the Israeli Ministry of Interior in Beit-El.

Staff of foreign missions and representatives of international organizations in the West Bank may request an extension of their visa after the initial period for an additional period of up to 6 months (and no longer than a total of 27 months) by applying to the Head of the International Organization Department in the Israeli Civil Administration at Beit El or to the Population Registry of the Israeli Ministry of Interior.
U.S. Citizens should note that these extensions are not automatic; applications often face significant bureaucratic hurdles and are often refused.

Finally, the Government of Israel’s policy notes:

“Foreign citizens whose passports were stamped recently with the words ‘Last Permit’ may nonetheless leave the West Bank and submit a new visa request. .... However, the entry of individuals into Israel and the West Bank remains subject to imperative considerations of policy and security by the relevant authorities.”

Israel-Jordan Crossings: International crossing points between Israel and Jordan are the Arava crossing (Wadi al-'Arabah) in the south, near Eilat; and the Jordan River crossing (Sheikh Hussein Bridge) in the north, near Beit Shean. American citizens using these two crossing points to enter either Israel or Jordan need not obtain prior visas, but will be required to pay the following fees:

Jordan River Crossing: Israeli exit fee of 68 NIS/US $15, Jordanian entry fee 5 Jordanian dinars.

Arava crossing: exit fee of 68 NIS/US $15, entry fee of 5 Jordanian dinars.

Allenby Bridge (King Hussein Bridge): For detailed information, please refer to the Consulate General’s website. Visas should be obtained in advance for those wanting to cross the Allenby Bridge between Jordan and the West Bank. (Note: The Government of Israel requires that Palestinian Americans with residency status in the West Bank enter Jordan via the Allenby Bridge.) Persons with residency status in the West Bank or Gaza seeking to cross the Allenby Bridge from Jordan should contact the Jordanian authorities for information concerning special clearance procedures for Palestinian ID holders before traveling to the bridge.

Procedures for all three crossings into Jordan are subject to frequent changes. Visit the Embassy of Israel web site for the most current visa information.

The general entry and exit requirements for Americans traveling to Israel, the West Bank and Gaza are listed below. American citizens are advised to read all sections of this sheet very carefully for special regulations that may affect their travel.

The United States Government seeks equal treatment and freedom to travel for all American citizens regardless of national origin or ethnicity. American citizens who encounter difficulties are encouraged to contact the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv or the U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem by e-mail or at the telephone numbers below.

Security Screening: U.S. citizens are advised that all persons applying for entry to Israel, the West Bank, or Gaza are subject to security and police record checks by the Government of Israel, and may be denied entry or exit without explanation.

American citizens whom Israeli authorities suspect of being of Arab or Muslim origin are likely to face additional, often time-consuming, and probing questioning by immigration and border authorities, or may even be denied entry into Israel.

American citizens who feel they have been wrongly denied entry to Israel or the West Bank, or unnecessarily subjected to additional security screening, should fill out the Denial of Entry Sheet located under the U.S. citizen services tab at the Jerusalem Consulate General web site, or contact the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv.

Israeli-Americans: The Government of Israel considers American citizens who also hold Israeli citizenship or have a claim to dual nationality to be Israeli citizens for immigration and other legal purposes. For example, an American citizen child of an Israeli parent will be considered an Israeli citizen by Israeli immigration officials and Israeli law will apply to the child's travel to, and departure from, Israel. U.S. citizens who are also citizens of Israel must enter and depart Israel using their current Israeli passport. Israeli citizens are currently not permitted to enter Gaza and are generally restricted from traveling to parts of the West Bank under Palestinian Authority control. Contact the Israeli Ministry of Interior or your nearest Israeli Embassy or Consulate for more information on citizenship and travel restrictions for Israeli citizens.

Palestinian-Americans: U.S. citizens who have a Palestinian Authority ID number or whom the Government of Israel considers to have residency status in the West Bank or Gaza are advised to read this section very carefully.
It is possible that Israeli authorities would consider as Palestinian anyone who has a Palestinian Identification number, was born in the West Bank or Gaza, or was born in the United States but has parents or grandparents who were born or lived in the West Bank or Gaza. Any such U.S. citizens may be required to travel to Israel using their Palestinian Authority passport, regardless of whether they hold U.S. citizenship. Without the Palestinian Authority passport, these Americans may be barred from entering or exiting Israel, the West Bank or Gaza, or they may face serious delays at the ports of entry.

Individuals who hold a Palestinian Authority ID, as well as persons judged by Israeli authorities to have claim to a Palestinian Authority ID by virtue of ancestry, will be considered subject to Israeli law and to regulations that Israel applies to residents of the West Bank and Gaza, regardless of whether they also hold U.S. citizenship. In most cases, such individuals will be required by Israeli authorities to enter the West Bank via the Allenby Bridge (also known as King Hussein Bridge) border crossing with Jordan, rather than entering Israel via Ben Gurion International Airport unless they obtain a transit permit for that purpose in advance. Even if they have entered Israel via Ben Gurion Airport, they may be required to depart via the Allenby Bridge. Upon arrival at any of the Ports of Entry, such persons may wish to consider asking Israeli immigration authorities from where they will be required to depart.

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