Preparing Visit to Israel
Things you should know before you visit Israel
Arriving in Israel? Make the most of your visit by learning and following the laws…
Did you know that in 2018, more than 4 million tourists visited in Israel???
Yes, tourism in Israel is booming, and there are many reasons.
From places that are holy to people from all over the world, to rare wonders like the Dead Sea…whatever you plan to see, there are some things that are important to know if you intend to come to Israel yourself or invite friends from abroad to enjoy its landscapes and sites.
Entry into Israel – The law states that in order to enter Israel, no matter what the purpose, an entry permit is required (of course, if you are not an Israeli citizen)
We won’t list every type of permit and visa available – we will leave that to lawyers.
But we will talk about the visa that most interests you – a tourist visa, also referred to as a B / 2 visa (“b” is the first letter of the Hebrew word for “visit” – “bikur“).
This visa is most common because, unlike other visas (such as a work visa or immigration) that require stacks of documents and bureaucracy, it is much easier to acquire, and for a good reason. Do you want to visit relatives in Israel? Or just travel around the country? Just ask and you will receive a visa….
Preparing Visit to Israel. To start the process of obtaining a visa, visit the following link: Visa for Israel
Once you have a B / 2 visa, do not forget some important points (which may cost you dearly if you don’t pay attention to them).
1.
The tourist visa is only valid for 3 months!
2.
If you want to extend the visa you can do so and get a permit of up to two years in the country as tourists. But don’t take a risk and walk around with an expired visa.
3.
The B / 2 visa does not allow you to work in Israel. Not even volunteer…
4.
Want to volunteer? No problem. All you have to do is submit an application at the Ministry of Interior, and replace your B / 2 visa with a B / 4 volunteer visa.
5.
Have you found an opportunity to do some business while you’re here? A business meeting or two between one tourist site and another will not affect your visa. But if you aim higher and farther and schedule meeting after meeting, you may find yourself deported, since regular business activity is prohibited for tourists. But there is also a way to get around this problem. The Interior Ministry offers a solution to encourage business and international investment in the country, and has issued a new visa.
The B/5 Investor Visa will allow you to come to a net country to do business. (Of course you can walk the road, between sitting and sitting, if you fancy). So if your goal is business, apply for this visa in advance. And if you came as tourists then decided to invest, apply for a change of visa type, and then be sure that when you set out to make a lot of money, you do it honestly!
6.
Have you fallen in love with the country and want to stay here and also earn a living? That’s already a little (actually, a lot) more complicated…. First you will have to return to your place of residence, and then from there apply for a work visa, which is completely different from a tourist visa.
7.
Even if you have a tourist visa, it does not mean that you are completely protected. Because if you break the law or get in trouble, you may find yourself right on the plane back to where you came from…
Have we scared you? Well, that wasn’t our objective. Like many others, we too believe in and encourage tourism in Israel, so after reading this, do yourself a favor and deal with the bureaucracy so you can be worry free and really have fun enjoying everything our country has to offer. We are waiting for you!
With that we conclude this brief post about information preparing visit to Israel. To learn more about Israel, and specifically about the Dead Sea, visit the blog home page, at the following link: Dead Sea Information
