Israel visa guide: how entry and the ETA-IL work
Check the current travel advice first. Government travel advice for Israel and the Palestinian territories changes frequently and, at the time of writing, advises against travel to parts or all of the region. Before making any plans, read your own government's latest advice in full. In the United Kingdom, that is the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) advice for Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. This guide explains how the entry system works. It is not a recommendation to travel.
Israel does not require a traditional visa from most Western visitors for short tourist stays. Instead, visa-exempt nationals now need an electronic travel authorisation, the ETA-IL, before they arrive. This guide explains who needs one, how the process works, and what to have ready, so you understand the paperwork side of entry. For the specific rules that apply to your nationality, see the Israel destination page.
Who needs an ETA-IL
Israel introduced the ETA-IL as an online pre-authorisation for travellers from countries that are exempt from a full visa, including the United Kingdom, the European Union, the United States, Canada, and Australia. If your passport qualifies for visa-free tourist entry, you will generally need an approved ETA-IL linked to that passport before you travel.
The ETA-IL is not a visa. It is a lighter-touch screening step, similar in spirit to the ETA systems used by other countries and part of the broader family of eTAs, visas, and visa-free arrangements. Travellers who do not hold a visa-exempt passport follow a different, full-visa route and should check the official guidance directly.
How the ETA-IL process works
The application is completed online before departure. In broad terms, the process looks like this:
- Complete the online ETA-IL form with your passport and travel details.
- Answer the eligibility and background questions honestly.
- Submit the application and wait for a decision, which is often quick but can take longer.
- Receive your approved authorisation, linked electronically to your passport.
Apply in good time rather than at the last minute, and make sure the passport you enter on the form is the exact one you will travel on. Always use the official Israeli government channel to apply, and treat any third-party site that asks for extra fees with caution.
Passport validity and documents
As with most international travel, your passport should have adequate validity remaining. Check the current requirement for Israel and confirm your passport meets it well before you fly. Our guide to passport validity rules explains how validity windows generally work. Keep a copy of your ETA-IL approval and any onward or return travel details accessible, as border officers may ask about your plans.
At the border
Entry is ultimately decided by border officials on arrival, even with an approved ETA-IL. Be ready to explain the purpose and length of your visit. Israel has for some years issued an entry card rather than stamping passports at its main airport, but practices can change, so follow the instructions given to you on arrival. Yoogo informs; it does not give immigration advice or process applications. For anything binding, rely on the official sources linked from the Israel destination page.
Frequently asked questions
Do UK passport holders need a visa for Israel?
Not a traditional visa for short tourist stays, but visa-exempt travellers, including UK passport holders, now need an approved ETA-IL travel authorisation before arriving. Confirm the current position on the Israel destination page.
What is the ETA-IL?
It is Israel's electronic travel authorisation for visitors from visa-exempt countries. It is completed online before travel and linked to your passport, and it sits alongside, rather than replaces, the checks made at the border.
How long can I stay in Israel as a tourist?
Visa-exempt tourist stays are generally granted for up to 90 days, though the final permitted period is set by border officials on entry. Check the latest rules before you travel.
How far in advance should I apply for the ETA-IL?
Apply well ahead of your trip rather than at the airport. While decisions can be fast, allowing several days avoids any last-minute problems if further checks are needed.
Is the ETA-IL the same as a visa?
No. It is a pre-travel authorisation for people who are already exempt from a full visa. Travellers who are not visa exempt must follow the separate full-visa process.
Does an approved ETA-IL guarantee entry to Israel?
No. Like any travel authorisation, it permits you to travel to the border, where officials make the final decision on admission.
Which passport should I use to apply?
Apply with the exact passport you will travel on, and make sure its details match your booking. Mismatched documents are a common and avoidable cause of problems.
Where can I check the current situation before travelling to Israel?
Read your government's official travel advice in full. UK travellers should consult the FCDO advice for Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and monitor it up to the day of departure, as the situation can change quickly.
Before you plan
Entry rules and the security situation both change, sometimes at short notice. Confirm the current ETA-IL requirements and read the latest official travel advice before committing to any plans, and use the Israel destination page to reach the official sources.
Finding the rule for your own passport
The ETA-IL applies to travellers who are already exempt from a full Israeli visa, and that exemption is keyed to nationality. The practical question for most people is therefore not how the authorisation works but whether their passport falls inside the scheme at all.
Yoogo publishes a corridor page for each pairing, which mirrors the current published position and links straight through to the official source. The most searched of these are the Germany to Israel page and the France to Israel page, with the Israel destination page covering the wider picture and the official channels behind it.
Swiss passport holders can find the process set out in our Israel entry guide for Swiss passports.
Two points apply regardless of nationality. An authorisation is permission to travel to the border rather than a guarantee of admission, and the decision at the border belongs to the officer making it. And where a traveller is not visa exempt, the route is a full visa applied for through an Israeli mission before travel, which is a separate process with its own requirements. The mission handling your application is the only body that can confirm which route applies to your circumstances.
The security situation in the region changes at short notice. Read your own government's current travel advice in full, and keep reading it up to the day you fly.
Related guides
Corridor-specific walkthroughs are available for Polish passport holders and German passport holders. For the practical side of arriving, travel money in Israel covers cards and cash.