Israel Visa Policy

An Israeli Visa is permission to enter Israel and remain here for a specific permitted period. Visitors to Israel must obtain a visa from one of the Israeli diplomatic missions unless they come from one of the visa-exempt countries.

There are the Following Types of Israel Visa:
 

1. Immigration Visa

2. A/1 Temporary Resident Visa

3. A/2 Student Visa

4. A/3 Clergy Visa

5. A/4 Visa for Spouses and Children

6. B/1 Work Visa

7. B/2 Visitor's Visa

The Law of Return, 5710 - 1950, determines the right of every Jew to immigrate to the State of Israel. The law is an expression of the connection between the Jewish people and their homeland. Jews returning to Israel are considered people who were away - or whose ancestors were away - from Israel and are now returning to their country. With regard to the law, "A Jew is a person born to a Jewish mother, or who is a convert to Judaism, and is not a member of another religion."

According to an arrangement between the government of Israel and the Jewish Agency, the latter handles immigration (aliya) to Israel: checking candidates, providing advice and guidance, seeing to absorption arrangements, referrals to immigrant centers, places of study, employment, etc. An aliya emissary of the Jewish Agency who recommends a person's immigration transfers the application together with his written recommendation to an official representative of the State of Israel.

According to the law, the authority to issue the immigration visa lies solely with the diplomatic/consular representative. Therefore, this representative examines the application and the recommendation of the aliya representative. The diplomatic/consular representative may request additional details, both from the applicant and from the immigration representative. In cases of doubt, the diplomatic/consular representative may transfer the application to the consular section of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for a decision.

Those interested in commencing the process of immigrating to Israel should contact the aliya representative of the Jewish Agency, who is responsible for the area in which they reside. 

Israel A/1 Temporary Resident visa is given to a person who is eligible for immigration (aliya) and has completed the examination process with the aliya representative of the Jewish Agency, and whose application has been examined and approved by the diplomatic/consular representative at an Israeli mission.

Required Documents for Israel A/1 Temporary Resident Visa

1. Application Form

2. Passport

• Valid for at least one year, provided that his country has a diplomatic mission in the State of Israel
• If there is no such mission in Israel, the passport must be valid for the entire period of stay and another six months beyond that time

3. Previous Passports

• You must submit all passports you hold, including current/old/canceled/expired/special passport.

4. Photo

• Two passport pictures (5x5 cm)

5. Flight Booking

6. Birth Certificate

7. Proof of Civil Status

• Such as Marriage/Divorce/Death Certificate

8. Letter from a Recognized Rabbi

• Acceptable proof of Judaism is a letter from a recognized rabbi confirming how the rabbi knows you and stating that you are Jewish and born to a Jewish mother.
• The letter should be written within the past year on the official letterhead.
• It must state the name, location, and telephone number of the congregation, including your full legal name and parents’ names, and, if applicable, grandparents’ names.
• The letter must bear the rabbi’s signature, and the rabbi’s name and the title should appear on the letterhead.

*Additional documents can be required by the embassy.

Processing Time for A/1 Temporary Resident Visa

Processing time for Israel A/1 Temporary Resident visa is 5-25 working days. It depends on your visa application country.

Israel A/1 Temporary Resident Visa Fee

Israel A/1 Temporary Resident visa fee is 24 USD. The fee may vary depending on your nationality or your country of submission.

Where to Apply for Israel A/1 Temporary Resident Visa?

You will apply for an Israel A/1 Temporary Resident visa in Israel visa application centers, embassies, or consulates, whichever accepts visa applications in your country of residence. If there is none of them in your country, you need to apply to the nearest embassy or consulate to your location.

Israel A/2 Student visa is issued to those who intend to study in Israel in elementary and high schools, academic institutions, yeshivot, and youth institutions of the Jewish Agency. The visa is valid for up to one year and multiple entrances and exits. Recipients of this visa are not permitted to work in Israel.

Required Documents for Israel A/2 Student Visa

1. Application Form

• Completed and signed

2. Passport

• Valid for at least one year, provided that his country has a diplomatic mission in the State of Israel
• If there is no such mission in Israel, the passport must be valid for the entire period of studies and another six months beyond that time

3. Previous Passports

• You must submit all passports that you hold, including current/old/canceled/expired/special passport

4. Photo

• Two passport pictures (5x5 cm)

5. Certification of Acceptance for Study at a Recognized Educational Institution in Israel

6. Proof of Financial Means

• Proof that the student has the financial means to pay for his studies and sustenance throughout his stay In Israel
• Personal bank statements for the last 3 months
• Proof of scholarship if you will be studying on a scholarship

7. Birth Certificate

8. Proof of Flight Booking

9. Proof of Accommodation

• A document that shows where you will be staying while you study in Israel, i.e., a dormitory acceptance letter

10. Documents that were Submitted to the Educational Institution for Admission

• Resume,
• Diploma, etc.

11. For Minors:

• Birth certificate notarized with an apostille stamp
• Parental Consent to Granting a Visa to Israel. Both parents (or legal guardians) must sign the form in the presence of a notary or consular representative

*Additional documents can be required by the embassy.

Processing Time for Israel A/2 Student Visa

Processing time for Israel A/2 Student visa is 5-25 working days. It depends on your visa application country.

Israel A/2 Student Visa Fee

Israel A/2 Student visa fee is 47 USD. The fee may vary depending on your nationality or your country of submission.

Where to Apply for Israel A/2 Student Visa?

You will apply for an Israel A/2 Student visa in Israel visa application centers, embassies, or consulates, whichever accepts visa applications in your country of residence. If there is none of them in your country, you need to apply to the nearest embassy or consulate to your location.

Israel A/3 Clergy visa is issued to clergymen to fulfill their clerical duties among their religious communities in Israel, according to the invitation of a recognized religious institution in Israel. A clergyman who goes to Israel for a visit and requires an entry visa will receive the regular B/2 visa.

Only the Ministry of the Interior has the authority to grant an A/3 visa. The application should be submitted in Israel by the religious institution that is inviting the clergyman. The mission will only issue the visa with the prior approval of the Ministry of the Interior. The validity of the visa will be under the Ministry of Interior guidelines, with the option of renewal only in Israel. If the visa is approved by the Ministry of the Interior, the visa will be issued by the mission.

Required Documents for Israel A/3 Clergy Visa

1. Application Form

2. Passport

3. Photo

• Two passport pictures (5x5 cm)

*Additional documents can be required by the embassy.

Processing Time for Israel A/3 Clergy Visa

Processing time for Israel A/3 Clergy visa is 5-25 working days. It depends on your visa application country.

Israel A/3 Clergy Visa Fee

Israel A/3 Clergy visa fee is 47 USD. The fee may vary depending on your nationality or your country of submission.

Where to Apply for Israel A/3 Clergy Visa?

You will apply for an Israel A/3 Clergy visa in Israel visa application centers, embassies, or consulates, whichever accepts visa applications in your country of residence. If there is none of them in your country, you need to apply to the nearest embassy or consulate to your location.

Israel A/4 visa is designated for the spouses and children of recipients of A/2 or A/3 visas.

Required Documents for Israel A/4 Visa

1. Application Form

2. Photo

• Two passport pictures (5x5 cm)

3. Travel/Medical Insurance

• Insurance for the whole period of your stay in Israel with a minimum coverage of 35,000 EUR (40,000 USD)

*Additional documents can be required by the embassy.

Processing Time for Israel A/4 Visa

Processing time for an Israel A/4 visa is 5-25 working days. It depends on your visa application country.

Israel A/4 Visa Fee

Israel A/4 visa fee is 47 USD. The fee may vary depending on your nationality or your country of submission.

Where to Apply for Israel A/4  Visa?

You will apply for an Israel A/4 visa in Israel visa application centers, embassies, or consulates, whichever accepts visa applications in your country of residence. If there is none of them in your country, you need to apply to the nearest embassy or consulate to your location.

This visa is for a person whose stay in Israel is approved for a limited period of work. This visa is given to experts and artists, among others, and is granted solely with the approval of the Ministry of the Interior.

The fee is paid by the applicant when the application is submitted to one of the population administration offices of the Ministry of the Interior. Upon receipt of approval from the Ministry of the Interior, the mission will issue the B/1 Work visa after interviewing the applicant.

Required Documents for Israel B/1 Work Visa

1. Application Form

2. Photo

• Two passport pictures (5x5 cm)

3. A Verified Certificate of Good Conduct

4. Certification of Medical Examinations

• Performed in clinics or hospitals recognized by the mission (the certification must cover inter alia, normal results in tests for tuberculosis, hepatitis, and aids)
• The results of blood tests

5. A Declaration of the Taking of a Fingerprint and a Photograph

• The State of Israel has begun to take a fingerprint from foreign workers who enter the country to work

*Additional documents can be required by the embassy.

Processing Time for Israel B/1 Work Visa

Processing Time for Israel B/1 Work visa is 5-25 working days. It depends on your visa application country. 

Israel B/1 Work Visa Fee

Israel B/1 Work visa fee is 47 USD. The fee may vary depending on your nationality or your country of submission.

Where to Apply for Israel B/1 Work Visa?

You will apply for an Israel B/1 Work visa in Israel visa application centers, embassies, or consulates, whichever accepts visa applications in your country of residence. If there is none of them in your country, you need to apply to the nearest embassy or consulate to your location.

Israel B/2 Visitor's visa is given to someone who wants to stay in Israel for only a short time (for a visit, tourism, a business meeting, or study in a Hebrew ulpan). A person who enters Israel on a B/2 visa is not allowed to work in the State of Israel.

A B/2 visa is valid for up to three months from the date of issue. The Border Police will determine the duration of the stay in Israel. A visitor who wishes to extend his visit may apply for one of the regional population administration offices of the Ministry of the Interior.

Required Documents for Israel B/2 Visitor's Visa

1. Application Form

• For a Visa to Enter Israel for a National Passport
• For a Visa to Enter Israel for an Official Passport
• For a Visa to Enter Israel for an Official Visa for U.N. Employees

2. Passport

• A travel document that is valid for at least six months beyond the period of the stay in Israel

3. Proof of Sufficient Financial Means

• Such as bank statements from the last three months

4. Order For Round Trip Airline Tickets to and From Israel

5. Hotel Reservation in Israel

6. Invitation Letter

• An invitation letter in Hebrew on the letterhead of the host company or friend/relative
• The letter should mention your name, number of your passport, the duration, and the purpose of your trip to Israel

7. Work Leave Approval from the Place of Work for Being Absent for the Whole Period of Your Stay in Israel

*Additional documents can be required by the embassy.

Processing Time for Israel B/2 Visitor's Visa

Processing time for Israel B/2 Visitor's visa is 5-25 working days. It depends on your visa application country.

Israel B/2 Visitor's Visa Fee

Israel B/2 Visitor's visa fee is 24 USD. The fee may vary depending on your nationality or your country of submission.

Where to Apply for Israel B/2 Visitor's Visa?

You will apply for an Israel B/2 Visitor's visa in Israel visa application centers, embassies, or consulates, whichever accepts visa applications in your country of residence. If there is none of them in your country, you need to apply to the nearest embassy or consulate to your location.