Criteria for foreign visitors to Israel (Nov 2021)

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Table of content

  1. Criteria to Enter Israel by air for non-Israeli citizens
  2. Foreign vaccination or certificate of recovery recognized by Israel
  3. Countries that recognized Israeli COVID vaccination
  4. Before leaving Israel
  5. At the airport

Criteria to Enter Israel by Air for Non-Israeli Citizens

Non-Israeli citizens who have been vaccinated against coronavirus or who have recovered from coronavirus can enter Israel via Ben Gurion International Airport on the following conditions:

  • They have not visited a country on the red list in the last 14 days before arrival in Israel;
  • They have received a vaccine approved by the World Health Organization (WHO), or they have recovered in accordance with protocol set by Israel, as specified below.
  • Effective 1.12.2021, Israel will recognize the Sputnik-V vaccine. However, persons who have received this vaccine will be required to take a serologic test in Israel and get a positive result;
  • People who have not been denied entry to Israel for any other reason;
  • People with medical insurance covering coronavirus infection during visit of Israel.

People who do not meet the above mentioned conditions will be denied entry to Israel, unless they petition the Exceptions Committee. Online petition form for the Exceptions Committee (to government site)


Recognition of Foreign Vaccination or Recovery by Israel

If you have been vaccinated or have recovered outside of Israel and it is recognized by Israel, you can reduce isolation length and get a Green Pass.

Who is recognized as vaccinated or recovered by Israel?

  1. Vaccinated – if you received a World Health Organization (WHO) approved vaccine, such as Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Sinovac, Sinopharm, the Serum Institute of India, and Johnson and Johnson vaccine. ; effective 1.12.2021, also Sputnik-V vaccine (subject to positive result on a serologic test taken in Israel), tut only if you receive the full series of a vaccine in accordance with the protocol set by Israel:
    • Persons who have been vaccinated with two doses (or one dose in the case of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine) and at least 14 days pass from the second dose at the day of arrival in Israel (but no more than 180 days at the day of departure from Israel).
    • People who have been vaccinated with the booster shot and 14 days or more pass from vaccination day at the day of arrival in Israel.

      Those vaccinated with the Sputnik-V vaccine
       are required to stay in isolation until testing positive on a serologic test and negative on the PCR test taken immediately after arrival. If a negative result on a PCR test is not obtained, isolation continues until receiving a positive test result on the serologic test. If the serologic test result is negative, the traveler will have to go back to the country of origin.
  1. Holders of a digital certificate of recovery digitally verifiable by Israel Ministry of Health, on the basis of a positive result on a NAAT test (a molecular test similar to PCR):
    • Those who arrived in Israel 11 days or more after their NAAT test (but no more than 190 days on the date of their departure from Israel).
    • Those who, in addition to their recovery, have also been vaccinated with at least one dose of the World Health Organization-approved vaccines, before or after recovery.

Recognition of Israeli COVID certificates by other countries

The countries below accept valid Israeli COVID certificates, thus the entry to these countries are granted (in some cases a negative test result on a COVID test might also be required) and serve as a Green Pass so you can enter places that must comply with COVID measures in those countries:

Austria
Ukraine
Italy
Faroe Islands
Iceland
Ireland
Albania
Andorra
Estonia
Bulgaria
Belgium
United Kingdom (Britain)
Georgie
Germany
Denmark
The Netherlands
Hungary
Vatican City State
Turkey
Greece
Luxembourg
Latvia
Lithuania
Lichtenstein
Moldova
Monaco
Malta
North Macedonia
Morocco
Norway
New Zealand
Slovenia
Slovakia
San Marino
Spain
Serbia
Poland
Portugal
Finland
Panama
The Czech Republic
France
Cyprus
Croatia
Romania
Sweden
Switzerland

Before leaving Israel

  1. Check the policy of your destination

It is your responsibility to check the requirements of your destination and the the entry policy of foreign nationals; for instance, if you must fill out forms, get tested, to quarantine upon arrival etc.

  1. Take a PCR test within 72 hours before departure from Israel

Only those who test negative will be allowed to board the flight. This restrictions applies to all travelers of all ages leaving Israel.

Test results must be written in English and include the traveler’s passport number. Rapid tests or tests of any other type are not accepted.

The PCR test must be taken by one of the hospitals that are approved for private coronavirus testing or in another facility approved for pre-flight testing.

The following are exempt from the pre-flight PCR test:

  • Those who stayed in Israel less than 72 hours.
  • Holders of a valid Israel COVID certificate issued by the Ministry of Health. It can be presented before the flight instead of PCR test result. 
  1. Within 24 hours before leaving Israel, you must fill out an exit statement form
  • You are required to fill out your personal details and the details of your travel companions, and state that you do not intend to visit a country on the red list (currently no country is in the red list), unless you have permission from the Exceptions Committee.
  • All Israeli citizens and residents 16 years of age and older are required to fill out the form.
  1. You should make sure that you are allowed to travel
  • If you do not know whether you are a confirmed case, or if you must stay in isolation, or whether you are prevented from leaving Israel, you should check the website of the Immigration and Population Authority.
  • Travelers found to be confirmed cases or persons required to be in isolation will not be allowed to board the flight and will be fined.

At the airport

Before boarding the flight, present airline with:

  1. A confirmation of completion of the exit statement form.
  2. One of the following:
  • A Negative result on a PCR test taken within 72 hours before boarding
  • A valid COVID certificate issued by the Israeli Ministry of Health

Reference: Israel Ministry of Health