Visa to Israel for Russians in 2021

Do Russian citizens need a visa to Israel in 2021 and how to get it? Visa-free entry, types of visas, terms, documents, the possibility of extension, refusal of entry.

Recently, an agreement on a partial visa regime has been in effect between Russia and Israel. Russians who wish to visit the country in 2021 to stay, receive medical treatment or for tourist purposes do not need a preliminary visa application.

Visas to Israel: general information

At the moment, for business, private, medical, tourist visits to Russians a visa to Israel need not... An important nuance - in this case, stay in the country is allowed up to 90 days, you cannot work. If the purpose of the trip is study or work, then it is necessary to collect a package of documents and visit the consular section of the embassy in Moscow in order to issue an appropriate visa.

All visas are divided into two types: "A" and "B".

Type "A":

• A1. Granted to persons wishing to move to the country and obtain citizenship. Validity period - up to 3 years.
• A2. Study visa. Term - 1 year, renewable.
• A3. Provided for clergymen for religious rites.
• A4. Granted to spouses and children of persons holding A2 and A3 visas.
• A5. It is provided for temporary residence in the country, in particular for spouses of Israeli citizens who have been married to foreigners. The term is 1 year.

Group "B" visas include: B1 (work), B2 (tourist), B3 (for non-standard situations for 1 month), B4 (volunteer).

Visa-free entry for Russians

For visa-free travel to Israel in 2021, Russians need the following documents:

1. Air tickets in both directions.
2. Proof of financial solvency - cash or credit card.
3. international passport... Must be valid for 6 months from the date of entry. It is better if it does not contain marks about staying in countries that are unfriendly to Israel (Iran, Sudan, Libya, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen), because such tourists are of particular interest to border guards.
4. For kids - birth certificate, permission to leave from the parent and a copy of the passport (one or both), if the child is traveling with one parent or a trusted person.
5. Medical insurance... Not required, but desirable. A standard policy for an amount of up to 30 thousand euros will do. Without it, assistance will be provided only in the event of an accident or terrorist attack, otherwise you will have to pay a lot of money out of your own pocket. The most convenient (from personal experience) service for selecting the optimal insurance is Sravn.Ru.
6. Documents confirming the nature and purpose of the trip: this can be an invitation from relatives, confirmation of a hotel reservation (travel voucher), a certificate from the clinic, etc.

Upon arrival in the country, you must be prepared for border inspection and interrogation with bias. Sometimes it takes a long time. If all is well, the border guard will issue an entry visa with a date, without marks in the passport. The exception is Eilat and land borders, they put stamps there. There are no visa fees, except for the situation of departure by land transport (exit tax is paid).

Extension of an Israeli visa on the spot

Tourists can stay in the country for no more than 90 days. If there is a good reason why you need to extend your stay (illness or otherwise), then you need to appear at the Ministry of Internal Affairs, show photos, passport and written justifications explaining the reasons for the extension, confirm your financial viability, fill out an official form. If the extension is related to treatment, then a certificate from the clinic is needed. The cost of the service is 175 shekels, more expensive through an intermediary.

As practice shows, most willingly extend a visa to close relatives of Israeli citizens, usually for a period of 180 days to a year.

Visa processing in Russia

Registration tourist visa not required to visit Israel. For special situations (work, study, immigration, etc.), a visa is issued at the country's embassy in Moscow, located at 56 Bolshaya Ordynka Street.

To apply for a visa to Israel in 2021, Russians need to collect a package of documents, register on the embassy's website and sign up for an electronic appointment. Then visit the embassy at the appointed time, submit documents and obtain a visa. Reception is carried out daily from 9 to 12, except weekends and public holidays.

Violation of the period of stay

Violations of the terms of stay on the territory of the country without contacting the services are not welcomed by the authorities. If it is a matter of several days, due to health problems, transport or other valid reasons, then they can be loyal. Otherwise, the information will be entered into the database, and during a subsequent visit to Israel, the border guards will have an official reason to refuse entry into the country. In the most severe cases, the offender is deported with a ban on visiting the country for 10 years.

Refusal to enter the country or grant a visa

In theory, anyone can be denied a visa to Israel. For example, if a person violated the laws during previous visits: he worked there without permission, stayed for a longer period or was deported, then he will probably be denied a visa.

Very often, foreigners are denied, suspecting them of secret intention to engage in illegal work in the country. A work visa may be refused if the Israeli employing company did not have a license at the time of issuing the visa or has expired.

Embassy staff may simply not like the applicant's behavior or appearance. The student may be refused if the consulate considers him to be insolvent.

Many tourists are denied entry if a foreign citizen did not pass the screening, tried to smuggle prohibited items, could not intelligibly answer the questions of the border guard, or he does not have enough documents to cross the border. If there is a mark in the database about the violation of the immigration regime earlier, then they will probably be denied entry.

The recommendations in this case are simple: do not violate the laws, study the list of prohibited items before traveling. Calmly and truthfully answer the questions of the border guards, even if they seem stupid and tactless. Arguing and proving something is useless. Having received a refusal to enter, it will be even more difficult to get a permit in the future.

Special conditions for visiting certain territories

You should not visit closed areas - the so-called conflict zones. This is life-threatening and is considered a violation of the law. And when visiting Jerusalem and Bethlehem, two famous biblical cities, located several kilometers from each other, you will have to go through additional border control. Bethlehem became the subject of a dispute between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Now it is under the jurisdiction of the latter and is surrounded by a concrete wall. When going to Jerusalem, a very strict check, in Bethlehem - a formal one.

When photographing, it is worth remembering that any military or strategic objects are taboo for filming. This includes power plants, an airport, military units, even train stations. Curious photographers are expected to be interrogated with passion, searches and close attention of the security service, so do not create trouble for yourself on vacation, because your free time can be spent much more interesting.