How to Get Visa to Israel
How to Get a Visa to Israel
The procedure for granting a B/2 tourist visa to Israel
There are almost a hundred countries whose citizens don’t require a visa to visit Israel. Israel has signed visa exemption agreements with these countries, which frees their citizens from the need to obtain a tourist visa in advance to enter Israel.
However, tourists from countries who have not signed such an agreement with Israel, or also those who have had problems with the Israeli immigration authorities in the past (even if they are citizens of a visa free country) must obtain an Israeli B/2 tourist visa in advance before they attempt to enter Israel. These citizens who wish to visit Israel as tourists have to acquire an official invitation to the country from an Israeli citizen, or receive the permission to visit Israel at the Israeli consulate in their home country. If you are looking for information about visas to Israel for tour groups, please read this article on our website.
What type of activity is allowed with a B-2 tourist visa to Israel?
The B/2 tourist visa is a permit to enter Israel and stay in the country for a maximum of 3 months (or less, at the discretion of the issuing officer) for one or more of the following purposes:
The primary reason to obtain a B-2 visa is to visit Israel as a tourist. The Holy Land is an attractive tourist destination for many visitors from around the world. More than 3 million foreign nationals visit Israel each year.
Second, Israel is also the Hi-Tech nation and many foreign nationals visit for short periods of time for business and professional meetings. You can read more about entering Israel on a short business visit in this article on our website.
Third, many visitors wish to enter for just a short time in order to studying the Hebrew language in an Israeli Ulpan.
The B/2 visa is the most frequent visa to Israel, but it does not permit the holder to work in Israel. Anyone wishing to travel to Israel for one of the aforementioned reasons for a maximum period of three months will be eligible to apply for the visa. The Ministry of Interior is the immigration authority responsible for processing the application in the applicant’s country of residence and deciding whether to grant the applicant a B/2 tourist visa.
How to apply for a B/2 tourist visa to Israel?
An application for a B/2 tourist visa should be filed between one and two months before the date of the trip. The applicant must complete the application form; otherwise the application will be rejected. When applying for an Israeli B/2 tourist visa, the completed application must be submitted to the appropriate authorities such as Consulate of Israel or the Embassy of Israel, in the applicant’s country of residence. One can even approach a third-party visa agency who has the authority from Israel to process visa admission forms. Applicants should contact the Embassy of Israel in their country of residence for relevant information before starting the application process.
If a foreign national knows an Israeli citizen,their friend may be able to submit a request at the local Ministry of Interior office, department of immigration, for the foreign citizen to visit Israel as a tourist for a limited time. If this invitation is granted, the chances of the visitor being denied entry into Israel are minimal.
Here’s the step-by-step procedure of applying for a B/2 tourist visa to Israel:
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Completing and submitting the visa application form
The first step in the application process is to complete the visa application form. Applicants can ask the Embassy in their country for the form or get it online. The primary things that they need to know are as follows:
- The visa application form varies depending on the type of visa. Make sure you receive the right application form for an Israeli B/2 tourist visa.
- The form is available in English and Hebrew. It can be filed in either language.
- Applicants can complete the form on their computer and then print it out prior to submission. Alternately, the form can be printed out and filled by hand, using a colored pen (any color other than black).
- Questions on the form are mostly about the applicant’s; nationality, name and surname, full names of their parents, their occupation, and their reason for traveling to Israel.
- An up-to-date photo must be attached in the appropriate space on the application form.
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Collecting documents
Applicants are required to collect a few documents as a part of their application for B/2 tourist visa. The most common documents for this visa include the following:
- The visa application form, which may differ based on the type of visa to Israel they are applying for. Applicants must ensure that they download and fill the appropriate one.
- Two passport-size photographs of 5.5 cm x 5.5 centimeters on a white background.
- A passport, valid for at least six months after the intended duration of stay in Israel, and with at least one blank page to fix the visa.
- Flight tickets. It’s not required to purchase flight tickets as the applicant might lose money if their application is rejected. Applicants, however, need a save a seat on a flight to show as a proof of the date they intend to travel back.
- Birth Certificate. This must be translated into Hebrew or English, if the birth certificate is in a foreign language.
Since a B/2 tourist visa to Israel can be granted for both tourism and business purposes, applicants will need to submit additional documents, depending on their purpose of entry. If the purpose of visit is tourism, vacation, or sightseeing, then the applicant will have to submit a few extra documents. Possible relevant documents include:
- Evidence of a hotel reservation in Israel.
- If a relative or friend is residing in Israel and has invited them, then the application must include invitation letter written in Hebrew along with the Israeli citizen’s contact information.
- Written letter from a tour operator in Israel, along with the tourism activities intended in Israel.
- If the purpose of the visit is a business meeting, conference, or negotiations of contract etc. an appropriate letter of invitation is required from the Israeli company.
- Leave approval from the applicant’s place of work.
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Visa interview
Applicants will usually need to undergo a visa interview at the Israeli Embassy, consulate, or a visa-processing center. They will have to meet a consular officer to submit all the necessary documents. The officer will ask them questions related to their application, the reason for their trip, and other relevant details.
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Fee payment – Israeli tourist visa
For visa processing authorities to process the application form, applicants are required to pay a B/2 visa fee, which (as of 2020) is about $26.04 for every form. If a person submits their application form through a third-party visa-processing agency, then they will have to pay an extra service fee, which cannot be higher than the price of the B/2 tourist visa itself.
Extending your B-2 tourist visa while in Israel
A B/2 tourist visa’s validity is for a period of up to three months from the date of issue. However, the Border Control authorities of Israel has the right to determine the duration of the tourist’s stay in the country at the point of entry. A person can apply for an extension of this period if they wish to stay in Israel for a longer period. The person should approach the Population Authority office while they are still in the country. When they apply, they must present a concrete reason why they wish to stay longer. Such reasons may include familial ties, a legal procedure, or a medical reason, etc. You can read more about the procedure of extension of the B2 tourist visa while in Israel in this article on our website.
Contact us – Israeli law firm
Our law firm has a great deal of experience with all issues of immigration to Israel, including B-2 tourist visas for groups, or individuals who need a visitor visa to Israel in advance, or else have had trouble with the Israeli immigration office in the past. Please contact us so we can hear your case and let you know if and how we can help.
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