Entry/Exit Requirements

The general entry and exit requirements for U.S. citizens traveling to Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza are listed below. The U.S. government seeks equal treatment and freedom to travel for all U.S. citizens regardless of national origin or ethnicity. However, dual Israeli-American nationals are treated as Israelis at the port of entry and U.S. citizens who are or may be Palestinian–American dual nationals are treated as Palestinian nationals at the port of entry (see below for further information on entry by Palestinian nationals). U.S. citizens who encounter difficulties at the port of entry 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 numbers above.

 

Security Screening: U.S. citizens are advised that all persons entering or departing Israel, the West Bank, or Gaza are subject to security screening and may be denied entry or exit without explanation. U.S. citizen visitors have been subjected to prolonged questioning and physical searches and have been denied access to consular officers, lawyers, and family members.

Despite the legality of missionary activities, the Israeli Ministry of Interior has denied entry to some travelers on the suspicion that they seek to proselytize, although officials may cite another reason, such as disturbing the peace. Members of religious groups have been monitored, arrested, and deported based on complaints that they have engaged in unauthorized missionary work. U.S. citizens suspected of being participants in planned political protest activities or of supporting NGOs that are critical of Israeli policies are also frequently denied entry. Travelers unable to clearly explain their purpose of travel in Israel and/or the West Bank have been denied entry and barred from return for as much as ten years by border officials.

Anyone indicating at a port of entry that he or she has connections to the West Bank or plans to travel to the West Bank may be given an entry stamp that permits travel only in the West Bank. This stamp does not permit the bearer to enter Jerusalem or Israel. Travelers who have received such a stamp may file an appeal with the Government of Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) at Beit El, Ramallah. The relationship between the stamp and visa extensions is discussed below.

Those with extensive travel to Muslim countries or U.S. citizens whom Israeli authorities suspect of being of Arab, Middle Eastern, or Muslim origin may face additional questioning by immigration and border authorities. U.S. citizens of similar background who are suspected of wishing to enter those areas deemed prohibited to them by the Ministry of Interior (MOI) may be required to sign an agreement stipulating that they will refrain from entering those areas. 

Video cameras and other electronic items must be declared upon entry to Israel. Carrying such audio-visual or data storage/processing equipment may lead to additional security-related delays, and some travelers have had their laptop computers and other electronic equipment searched at Ben Gurion Airport. While most items are returned prior to the traveler’s departure, some equipment has been retained by the authorities for lengthy periods and has reportedly been damaged, destroyed, lost, or never returned. U.S. citizens who have had personal property damaged due to security procedures at Ben Gurion may contact the Commissioner for Public Complaints at the airport for redress by phone at (972) (03) 975-2386 or by fax to (972) (03) 975-2387.

Israeli security officials have also on occasion requested access to travelers’ personal e-mail accounts or other social media accounts as a condition of entry. In such circumstances, travelers should have no expectation of privacy for any data stored on such devices or in their accounts. Audio-visual/IT equipment may also be confiscated for security reasons. Such property will not be returned to the traveler. There is no redress for such confiscations.

U.S. citizens who feel they have been wrongly denied entry to Israel or the West Bank or have been treated unfairly may contact the American Citizen Services (ACS) unit of the U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem or the ACS unit of the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv.

Israeli-Americans: Israeli citizens naturalized in the United States retain their Israeli citizenship, and children born in the United States to Israeli parents usually acquire both U.S. and Israeli nationality at birth. Israeli citizens, including dual nationals, must enter and depart Israel on their Israeli passports. 

Dual nationals who do not have an Israeli passport, including infants, may be required to obtain an Israeli passport in order to leave the country. Israeli citizens, including dual nationals, are subject to Israeli laws requiring service in Israel's armed forces, as well as other laws pertaining to passports and nationality. Israeli-American dual nationals of military age, including females, who do not wish to serve in the Israeli armed forces should contact the Israeli Embassy in Washington, DC, to learn more about an exemption or deferment from Israeli military service. They should obtain written confirmation of military service exemption or deferment before traveling to Israel. Without this exemption or deferment document, such dual nationals may not be able to depart Israel without completing military service or may be subject to criminal penalties for failure to serve.

Israeli citizens, including dual nationals, are currently not permitted to enter Gaza and are generally restricted from traveling to parts of the West Bank under PA control (“Area A”). Contact the Israeli Ministry of Interior or your nearest Israeli embassy or consulate for more information on dual citizenship, passport requirements, and travel restrictions for Israeli citizens.

Palestinian-Americans: The Government of Israel considers travelers who hold PA IDs, as well as persons believed to have claim to a PA ID by virtue of ancestry, to be Palestinian residents of the West Bank and Gaza, regardless of whether they also hold U.S. citizenship. Israeli authorities consider anyone who has parents or grandparents who were born or lived in the West Bank or Gaza to have a claim to a PA ID.

Palestinian nationals, including dual nationals, are required to enter the West Bank via the Allenby Bridge crossing from Jordan (also known as the King Hussein Bridge) using a PA travel document, rather than via Ben Gurion International Airport, unless they have obtained advance permission from an Israeli embassy or consulate on humanitarian or emergency grounds. Even if permitted one-time entry via Ben Gurion Airport, these individuals are required to depart via the Allenby Bridge. Upon arrival at any of the ports of entry, such persons may wish to confirm with Israeli immigration authorities from where they will be required to depart. Many Palestinian nationals or dual nationals seeking to enter via Ben Gurion have been sent back to the United States upon arrival. Others have been allowed to enter Israel but told they cannot depart Israel via Ben Gurion without special permission, which is rarely granted. Some families have been separated as a result and other travelers have forfeited expensive airline tickets.

Palestinian-American dual nationals may depart at the Allenby crossing between Jordan and the West Bank using either a PA passport with no exit permit or a PA ID card together with an exit permit. Such individuals may also re-enter from Jordan using a PA ID card and a valid U.S. passport, if that is how they departed. If they departed using a PA passport they are expected to return using a PA passport.

Palestinian-American residents of Jerusalem are normally required to use laissez-passers (travel documents issued by the Israeli government) that contain re-entry permits approved by the Israeli Ministry of Interior for travel via any border crossing except the Allenby Bridge. U.S. citizen residents of Jerusalem who hold blue Jerusalem ID cards may have the Ministry of Interior re-entry stamp placed in their U.S. passports for travel in and out of Israel. Jerusalem ID holders who hold residency or citizenship elsewhere may encounter problems retaining their Jerusalem residence status.

Entering Israel: For non-dual nationals, an onward or return ticket and proof of sufficient funds are required for entry. Although the Israeli government does not require that a passport be valid for six months from the date of entry, airlines routinely do so and may decline boarding if a traveler has less than six months validity on his or her passport. Travelers normally receive a free, three-month tourist visa upon arrival in Israel, which may be extended. Israel no longer stamps passports with an entry stamp, but instead provides all travelers with an entry card, although they reserve the right to stamp the passport. All travelers should retain this entry card throughout the duration of their stay in Israel as it is their proof of lawful entry. Although not required for exit, travelers are advised to have their entry card to avoid delays when departing Israel. Travelers carrying official or diplomatic U.S. passports must obtain visas from an Israeli embassy or consulate prior to arrival.

Anyone who has previously been refused entry, has experienced difficulties with his/her status during a previous visit, has overstayed the authorized duration of a previous visit, or otherwise has violated the terms of a previous admission to Israel should consult the nearest Israeli embassy or consulate before attempting to return. Such immigration violations may incur a 10 year bar to re-entry into Israel.

Jerusalem ID holders seeking returning resident status must obtain permission from Israeli authorities before traveling. The Government of Israel at times has declined to admit U.S. citizens wishing to visit, work, or travel to the West Bank or Gaza whom they suspect of being intending immigrants there. Persons denied entry have the right to an immigration court hearing to contest the denials, but they will likely be detained for the duration of the proceedings.

Minors:  Israel does not require minors traveling with one parent to have written consent from the other parent to either enter or depart Israel.

 

Entering the Gaza Strip: We continue to warn U.S. citizens against travel to the Gaza Strip. By Israeli-Palestinian agreement, the crossing at Rafah to Egypt is the designated entry and exit point for travelers to the Gaza Strip; only a very limited number of official and NGO travelers may use the Erez crossing to Israel. Neither the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv nor the U.S. Consulate in Jerusalem issue letters requesting that U.S. citizens be granted entry to Gaza via Erez. Travelers who enter the Gaza Strip through the Rafah crossing from Egypt must exit the same way. Such travelers will not be permitted to exit through the Erez crossing except in situations of extreme humanitarian need. Many U.S. citizens have found themselves unable to exit Gaza or have faced lengthy delays in doing so. Furthermore, the requirements for exiting through the Rafah crossing are unpredictable and can involve significant expense. Travelers wishing to enter or exit the Gaza Strip may not be able to travel at a time of their choosing. Crossing points may be closed for days or weeks and departing Gaza is particularly dangerous during times of armed conflict between Hamas and Israel. 

Those attempting to enter Gaza by sea may be forcibly diverted to an Israeli military port and placed in detention until deportation from Israel can be arranged. Private vehicles cannot cross the border in either direction. U.S.-Israeli dual citizens are prohibited from entering Gaza by the Government of Israel. 

See the latest Travel Warning for Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza for additional information on the threats to safety in the Gaza Strip. Please contact the U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem for updated guidance before attempting to enter Gaza. Should you enter Gaza, the U.S. government’s ability to assist you in departing Gaza is extremely limited as U.S government officials are not allowed to travel to Gaza.

 

Entering the West Bank: The Department of State urges U.S. citizens to exercise caution when traveling in the West Bank. U.S. government personnel are restricted from personal travel to most areas of the West Bank. However, U.S. government personnel may travel to Bethlehem and Jericho after undergoing a brief familiarization course. See the Travel Warning for Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza for the latest information concerning travel to the West Bank.

 

Extending Israeli Visas for Residents of the West Bank: Single-nationality U.S citizens living and working in the West Bank may face difficulties renewing their visas, even if they received unrestricted visas upon arrival in Israel or the West Bank.  

Those who do not have family connections to Palestinian nationals may receive a visa extension without travel restrictions by applying directly to the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) office at Beit El, Ramallah. Please inform the U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem if you face difficulties in this respect or feel you were discriminated against.

Dual-nationality derivative Palestinian nationals and spouses of Palestinian nationals receive visa extensions/stamps bearing the restriction limiting their travel to within the West Bank. U.S. citizens who receive this restriction must obtain permits from the Israeli authorities to enter Israel and Jerusalem. These travelers should apply for visa extensions through the Palestinian Authority's District Coordination Office in Ramallah, which coordinates with the Israeli government on their behalf.     

U.S. citizens (and their dependents) who are employed in the West Bank by organizations registered inside Israel may apply for unrestricted visa extensions via their Israeli employer through the Ministry of Interior.  

Volunteering in the West Bank: Those wishing to volunteer in the West Bank must apply for a B4 volunteer visa at an Israeli Embassy or Consulate before arriving in Israel or the West Bank. Once at the Embassy or Consulate, the applicant must speak with the “Matpash” office, which coordinates volunteer activities in the West Bank. U.S. citizens who have previously been denied entry to Israel or the West Bank or had other legal issues there are advised to provide this information to the Israeli authorities during their visa application. Volunteers who arrive without the correct visa will be denied entry and returned to their point of origin. 

Israel-Jordan Crossings: The international crossing points between Israel and Jordan are the Wadi Araba/Yitzhak Rabin crossing in the south, near Eilat; and the Jordan River crossing (Sheikh Hussein Bridge) in the north, near Beit Shean. U.S. citizens using these two crossing points need not obtain visas before arriving at the crossings to enter either Israel or Jordan, but they will be required to pay entry fees, which are subject to change.

 

Golan Heights: Due to mortar and gunfire reaching northern Israel from Syria and the recent kidnapping of United Nations personnel, U.S. government personnel are prohibited from private travel east of the Jordan River and east of Route 92. Private travel east of Route 90 and official travel east of Route 98 must be approved in advance.

 

Allenby Bridge (King Hussein Bridge/Al Karama): The Government of Israel requires that Palestinian Americans with residency status in the West Bank enter Jordan via the Allenby Bridge. For detailed information, please refer to the Consulate General’s website. U.S. passport holders must obtain Jordanian visas in advance to enter Jordan via the Allenby Bridge; the Israeli authorities issue visas on arrival. 

Individuals who receive the rare approval from the Israeli Government to exit Gaza from Erez can only depart Israel via the Allenby Bridge/King Hussein crossing into Jordan and will need advance approval from Jordanian immigration authorities in order to do so. These individuals will not be permitted to depart Israel via Ben Gurion Airport.

Dual U.S.-Israeli citizens are prohibited from using the Allenby/King Hussein Bridge crossing, unless as part of an official delegation or with special permission from the Israeli and Jordanian authorities.

Procedures for all three crossings into Jordan are subject to frequent changes. Visit the websites of the Embassy of Israel and the Jordan Tourism Board for the most current visa requirements. 

The Israeli Ministry of Health imposes some HIV/AIDS entry restrictions for visitors to and foreign residents of Israel, and the Ministry of Health reserves the right to deny entry to visitors who declare their status. Please verify this information with the Embassy of Israel before traveling.

Information about dual nationality or the prevention of international child abduction can be found on our website. For further information about customs regulations, please read our customs information sheet.