Popular country changes entry rules for foreigners. There will also be a fee
People who intend to travel to Israel must be ready for changes. Starting August 1, entry will no longer look the same as it has done so far. This also applies to Poles. Here’s what you need.
Are you traveling the world and one of your dream destinations is a country in the Middle East? If you are considering Israel, you need to be aware of the changes. They come into effect in August and apply to all tourists from abroad.
Changes regarding entry to Israel
From August 1, entry to Israel will only be possible if you have a special promissory note. This is the so-called ETA, or electronic travel authorization. Only people with an Israeli passport will not need it. The authorities made this decision to increase security in the country.
Poles and other tourists from abroad will have a much harder time. Until now, when they were going to enter, for example, Tel Aviv or Jerusalem, they did not have to worry about any excessive formalities. A valid passport was enough. Now the situation is changing a lot.
It should be remembered that, despite the fact that we are talking about a popular destination, many Poles are now resigning from choosing it. Thanks to this, we will be able to get used to the changes quite gradually. Due to the difficult political situation on the ground, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs advises against travel to Israel, which is not necessary.
Despite this, Wizz Air and LOT offer connections to these places also in winter. In addition, trips to this country appear in travel agencies – mainly sightseeing or those combined with a vacation in Jordan or Egypt. Most of them will start in late autumn.
ETA to Israel and fees
To get an ETA, you will need to submit an application. “The entire process of registering your trip and obtaining approval to enter Israel is done electronically,” says the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. People who want to travel to Israel must go to the official government website and register their arrival. This may be a bit like the ESTA applications you fill out to fly to the States.
Submitting the application is not free. At the stage of registering the form, we will have to pay a fee of 25 ILS, which is about 27 PLN. It should be filled out no later than 72 hours before the trip. The sooner we do it, the better. The whole process consists of several stages, verifying the e-mail address, receiving a special message and all the details, and filling in personal data. At the end, all that remains is to pay the fee and wait for the document.
The received promise is valid for at least 2 years. In some cases, until the end of the passport validity. This means that when you visit again, you will not have to repeat the registration. With a valid ETA, you can stay in Israel for 90 days.