Visa for Israel

Passports: Passport valid for a minimum of six months beyond intended date of arrival required by all.

Visas: All nationals require a stamp on arrival. Visas are required by all except the following:
(a) 1. nationals of countries mentioned in the chart above (except nationals of Germany if born before 1 January 1928 who do require a visa);
(b) nationals of Argentina, The Bahamas, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Central African Republic, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Fiji, Gibraltar, Guatemala, Haiti, Hong Kong (SAR), Iceland, Jamaica, Korea (Rep), Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Malawi, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia (Federated States of), Monaco, Mongolia, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, The Philippines, St Kitts and Nevis, San Marino, South Africa, St Lucia, Surinam, Swaziland, Switzerland, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay and Vanuatu;
© transit passengers continuing their journey within 24 hours by the same or first connecting flight provided holding valid onward or return documentation and not leaving the airport.

Types of visa: Tourist/Entry: £11 (cash only, or £12 postal order). These fees are for UK nationals; prices vary according to nationality. Cruise ship passengers visiting Israel will be issued Landing Cards, allowing them to remain in the country for as long as the ship is in port. No visa applications are required.

Validity: Three months but varies according to nationality. Visas may be extended (for a nominal fee) at offices of the Ministry of the Interior in the following locations: Afula, Akko (Acre), Ashqelon, Be’ersheba, Eilat, Hadera, Haifa, Herzrelia, Holon, Jerusalem, Nazareth, Netanya, Petah Tiqva, Ramat Gan, Ramla, Rehovot, Safed, Tel Aviv and Tiberias.

Application to: Consulate (or Consular section at Embassy); see Passport/Visa Information for details.

Application requirements: (a) Valid passport. (b) Application form. © One passport-size photo. (d) Return ticket. (e) A copy of tenancy agreement or mortgage arrangements. (f) Bank statement for last three months. (g) Self-addressed envelope and a day time telephone number. (h) Invitation from company/friends/contact in Israel (i) Letter from travel agent confirming itinerary, reservation of return ticket, hotel and medical insurance. (i) Letter from employer/university specifying period of time you have worked with them and that you will be returning after trip. (j) Fee, payable by postal order or cash.

Working days required: Depends on nationality. Some visas will require authorisation from Israel and so it is advisable to contact the Embassy before booking travel tickets.

Temporary residence: Apply to the Ministry of the Interior in Israel.

Climate of Israel

Mediterranean, with a pleasant spring and autumn. Winters in the north can be cool. Rain in winter is widespread, particularly in Jerusalem. Snow is rare. Summers can be very hot, especially in the south. The Red Sea resort of Eilat has a good climate for beach holidays all the year round.

Required clothing
Lightweight cottons and linens for warmer months are required. Mediumweights are recommended for winters, although on the Red Sea coast they are unlikely to be necessary during the day.

Nightlife in Israel

There are nightclubs and discos in most cities. Tel Aviv has a wealth of entertainment to divert the visitor and there are rock, jazz, folk and pop music clubs in all the main cities and resorts. Israeli folklore and dance shows can be seen everywhere, especially in the kibbutzim. The Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra can be heard at the ICC Binaynei Ha’uma Hall in Jerusalem during the winter.

A summer attraction is the Israel Festival of International Music. Cinema is popular in Israel and many cinemas screen three daily shows of international and local films (all Hebrew films are subtitled in English and French). Tickets for all events and even films can be bought in advance from ticket agencies and sometimes from hotels and tourist offices.

Food and Dining in Israel

Restaurants in Israel offer a combination of Oriental and Western cuisine, in addition to the local dishes. Some restaurants are expensive, though a high price does not necessarily mean a high standard. Table service is usual.

There are many snack bars. Restaurants, bars and cafes catering to tourists usually have menus in two languages (Hebrew plus French or English). Israeli cuisine is essentially a combination of Oriental and Western cuisine, plus an additional distinct flavor brought by the many and varied nationalities which make up the Israelis.

Dishes such as Hungarian goulash, Russian bortsch, Viennese schnitzel or German braten are found next to Middle Eastern items such as falafel, humus, tahini, shishlik, kebabs and Turkish coffee, as well as traditional Jewish dishes such as gefilte fish, chopped liver and chicken soup. Kosher food: The Hebrew word kosher means food conforming to Jewish religious dietary laws. Milk, cream or cheese may not be served together with meat in the same meal. Pork and shellfish are officially prohibited, but it is possible to find them on many menus in non-kosher restaurants.

The wines of Israel range from light white to dry red and sweet rose. Israeli beers are Gold Star and Maccabee. There is also a good choice of local brandies and liqueurs. Liqueurs include Arak (an anise drink), Hard Nut (a walnut concoction of Eliaz winery) and Sabra (chocolate and orange). A center for liqueurs is the monastery at Latrun on the road between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.

Activities in Israel

Watersports

Fishing, sailing, surfing, swimming, water-skiing and yachting are all available. There are marinas in Akko, Eilat, Jaffa and Tel Aviv. All the large hotels have swimming pools. Skindiving and aqualung diving are especially popular in Eilat on the Red Sea coast with an excellent underwater observatory descending to the floor of the coral reef near the town. Eilat is a particularly good destination for winter sun for visitors from Western Europe. as coral will suffer severe fines from both the Israeli and Egyptian authorities.

Other
To many people’s surprise, there is a full skiing season at Mount Hermon, on the northern border. Among annual sports events are the Tel Aviv Marathon and the Kinereth Swimming Gala. Basketball and football are popular and many hotels have tennis courts. There is a fine 18-hole golf course at Caesarea. Horseriding is available throughout the country.

There is also the opportunity to take camel rides; contact the Israel Government Tourist Office for further details. Bicycling is also popular. There are excellent facilities at kibbutz sportsgrounds and in cities. The Israel Government Tourist Office (see General Info section) can provide further information.

Tourist attractions in Israel

Israel is a remarkable, fascinating and controversial country. For many it is, above all, the Holy Land. Religious attractions include the walk along the Via Dolorosa to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem (the Holy City and cradle of Christianity, Islam and Judaism); the Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth; the serenity of Galilee and the ride across the River Jordan, the river in which Jesus was baptized.

Jerusalem
For Christians, Jews and Muslims, this is one of the most revered cities on earth. Attractions range from religious emblems and relics of antiquity to modern items of interest. Religious tours are available from West Jerusalem and include Mount Zion and the Tomb of David. Other sites are the Tomb of Judges; Yad Vashem, the memorial to the six million Jews who died in the Holocaust; and Mea Shearim (’the hundred gates’). Visitors in East Jerusalem may follow the Way of the Cross, enter the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, see the Wailing Wall, the Dome of the Rock and the Jaffa and Damascus gates. The Israel Museum in Jerusalem houses the Dead Sea Scrolls and is worth visiting.

Excursions: Three important excursions are to the Abu Ghush, En Karem and the Hill of Rachel.

Tel Aviv
An exciting city offering commerce, culture, nightlife and sandy beaches. The Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra draws audiences from all over the world. The Museum of the Diaspora is internationally famous. The bustling Carmel Market is a popular place to visit. In 1950, Jaffa was united with Tel Aviv; situated a mile from the city, this is one of the oldest ports in the world. It has archaeological finds reaching back to the third century BC, a beach, lively nightlife in Old Jaffa and a flea market.

The Negev
This area, once largely desert, is now being irrigated and farmed in a settlement movement started by, amongst others, David Ben Gurion. Beersheba and Dimona are both of interest, but Eilat, in particular, is the place for tourists. Eilat is the best-equipped seaside resort in the Middle East, and a paradise for underwater enthusiasts. There are several attractive places nearby; these include the Timna Valley National Park (near Eilat).

Galilee and the North
Places of interest are Lake Tiberias (the Sea of Galilee) itself, Nazareth, the Bet She’arim Catacombs, Megiddo, Tiberias and the Mount of Beatitudes. The Tourist Office, together with a consortium of interested parties, is actively promoting Galilee as a tourist destination. Emphasis is being placed on the environment, sports, culture, history and health, with spa resorts (which have been used since Roman times) especially featured. The Museum of Mediterranean Archaeology celebrates many finds in the region. Haifa, on the coast and Israel’s leading seaport, is both an industrial town and an ancient fortress. Further south, notable attractions include the artists’ colony of En Hod and the Roman ruins at Caesarea.

The Dead Sea
60km (41 miles) long and 17km (11 miles) wide, the Dead Sea is an inland lake lying 400m (1320ft) below sea level in the lower part of the Jordan Valley, flanked by the Judean Mountains to the west and the Moab Mountains to the east. It has more minerals and salt than any other body of water in the world and is renowned for its rejuvenating and health-giving properties. There are a number of health spas and resorts in the area. A range of cosmetic and therapeutic products, containing Dead Sea minerals, are available worldwide. Spas are found in the Dead Sea region offering a variety of treatments, including mud packs, salt massages and salt water pools.

Masada (Mezada), on the left bank of the Dead Sea, is where the once luxurious palace of King Herod still stands (and site of the famous seige), perched on a clifftop. It can be reached by cable car or a winding footpath and there is a breathtaking view of the Dead Sea and the pink mountains of Moab from here.
Other interesting sights around the Dead Sea include Mount Sodom, a 13km- (8 mile-) long mountain range made up of pure salt which has many caves with extraordinary hanging salt formations, and Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls, written by Essene scribes, were discovered in ancient pottery jars. The discovery of the Scrolls was made in 1947 by an Arab shepherd looking for a stray goat. Seven scrolls were found, the most famous being the scroll of Isaiah, which is 1 foot wide and 24 feet long. Excavations at the site found more than 900 pieces of scrolls in more than 30 caves. Except for two scrolls written on copper, all the scrolls were written on leather and papyrus.

The Palestine National Authority Region
For further information about the Palestinian National Authority Region, contact the Palestinian Ministry of Tourism (see General Info section).

Bethlehem
The city lies 750m (2500ft) above sea level, on the ancient caravan route, 10km (6.2 miles) south of Jerusalem. Bethlehem is, of course, most famous for being the birthplace of Christ, although it is also well known for olive woodcarving and mother-of-pearl jewelry, which, today, has developed into a modern industry.

Jericho
One of the prime sites of interest in the region for historians and visitors alike is the ancient town of Jericho, which dates back more than 10,000 years and lies 260m (853ft) below sea level, 36km (22.5 miles) east of Jerusalem. Known as the ‘City of Palms’, Jericho is one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited sites. The walls and towers of Jericho are 4000 years older than the pyramids of Egypt, and the domestication of animals took place 1000 years earlier in Jericho than in Mesopotamia and Egypt. Other sites worth visiting in the area include Deir Quruntal and Mt Temptation, where Jesus spent 40 days and nights fasting and meditating and where a monastery was later built. Deir Quruntal can be reached on a steep and fairly difficult path.

Elsewhere
The city of Hebron lies in the mountainous region south of Jerusalem, at an altitude of 1000m (3280ft). Hebron is an unspoiled town, with many narrow and winding streets, flat-roofed stone houses and old bazaars. Other places worth visiting in the area include Nablus, the major commercial, industrial and agricultural center in the northern West Bank and renowned for olive oil soap, wrought gold and Kenafa, a tasty oriental pastry; Rammallah, whose cool climate makes it a popular summer resort, with many restaurants and an international feel; Samaria and Gaza, located on the western Mediterranean coast, 32km (22.4 miles) north of the Egyptian border and, owing to its strategic location, a long-established economic regional center for trade in citrus fruits and other goods.

Shopping in Israel

There is a wide choice for shoppers in Israel; and in certain shops, especially in Arab markets, visitors can - and should - bargain. Tourists who buy leather goods at shops listed by the Ministry of Tourism and pay for them in foreign currency are exempt from VAT and receive a 25 per cent discount on leather goods if these are delivered to them at the port of departure. Special purchases include jewelry, diamonds and other precious stones, ceramics, embroidery, glassware, wines, religious articles and holy books. ‘Cashback’ on purchased items can be claimed from the Customs Office at the airport.

Shopping hours
Sun-Fri 0800-1900; some shops close 1300-1600 and some early on Friday. Remember that the shopping facilities are both Israeli and Arabic, and are therefore governed by two different sets of opening hours and methods of business. Jewish stores observe closing time near sunset Friday evenings before Shabbat (Saturday) and Arabic stores close Friday. It takes a while to realise that Sunday is a normal working day unlike in Western countries. For shoppers, the Jewish stores are therefore open Friday, Arab markets Saturday and both are open Sunday when Christian stores close. Shops in the hotels are often open until midnight.

Currency Information:

Currency
New Shekel (IS) = 100 agorot (singular, agora). Notes are in denominations of IS200, 100, 50, and 20. Coins are in denominations of IS10, 5 and 1, and 50 and 10 agorot.

Currency exchange
Foreign currency can only be exchanged at authorized banks, hotels and bureaux de change. It is advisable to leave Israel with the minimum of Israeli currency. Payment in foreign currency exempts tourists from VAT on certain purchases and services. A maximum of USUSD 500 worth of new shekels can be reconverted to foreign currency by travelers leaving Israel.

Credit and debit cards
All major credit cards are accepted.

Travelers cheques
These are widely accepted. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travelers are advised to take travelers cheques in US Dollars.

Currency restrictions
There are no restrictions on the import of local or foreign currency. Travelers planning to export local currency should apply to a local bank before departure from Israel. The export of foreign currency is limited to the amount imported.

Exchange rate indicators
The following figures are included as a guide to the movements of the New Israel Shekel against Sterling and the US Dollar

Banking hours
Sun-Fri 0830-1200 and Sun, Tues, Thurs 1600-1800.