Visa for Jordan

Passports: Passport valid for six months required by all.

Visas: Required by all except the following:
(a) nationals of Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syrian Arab Republic, United Arab Emirates and Yemen for maximum stays of one month (extensions may be obtained at the nearest police station);
(b) transit passengers continuing their journey to another country by the same or first connecting aircraft within 24 hours provided holding valid onward or return documentation and not leaving the airport. Transit visas can only be issued at Jordanian airports/airlines and not at embassies or consulates.

Types of visa and cost: Tourist, Transit and Business: £11 (single-entry); £21 (multiple-entry).

Validity: Validity varies according to nationality. For Australian, Canadian, UK and US nationals, visas are valid as follows: Tourist: Three months for single-entry if obtained from the embassy or two weeks if obtained at the airport, these can be extended at any Jordanian police station; Multiple-entry are valid for six months; Business: Three months. After the first two weeks of stay, all visitors holding a visa must report to the nearest police station.

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

Application requirements: (a) Completed application form. (b) Passport valid for at least six months with at least one blank page. © One recent passport-size photo. (d) Stamped, self-addressed, recorded or registered envelope if applying by post. (e) Fee (only cash or postal orders are accepted). Business (a)-(e) and, (f) Company letter supporting application.

Working days required: Two if applying in person; two weeks by post once application has been received.

Note: Nationals of Afghanistan, Albania, Angola, Bangladesh, Belize, Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Congo (Dem Rep), Congo (Rep), Colombia, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, India, Iran, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Kenya, Macedonia (Former Yugoslav Republic of), Madagascar, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mongolia, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, The Philippines, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Uganda, Vietnam Zaire and Zambia are required to seek approval from the Ministry of Interior in order to obtain a visa and therefore should allow six to eight weeks for their applications to be processed. Contact the Embassy for further information (see Passport/Visa Information).

Temporary residence: Apply to Embassy; see Passport/Visa Information.

Food and Dining Jordan

The cuisine varies, although most restaurants have a mixed menu which includes both Arabic and European dishes. Dishes include meze (small starters such as fool, humus, kube and tabouleh); a variety of kebabs; Mahshi Waraq ‘inab (vine leaves stuffed with rice, minced meat and spices); musakhan (chicken in olive oil and onion sauce roasted on Arab bread); and the Jordanian specialty mensaf (stewed lamb in a yogurt sauce served on a bed of rice), a dish which is normally eaten with the hand.

Sweets are very popular and include: baklava (pastry filled with nuts or honey); kanafa (pastry filled with nuts or goats cheese); ataif (small fried pancakes filled with nuts or cheese and traditionally eaten during Ramadan); and mohallabiya (milk-based pudding perfumed with rose water or orange). Drinking Arabic coffee is a ritual.

Coffee tends to be very strong and is served in small cups (with plenty of coffee grounds at the bottom). Local beer, wine and other types of alcohol are served in most restaurants and bars, except during the fasting month of Ramadan (non-Arabic nationals can drink alcohol only in hotels during Ramadan).

Nightlife
There are nightclubs, theaters and cinemas in Amman, while some other major towns have cinemas. Often clubs will only admit couples or mixed groups. Many of the 4- and 5-star hotels have popular clubs and bars.

Climate of Jordan

Hot and dry summers with cool evenings. The Jordan Valley below sea level is warm during winter and extremely hot in summer. Rain falls between November and March, while colder weather conditions occur in December/January.

Required clothing
Lightweight cottons and linens are advised between May and September. Warmer clothes are necessary for winter and cool summer evenings. Rainwear is needed from November to April.

Activities in Jordan

Watersports

The coast south of Aqaba, on the shores of the Gulf of Aqaba, is teeming with tropical fish and coral and is renowned for its excellent year-round diving and snorkeling. The coral reefs are often very close to shore and the water temperature rarely falls below 20°C (68°F).

There are several dive centers at Aqaba offering PADI courses, equipment rental and boat tours. It is forbidden to remove coral or shells, or to use harpoon guns and fishing spears. Aqaba’s beaches, notably the Aquamarine or Holiday Beach, offer good swimming. Dolphin-, shark- and whale-watching trips can also be arranged.

Hiking
One of the best destinations is Wadi Rum, a vast area of dry riverbeds, mountains, black hills and sand dunes, located some 50km (30 miles) northeast of Aqaba, and a location for the film Lawrence of Arabia. Camel treks and jeep trips into the desert are also available, as are hot-air balloon trips over Wadi Rum’s Valley of the Moon.

Limited hiking equipment and supplies can be rented in the village of Rum; the nearest town is Quweirah.

Wildlife
There are 10 designated wildlife reserves in Jordan, the best being the Azraq Wetland Wildlife Reserve (whose oasis is home to over 300 species of birds), and the Shaumari Wildlife Reserve. Both can be visited on day trips from Amman. Animals that can be seen include hyenas, red wolves, jerboas, gazelles, ostriches and Arabian oryxes.

Tourist Attractions in Jordan

Amman and The North

Amman

The capital since 1921, Amman contains about one-third of the population. It was formerly the Ammonite capital of Rabbath-Ammon and later the Graeco-Roman city of Philadelphia. Often referred to as the ‘white city’, Amman was originally, like Rome, built on seven hills which still form its natural focal points. With extensive modern building projects, Amman is now very well equipped with excellent hotels and tourist facilities, especially in the jabal (hill) areas.

The central market (souk) is lively and interesting and provides a taste of a more traditional city. Remains from Roman, Greek and Ottoman Turk occupations are dotted around the city, the main attraction being the Roman amphitheater from the second century AD in the center of the city. There is also the Jebel el Qalat (citadel) which houses the Archaeological Museum; the National Gallery of Fine Arts and the Popular Museum of Costume and Jewelry.
Owing to Jordan’s small size, any destination within the country may be reached by road from the capital, Amman, in one day.

Salt
Once the Biblical ‘Gilead’, Salt is now a small town set in the fertile landscape west of Amman, retaining much of its old character as a former leading city of Transjordan. Filled with the character, sights, sounds and aromas of an old Arab town with its narrow market (souk), its innumerable flights of steps, and its donkeys and coffee houses, it has a tolerant, friendly, oriental atmosphere. 24km (15 miles) from Amman is Iraq al-Amir, the only Hellenistic palace still to be seen in the Middle East.

Jerash
Less than one hour’s drive north of Amman through the picturesque hills of ancient Gilead is Jerash. A magnificent Graeco-Roman city on an ancient site, beautifully preserved by the desert sands, Jerash is justly famous for the Triumphal Arch, the Hippodrome, the great elliptical forum, the theaters, baths and gateways, the Roman bridge and the wide street of columns that lead to the Temple of Artemis. Son et lumière programs run in four different languages (Arabic, English, French and German). Other languages can be catered for upon request. For information on festivals in Jerash, see Special Events in the General Info section.

Umm Qais
In the far north of the country, Umm Qais, the Biblical ‘Gadara’, dominates the area around Lake Tiberias (Sea of Galilee). Once a city favored by the Romans for its hot springs and theaters, it had declined to a small village by the time of the Islamic conquests. Its ruins, however, are still impressive: the Acropolis built in 218 BC, the forum, the colonnaded street with still-visible chariot tracks and the Nymphaeum and remains of a large basilica.

Elsewhere in the North
Irbid, to the southeast of Umm Qais, is 77km (49 miles) from Amman and is a city of Roman tombs and statues, and narrow streets with close-packed shops and arched entrances.
Alternatively, return along the northwest border from Umm Qais to Jerash through the lush scenery of the Jordan River Valley, stopping at the town of Al Hammeh, in sight of the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, a town known for its hot springs and mineral waters.

Visitors can also stop at Pella, once a city of the Roman Decapolis, now being excavated, and the hilltop castle of Qalaat al-Rabadh built by the Arabs in defense against the crusaders. The scenery in this surprisingly fertile part of Jordan is often very beautiful, especially in the spring when the Jordan Valley and surrounding area is covered in flowers.

East of Amman
Towards Azraq and beyond is the vast desert which makes up so much of Jordan. Within this arid landscape are the fertile oases of the Shaumari and Azraq Wetland Parks, now run with the help of the World Wide Fund for Nature. Wild animals once native to Jordan, such as the oryx and gazelle, are being re-introduced, while the wetlands are visited by thousands of migratory birds each year. The Shaumari was opened in October 1983 in an attempt to protect the country’s dwindling oryx population.

There are plans to open a further 10 wildlife reserves which will cover more than 4100 sq km (1580 sq miles). The project is being organized by the Jordanian Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, a body which has recently stepped up its efforts to protect the country’s wildlife and to prevent pollution affecting the very busy port of Aqaba. Severe fines are imposed on anyone contravening Jordan’s strict laws on these matters.

Also in the east are the desert Umayyad castles (Qasr) of Al-Kharanah and Amra. Built as hunting lodges and to protect caravan routes, they are well preserved with frescoes and beautiful vaulted rooms.

The South

The Dead Sea

The Dead Sea, 392m (1286ft) below sea level and the lowest point on earth, glistens by day and night in an eerie, dry landscape. The Biblical cities of Sodom and Gomorrah are thought to be beneath its waters. Supporting no life and having no outlet, even the non-swimmer can float freely in the rich salt water. The Dead Sea at the end of the River Jordan is the natural barrier between Jordan and the Palestinian National Authority Region.

The King’s Highway
There are three routes from Amman to Aqaba, the most picturesque being the King’s Highway, the whole length of which is dotted with places of interest. Madaba and nearby Mount Nebo, where Moses is said to have struck the rock, were both flourishing Byzantine towns and have churches and well-preserved mosaics. In Madaba, there are also ancient maps of sixth-century Palestine, a museum and an old family carpet-making industry which uses ancient looms. Off the Highway is Mukawir, a small village near the ruins of Machaerus of Herod Antipas, where Salome performed her fateful dance.

From the summit of nearby Qasr al-Meshneque, where St John was beheaded, is a magnificent view of the Dead Sea, and sometimes even of Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives. Nearby, Zarqa Main has hot mineral water springs. Rugged scenery characterizes this area: deep gorges, waterfalls, white rocks, small oases, birds and wild flowers.

Further south on the Highway is Kerak, a beautiful medieval town surrounded by high walls and with a castle. Other places of historical, scenic or religious interest along the route before Petra include Mazar and Mutah, Edomite Qasr Buseirah, Tafila and the magnificent crusader hill fortress, Shaubek Castle.

Petra
Petra is one of the wonders of the Middle-Eastern world: a gigantic natural amphitheater hidden in the rocks out of which a delicately colored city with immense facades has been carved; it was lost for hundreds of years and only rediscovered in 1812. The temples and caves of Petra rest high up above a chasm, with huge white rocks forming the Bab, or gate, of the Siq, the narrow entrance which towers over 21m (70ft) high. Until recently, the rock caves were still inhabited by Bedouins. Most of this unique city was built by the Nabatean Arabs in the fifth and sixth centuries BC as an important link in the caravan routes.

It was added to by the Romans who carved out a huge theater and, possibly, the spectacular classical facade of the Khazneh (treasury). Away from the road, it is only possible to reach Petra on horseback. This city of rock stairs, rock streets, rock-carved tombs and dwellings and temples has among its other attractions the Qasr al-Bint castle shrine and the Al-Habis caves and museums; while a short distance away from the more commercialized site of Petra is Al-Barid where a number of tombs lie in solitude and tranquility among the rocks. There is a rest house in Petra built against the rock wall near the beginning of the Siq, where it is advisable to book early in season, but is bitterly cold in winter.

A variety of hotels offer accommodation. The last stop south before Aqaba is Wadi Rum, about five hours from Amman by road. A Beau Geste-type fort run by the colorful Desert Patrol (Camel Corps), it was built to defend the valley in a great plain of escarpments and desert wilderness, and is a place strongly associated with TE Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia). Many Bedouins, of a tribe thought to be descended from Muhammad, still live in the valley in tents. Some tours will arrange trips into the desert to stay with a Bedouin tribe or camping in the valley, a round-trip entailing 97km (60 miles).

Aqaba
At the northeast end of the Gulf of Aqaba is Jordan’s only port, which can be reached from Amman by road or air. It has grown considerably over the past few years, both as a port and as a tourist center, due in part to its excellent beach and watersports facilities, and its low humidity and hot climate. The town has a variety of small shops and several good restaurants, and it leaves most of the other tourist facilities to be provided for by the hotels. These include windsurfing, scuba diving, sailing and fishing.

Most hotels have swimming pools, and will offer continental and some traditional cuisine. Some provide business and conference facilities and excursions to Amman, Petra and Wadi Rum. Aqaba’s Church, which was destroyed by an earthquake in 363 AD, was recently excavated and is one of the oldest buildings in the world.

Shopping in Jordan

Every town will have a souk (market), and there are also many good craft and jewelry shops. There is a particularly good gold and jewelry market in Amman. Special items include: Hebron glass; mother-of-pearl boxes; pottery; backgammon sets; embroidered tablecloths; jewelled rosaries and worry beads; nativity sets made of olive wood; leather hassocks; old and new brass and copper items; and caftans hand-embroidered with silver and gold thread. Jordan is famous for its gold and silver; the center of Amman has a gold souk with over 50 shops. Necklaces with a small golden coffee pot (dalleh) - a national symbol - are popular and widely available.

Shopping hours
Sat-Thurs 0900-1300 and 1500-2000 (closed Friday).

Currency Information:

Currency
Dinar (JD) = 1000 fils. Notes are in denominations of JD50, 20, 10, 5 and 1, and 500 fils. Coins are in denominations of 1000, 500, 250, 100, 50, 25, 10 and 5 fils.

Currency exchange
Foreign currencies can be exchanged easily in banks and bureaux de change. Most hotels also provide exchange facilities. The daily exchange rates are published in local newspapers.

Credit and debit cards
American Express and Visa are widely accepted, whilst Diners Club and MasterCard have more limited use. Check with your credit and debit card company for details of merchant acceptability and other services which may be available.

Travelers cheques
Those issued by UK banks are accepted by licensed banks and bureaux de change. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travelers are advised to take travelers cheques in US Dollars.

Currency restrictions
The import of local currency is unlimited. The export of local currency is restricted to JD300. The import of foreign currency is unrestricted provided declared on arrival. Export of foreign currency is up to the amount imported and declared.

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

Banking hours
Sat-Thurs 0830-1500. Hours during Ramadan are 0830-1000, although some banks open in the afternoon.

Amman: Jordan

Amman, sometimes spelled Ammann (Arabic ???? ?Amman), the capital of the Kingdom of Jordan, a city of more than 1.6 million inhabitants (2000), is the administrative capital and commercial centre of Jordan. It is the capital city of Amman Governorate.

History

Throughout history, Amman has been inhabited by several civilizations. The first civilization on record is during the Neolithic period, around 6500 BC, when archaeological discoveries in Ain Ghazal, located in eastern Amman, showed evidence of not only a settled life but also the growth of artistic work, which suggests that a well-developed civilization inhabited the city at that time.

In the 13th century BC Amman was called Rabbath Ammon or Rabat Amon by the Ammonites (?????? ???????, Standard Hebrew Rabbat ?Ammon, Tiberian Hebrew Rabba? ?Ammon). It was later conquered by the Assyrians, followed by the Persians, and then the Greeks. Ptolemy II Philadelphus, the Hellenic ruler of Egypt, renamed it Philadelphia. The city became part of the Nabataean kingdom until AD 106 when Philadelphia came under Roman control and joined the Decapolis - a league of ten cities.

In 324 AD, Christianity became the religion of the empire and Philadelphia became the seat of a bishopric during the beginning of the Byzantine era. One of the churches of this period can be seen on the city’s Citadel.

Philadelphia was renamed to Amman during the Ghassanian era, and flourished under the Caliphates (with nearby capital) of the Ummayads (in Damascus) and the Abbasids (in Bagdad). It was then destroyed by several earthquakes and natural disasters and remained a small village and a pile of ruins until the Circassians settlement in 1887. The tide changed when the Ottoman Sultan decided to build the Hejaz railway, linking Damascus and Medina, facilitating both the annual haj pilgramage and permanent trade, putting Amman, a major station, back on the commercial map.

In 1921, Abdullah I chose Amman as seat of government for his newly created state, the Emirate of Transjordan, and later as the capital of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. As their was no palatial building, he started his reign from the station, with his office in a rain car! Amman remained a small city until 1948, when the population expanded considerably due to an influx of Palestinian refugees. Amman has experienced exceptionally rapid development since 1952 under the leadership of two Hashemite Kings, their Majesties Hussein of Jordan and Abdullah II of Jordan.

The city’s population continues to expand at a dizzying pace (fueled by refugees escaping the wartime events in Palestine and Iraq). During the last 10 years the amount of new building within the city has increased dramatically with new districts of the city being founded at a very rapid pace (particularly so in West Amman), straining the very scarce water supplies of Jordan as a whole.

In 2005, a series of coordinated explosions rocked three hotels in Amman, shocking and angering the population of the peaceful city. The terrorist group, Al-Qaeda, claimed responsibility.