Policy of entry into Israel during the coronavirus period

Following a news item dated 19.3.2020

• A foreigner who leaves the country before the end of isolation with no special approval, violates the laws of the state of Israel and his next entry will not be approved.
• No boarding will be permitted without obtaining a preliminary approval from the Population and Immigration Authority.
• The entry of foreigners into Israel is subject to presentation of health insurance (including section covering the Coronavirus disease).
• In the event of discrepancy between the procedures of the Population Authority and the mitigations specified above, the prevailing decision will be in accordance with the Authority's procedures.

As follows are the cases in which the entry into Israel of foreigners will be approved, exceptionally and following examination:

1. A foreigner who is married* to an Israeli citizen or a permanent resident (who are not under a step-by-step process) and their minor children, who comply with the following aggregate conditions:

1.1 The marriage is registered with the Population Registry.

1.2 The center of life of the spouses (in the year preceding the submission of application to enter into Israel or during the year 2019):

• If the Israeli stayed in Israel 180 days and the foreign spouse stayed in Israel 60 days at least. No new approvals will be given until 22 January 2021.
• If both spouses live abroad (meaning, they have not stayed in Israel as required in the previous articles) and the foreigner visited Israel during the 3 years preceding the application – the application will be submitted as required and after it is reviewed and approved, the foreigners will be allowed to enter.

In the event that the spouses stay abroad, the application will be made directly through the Israeli representativeness where the foreigner stays: https://go.gov.il/consularservices.

Application will be made directly through the Israeli representativeness where the foreigner stays: https://go.gov.il/consularservices, and as much as it is approved, the consul will issue a boarding pass.

A certification for exemption from apostilles, in unusual cases, will be given by the Chief of the Consular Section at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or her deputy.

The parent must procure to register the child within 90 days from the date of entry into Israel, in accordance with the law provisions.

2. Foreign nationals staying abroad for whom an application for couple status has been submitted by citizens or by permanent Israeli residents under the graduated process (a process in stage) will be allowed entry into Israel following receipt of approval from the Population and Immigration Authority Bureau that handles the matter and compliance with the terms and conditions of the relevant procedure (5.2.0008/ 5.2.0009)

3. Foreigners staying abroad and married to Israeli citizens or to permanent residents (and in the midst of a graduated process), as well as their children who are minors, will be allowed entry along with their accompanying minors under the graduated process.
   
   a. In cases where the couple is staying abroad, the application will be made directly to the Israel mission at the foreign national's place of stay: https://go.gov.il/consularservices.
   b. Entry of minors staying abroad will be permitted if they are accompanying foreign nationals who are in the midst of a graduated process and are staying in Israel. Their entry will be approved by the Population and Immigration Authority Bureau that handles the matter in accordance with the standard procedure.
   c. Entry will not be permitted of minors who are not part of the graduated process.
   
   *"Married" also applies to common-law spouses. Evidence of the sposal relationship must be made at the Israeli mission in the country of origin, or at the Population Administration bureaus in Israel.

4. Minor children of parents whereas one of the parents is an Israeli citizen who lives in Israel and the other parent is an foreigner who lives abroad, and the children live abroad and carry foreign passports - In such cases, the child's entry to visit the Israeli parent, will be approved following presentation of the birth certificate, while it is original and duly verified (apostille), which proves the relation to the Israeli citizen and the signing of the foreign parent before the consul on a consent letter which approves the travel of the minor to Israel.

5. Entry of a foreign parent of an Israeli minor - A foreign parent of a Israeli citizen who is a minor, who has a custody agreement for the minor, will be approved entry subject to submitting an application for entry by contacting the Israeli representative in their coutry.
    
6. Foreign students seeking to start their studies in the coming academic year in Israel – In order to admit new foreign students in the academic year 5781 (2020/2021), academic/study institutions must have Ministry of Health approval. The Population and Immigration Authority will send a letter of inquiry (through the Council for Higher Education, the MASA Administration, the Naale Program Administration, Vaad Hayeshivot [Council of Yeshivot], and the Ministry of Education, etc.) to every s academic/study institution that admits foreign students. An application for a certificate confirming that the institution complies with the terms of the quarantine will be submitted by the academic/study institution to the Ministry of Health (to the email address indicated in the letter of inquiry). Upon receipt of the certificate of compliance with the terms of the quarantine, the academic/study institution will transfer the certificate to the student.

Foreign students seeking to start their studies in the coming academic year in Israel: students at academic institutions, at preparatory courses for academic institutions, high schools, Naale students and yeshiva students who are minors (up to the age of 18) expected to start their studies in the coming academic year, 5781 (2020/2021), will be able to come to Israel subject to advance approval and compliance with the terms of the quarantine as to be defined by the Ministry of Health.

Students must contact the Israel mission in their location of stay for a visa in accordance with the Obtaining of a Visa procedure, and attach:

• A letter of admission for the studies (including date of the commencement of the studies).
• Ministry of Health certificate for the institution of learning.
• A letter of undertaking by the academic/study institution to comply with all the Ministry of Health's rules.

If the application has been approved, entry to Israel will be allowed near the time of the commencement of the studies at the academic institution, but no more than 30 days before their commencement.

Foreign students who started their studies in Israel and are currently abroad: the application will be made by the academic institution, and not by the student, in accordance with the guidelines sent to the heads of the academic institutions.
No new approvals will be given until 22 January 2021.

7. Adult yeshiva students, new and longtime, who want to start their studies in Israel and are currently abroad - the application will be made by the yeshiva they are studying at, and not by the yeshiva students, in accordance with the guidelines sent to the heads of the yeshivot.
No new approvals will be given until 22 January 2021.

8. New and alumni adult MASA participants who wish to start the program in Israel and are abroad - the referral will be made by the Travel Administration, and not by the program participants, in accordance with the instructions sent to the Travel Administration.
No new approvals will be given until 22 January 2021.

Holders of a student visa (married and their family) - who stayed in Israel during תשפ"א and left Israel for a short period (up to 10 days), their entry will be approved. You can apply at consulates.

9. Experts (not including chefs) - The entry of experts will be approved while reducing the number of entries to the minimum necessary on the recommendation of the relevant government of the Ministry of Health and the Foreign Workers Administration.

10. Approval of exit of foreign experts for a homeland visit and their return to Israel – foreign experts who wish to fly for a homeland visit jointly with their relatives, holding a permit rendered for a year, their application to leave and return to Israel will be approved. The application for a reentry approval will be submitted by the expert with the Population Administration bureaus before he leaves Israel.
No new approvals will be given until 22 January 2021.

11. Artists, culture people and sportsmen – will be allowed to enter, subject to presentation of recommendation of the Ministry of Culture and Sports. The application will be submitted to the bureaus of the Population and Immigration Authority by the ordering entity.

12. Volunteers in the field of welfare – the ordering organization will approach the relevant government ministry to get a professional recommendation for the entrance of foreign volunteers. The recommendation letter enclosed by a list of names of the invitees, will be delivered to the Population and Immigration Authority (tpop@piba.gov.il) for follow-up.
No new approvals will be given until 22 January 2021.

13. Medical tourism – In life-saving cases only.

14. Weddings – arrival at the wedding of Israeli citizens, permanent residents or foreigners, whose center of life is in Israel by law, will be approved for the foreign spouse if necessary and for their parents. 

15. Bar/Bat Mitzvah – arrival at a Bar/Bat Mitzvah of an Israeli citizen will be approved for first degree relatives jointly with their spouses and children (up to the age of one year), as well as for grandfathers and grandmothers. The application will be made by approaching the Israeli representativeness where the applicant stays: https://go.gov.il/consularservices.
No new approvals will be given until 22 January 2021.

16. Births – arrival for a birth of a grandson/granddaughter will be approved for the grandfathers and the grandmothers of the grandson about a month prior to the estimated date of birth, up to one month following the date of birth. Application will be made by approaching the Israeli representativeness where the applicant stays: https://go.gov.il/consularservices.
No new approvals will be given until 22 January 2021.

17. Funerals – arrival at a funeral which is held in Israel, will be approved only for first degree relatives without their spouses and for only for the funeral (24 hours).

18. Lone soldiers – arrival in order to visit a lone soldier will be approved for spouses, parents and siblings. The application for entry will be made by approaching the Israeli representativeness where the applicant stays: https://go.gov.il/consularservices.

19. Volunteers in the National-Civic Service whose parents live abroad: parents and siblings of the volunteers in the National-Civic Service living abroad who wish to visit Israel will be able to apply through the Israel mission in the place of stay of the foreign nationals. The application can also be submitted through the Population and Immigration Authority Bureau that handles the matter, with the authorization from the National Civic Service Authority attached.

20. Travelling for business from "green" countries – Entry to Israel will be approved for foreign nationals coming to Israel for business from "green" countries. Apply here.
No new approvals will be given until 22 January 2021.

21. Clergy: entry will be permitted for A3 clergy and B4 clergy volunteers who have stayed in Israel before with these permits or are entering Israel for the first time. Applications must be submitted to the Ministry of the Interior Department of Non-Jewish Ethnic groups.
No new approvals will be given until 22 January 2021.

22. Official passport holders (diplomatic and service) trained in Israel - Official passport holders accredited in Israel will not be required to present a boarding pass. The instruction was passed on to the airlines.

23. Entry of foreign journalists - Foreign journalists who wish to enter Israel will need a representative of an Israeli media company to apply for them. The application will need to be submitted to a Population Administration office together with an isolation declaration form. Journalists coming for permanent employment or for one year or more, will also need to attach a recommendation from the Government Press Office (GPO). If you cannot apply through an Israeli media company, apply at an Israeli mission in your country of residence.

24. Foreign workers in the home nursing sector - Entry of foreign workers in the home nursing sector will be according to the procedure.

*** Updates will be published in accordance with the decisions of the Minister of Interior and the recommendations of the Ministry of Health, which are derived from the morbidity status in Israel and worldwide.